16 Great Places to Retire in the South
One strategy for selecting your retirement destination: Follow the birds. The southern states offer not only mild climates, but also low costs and robust economies--attractive qualities for any retiree. No wonder plenty of people already plan to head south for their retirements. According to a survey by Merrill Lynch and Age Wave, a research firm focused on the aging population, 37% of respondents say they plan to move to the South Atlantic (including North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida), making it the most popular retirement region in the U.S. More specifically, Florida and South Carolina prove to be particularly popular with retirees, ranking second and fourth, respectively, among the top 10 states people moved to for retirement in 2018, according to United Van Lines' annual national movers study.
If you're ready to the heavy migration to the South for your own retirement, we suggest you consider the following spots. We highlighted one great retirement destination in each state, 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. These are our choices in the southern region of the U.S.
Huntsville, Ala.
Courtesy Huntsville/Madison County Convention & Visitors Bureau
City population: 190,501
Share of population 65+: 15.2% (U.S.: 14.9%)
Cost of living for retirees: 6.1% below the national average
Average income for population 65+: $51,853 (U.S.: $56,453)
Community score: 63.3 (U.S.: 61.9)
State's tax rating for retirees: Tax Friendly
As one of the 10 Cheapest States Where You'll Want to Retire, the Heart of Dixie boasts many great spots for affordable living. And Huntsville, in northern Alabama, is one of the best. It offers all the low-cost, low-tax advantages as the rest of the state, but adds more generous incomes among retirement-age residents.
Home to NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, the Redstone Arsenal and the Huntsville campus of the University of Alabama, the city offers a robust economy and a highly educated population. There are plenty of cultural attractions, from a sculpture trail to a symphony orchestra. Opportunities for outdoor recreation abound, as well: Hiking and biking paths around and throughout the city include the advanced slopes
