Article

Thursday, September 2, 2010

Money magazine recently announced six winners for its "Best Places to Retire" contest. Criteria for judging included: vitality, quality of life, housing affordability, and quality of things to do. Here are the winners, along with a short explanation of why they won.

Hanover, New Hampshire

Host to Ivy League Dartmouth College, Hanover provides great activities for those young and old. Many retirees participate in the Institute for Lifelong Education at Dartmouth (ILEAD), a program that allows seniors to take continuing education classes for just $40 per semester. When not in class, you could take advantage of the Appalachian Trail, a path that leads people through miles of magnificent hiking terrain. Housing prices are steep, averaging $375,000 for a three-bedroom home.

Tucson, Arizona

Tucson can boast of great culture and nature. As a resident, you could attend concerts given by the Tucson symphony or the Arizona Opera Company, watch plays performed by the Arizona Theater Company, or visit the newly reopened Tucson Museum of Art. You could also see natural wonders like the Sonoran desert or the Santa Catalina Mountains. Three-bedroom homes are relatively inexpensive, averaging about $200,000 each.

Escondido, California

Lying in between Los Angeles and San Diego, Escondido offers the best that California has to offer, only with cheaper prices and less noise. Positioned downtown, the $82 million California Center for the Performing Arts offers a fine selection of concerts, theater, museums, and galleries. Mountains and desert poetically outline the perimeter of the city. Retirees could expect to find a three-bedroom home for about $300,000.

Edisto and Seabrook, South Carolina

Seabrook provides the perfect refuge for those seniors willing and able to spend a little more. Reminiscent of a resort, it offers two private gold courses and an equestrian center. Edisto Island is a rustic alternative to Seabrook, having not yet played host to either a movie theater or a hotel. Only twenty-five miles of Ocean separate the two islands from Charleston, which has a performing arts center and a national wildlife refuge. Three-bedroom homes on the island run between $275,000 and $400,000.

Eugene, Oregon

Only two hours from Portland and one hour from the ocean, Eugene offers both fantastic scenery and exciting cultural opportunities. As a resident, you would need only travel a few miles to see national forests, volcanoes, 21 state parks, and a number of small lakes. You would also have the option of visiting the Holt Center for the Performing Arts, which plays host to eight dance and music groups. Housing prices are reasonable; three-bedroom homes often sell for less than $250,000.

Oxford, Mississippi

Home to the University of Mississippi, Oxford offers a unique mix of Southern style and college town excitement. As a senior, you could take one free course each semester at Ole Miss. Around town, you could find an indoor Olympic-size pool, 40 tennis courts, and the Ole Miss Golf Course. Taxes are significantly less oppressive to seniors in Mississippi than in many states, and you could find a three-bedroom home for about $200,000.

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