Forbes compared more than 950 locales in America on everything from housing costs and taxes to healthcare, air quality, crime and climate change and natural hazard risk. These are the top 25 cities for retirees.
Lawrence, Kansas
Quintessential college town (University of Kansas) of 97,000, 40 miles west of Kansas City.
Pros: Median home price of $318,000, 21% below national median. Good ratio of primary care physicians per capita. Good air quality. Comfortable climate. Very bikeable. Serious crime rate is considerably below national average.
Con: So-so retiree state tax climate; marginal state income tax tops out at 5.58% for couples with taxable income above $46,000 (but is no longer levied on Social Security benefits).
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