Best Place To Retire Early

The best states (+ the District of Columbia) for an early retirement. Seems to focus exclusively on the financial aspects of retirement.

https://www.aol.com/article/2016/02/08/the-best-states-for-an-early-retirement/21309594/?ncid=txtlnkusaolp00000058&intcmp=hplnws

TOP TEN
1. KENTUCKY
2. SOUTH DAKOTA
3. WYOMING
4. TENNESSEE
5. MISSISSIPPI
6. NEW MEXICO
7. PENNSYLVANIA
8. MONTANA
9. FLORIDA
10. TEXAS

BOTTOM ELEVEN
40. NEW YORK
41. RHODE ISLAND
42. D.C.
43. OREGON
44. MINNESOTA
45. WISCONSON
46. MASSACHUSETTS
47. MARYLAND
48. NORTH CAROLINA
49. CALIFORNIA
50. NEW JERSEY
51. CONNECTICUT

From my trip out West last summer, your backyard really got me thinking Pterodactyl. I loved Montana! ... and for an overseas destination, this place gets my vote!

Cuenca, Ecuador

Moving to PA from CA was done for several reason, but the fact retirement income is not taxed here is pretty nice. Once fully retired, I could see doing the snowbird thing.

Good find, but some of our priorities are not likely considered in those best and worst places

Some of us like Tight twisties

Some of us like Fast Sweepers

Some of us like Off Road opportunities

Some of us like Sheep as opposed to goats

Some of us like Flat Boring roads like SEOhio

Cav47 said:

Good find, but some of our priorities are not likely considered in those best and worst places
Some of us like Tight twisties

Some of us like Fast Sweepers

Some of us like Off Road opportunities

Some of us like Sheep as opposed to goats

Some of us like Flat Boring roads like SEOhio

Click to expand...

True. But... living in motorcycle Nirvana does not matter if you are struggling to to pay for food, lodging and healthcare. Better to ride on flat boring roads than to admire your broken bike sitting underneath a tarp behind your rented trailer.

Thankfully there are some states in the top ten that offer both... SD, WY and MT for example.

Cav47 said:

Good find, but some of our priorities are not likely considered in those best and worst places
Some of us like Tight twisties

Some of us like Fast Sweepers

Some of us like Off Road opportunities

Some of us like Sheep as opposed to goats

Some of us like Flat Boring roads like SEOhio

Click to expand...

It sounds like 1)Kentucky might be a perfect fit.

Ptero and I are living in Montana, so might be prejudiced. Yeah, as a place to live it certainly has its merits. Even on purely financial grounds, though, I think property taxes are ridiculously high. Our 11.5 family acres on the Jefferson River have gone from $295 per year to $1,300 per year in 25 years and our residential property tax is now over $2,000/year. And state income taxes are not insignificant. I do like the lack of a sales tax, which once that genie is out of the bottle can become ridiculous and crushing. As far as retirement living goes, if you can deal with 4-6 months of cold, snow and ice...ya, it's a nice place to live. Winter does keep the riff-raff out, though.

Hey, one of the reasons we moved to MT from Fairbanks was because of the short and easy winters. And that has proven to be true.... relatively.

Pennsylvania is my(our) goal. We'd like to own our own mountain(at 36, I can dream big). Close to stellar riding in state, and WV, and OH. And flexibility of retirement to go where-ever the hell we want to go when it gets colder.

Big Sky said:

Winter does keep the riff-raff out, though.

Click to expand...

With a great economy and lots of available jobs, winter does not keep the riff-raff out of North Dakota any more. I dislike the increase in population and crime it has brought with it.

This thread caught my attention since I am retiring from the Navy in about three years. I am drawn to the idea of being able to ride year round, and am considering eastern Tennessee. I know there is no state income tax. Haven't looked at the impacts of sales tax and property tax. Close proximity to good riding areas and it looks unlikely that I would get snowed in for long periods of time. Have a lot of friends and family between Atlanta and northern Virginia.

Aside from the severity of winter, I certainly would enjoy living in Montana and South Dakota however.

SWMBO and I are about 3 years out too. The summers along the gulf coast have become intolerable to us. We know that home will become a more northern latitude for us, but we don't want to jump out of the sauna and into the avalanche either.

We like Arkansas - plenty of playground and in the Ozarks, the summers can be manageable, while the winters are not too extreme. I'd also consider many places in and around the Appalachian range, but all four of our parents are in their mid-70s now. We realize that sooner or later, they will need us. So living within a reasonable day drive from here seems logical.

We've got a little more time to think about it.

Retire to Canada...wayyyy more for your $$

NC got shafted somehow. That's a great place, especially the Asheville area.

I mean, really? Wyoming?!?! Mississippi?!?! A retirement place should have low taxes, easy access to groceries and medicines, and nearby medical facilities.

If you had a heart attack in MS or WY, how long would it take to get to a hospital?

Strange list.

I'd rather be dead than live in Texas or Mississippi.

Top 10: I'd avoid pretty much all but Wyoming or Montana. I suppose I could tolerate Tennessee or Pennsylvania.

We may well move to Florida but solely for convenience to be close to where we plan to retire: The Bahamas.

Bottom 10: These are some of the nicest places in America to live in. Just pricey. OK. leave out Wisconsin.

Spending summers in Oregon and winters in California I have 12 months of riding and different scenery in each state. As far as expenses, watch were you shop and stay away from high cost areas, Portland, Los Angeles, San Diego. I also remain a Oregon resident saving a lot I licensing fees.

We really enjoy in the spring when it gets hot in the desert moving to the cool green of Oregon and in October when the rains start heading for the dry desert.

Presently the seven day forecast is for highs in the eighties. Will be heading for Death Valley on Saturday.

drc32-0 said:

Cav47 said:

Good find, but some of our priorities are not likely considered in those best and worst places
Some of us like Tight twisties

Some of us like Fast Sweepers

Some of us like Off Road opportunities

Some of us like Sheep as opposed to goats

Some of us like Flat Boring roads like SEOhio

Click to expand...

It sounds like 1)Kentucky might be a perfect fit.

Click to expand...

Except it's full of UK fans.

I've figured my retirement taxes, sales taxes, and realty taxes in all the New England states plus New York. I'm staying put here in Massachusetts. But if the the stock market keeps crashing I'll be looking to set up my tent someplace warmer.

I've been retired for about four years, and I stayed put. Not because of the cost of living, but but because this is where I enjoy living. Taxes are terrible here in NY, but I enjoy the climate, the roads, my friends and family, and the proximity to a large metropolitan area with lots of museums and other culture.

No matter where you live, the taxes and political climate are always subject to change over time.