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10 Great Places to Retire If You Hate the Cold

Are you hoping to retire your snow gear when you exit the workforce? We don't blame you. Harsh winters can be particularly difficult as you age. Older adults lose body heat faster than when they were younger, and their health can suffer before they even realize quite how cold they are, according to the National Institute on Aging.

We pinpointed one great place to retire in each state that offers attractive advantages for retirees, taking into account living costs, safety, median incomes and poverty rates for retirement-age residents, as well as residents' sense of well-being and the availability of recreational and health care facilities. To shovel out the more wintry locations, we used the Comfort Index from Sperling's Best Places. The scores are based on how many days per year each place enjoys temperatures between 70 degrees and 80 degrees--with penalties for days of excessive humidity. The U.S. average for comfort is 54 out of 100, and higher scores mean more comfortable climates year round. Also, we nixed places where the average temperature in January falls below freezing, whittling our selections to the following 10 great places to retire if you hate the cold. See if any feel just right for you.

Phoenix, Ariz.

Getty Images

Comfort Index Score: 80 (U.S.: 54)

Average low in January: 42℉

Cost of Living: 5% below

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