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Looking for a great place to retire? Mississippi is friendly to retirees, and lots of towns offer access to nature, walkable downtowns and great food close to home.
Travel + Leisure put together a Top 10 list of the best options in the Southeast, using data from Investopedia. It considers elements important to older Americans, such as access to healthcare and entertainment.
“To create this list, Investopedia used a ranking system that took into account the cost of living for two adults, average monthly taxes, additional state-level tax regulations, distance to a major airport, climate risk, health care facilities, and local arts and culture opportunities,” Travel + Leisure wrote.
What Mississippi city is one of the best retirement towns?
Natchez is a great retirement city, according to Travel + Leisure. They advise people looking for affordable living and a walkable community to add it to their shortlists for consideration.
“The oldest city on the Mississippi River, Natchez is known for its history as well as its variety of attractions—with everything from museums and historical sites to live music, flower shows, and theater performances,” Travel + Leisure wrote.
The magazine notes that the media home value in Adams County is $106,300, and the monthly housing cost is estimated to be about $592.
Natchez is a Welcome Home Mississippi certified retirement community
The city is one of 12 in the Mississippi Hometown Retirement Program, also known as Welcome Home Mississippi. The program uses no state income tax on retirement income, a tax exemption on the first $75,000 of a home’s true value and no state gift or inheritance taxes as selling points.
Certified cities “maintain high standards and boast many of the qualities and amenities retirees often seek when choosing a retirement destination,” according to the program’s site.
Other cities in the program include:
- Aberdeen
- Brandon
- Cleveland
- Hattiesburg
- Madison
- New Albany
- Oxford
- Picayune
- Southaven
- Starkville
- Vicksburg
When should I retire in Mississippi?
Nasdaq did a study on realistic retirement numbers for each state. For Mississippi, they determined that a realistic retirement age is 61 and recommend having at least $764,676 saved up.
Mississippi residents aren’t taxed on income from:
Social Security benefits
The state income tax is also being phased out.
What are the best 10 retirement cities in the Southeast?
Travel + Leisure named 10 cities at the best retirement options in the Southeast.
- Waycross, Georgia
- Danville, Virginia
- Litchfield Beach, South Carolina
- Wheeling, West Virginia
- Natchez, Mississippi
- Tryon, North Carolina
- Alexandria, Louisiana
- Sebring, Florida
- Paducah, Kentucky
- Paris, Tennessee
States where you need at least $1M to retire
Bonnie Bolden is the Deep South Connect reporter for Mississippi with Gannett/USA Today. Email her at bbolden@gannett.com.
