8 Greatest Locations to Retire in Georgia

Decatur

The town of Decatur, about six miles from downtown Atlanta, attracts retirees, empty nesters, and seniors who transfer right here to be close to their grandchildren. Lisa Cronic of Sotheby’s Fantastic Properties factors out town’s walkability, together with its festivals, occasions, concert events, and eating places. “Flats, condos, and single-family properties make dwelling in Decatur accessible for retirees of various financial means,” she says. Emory College additionally presents cultural and leisure alternatives, in addition to persevering with schooling — a plus for a lot of retirees.

The town’s glorious faculty system — a draw for a lot of younger households — corresponds to larger taxes, however seniors (65+) are eligible for tax reductions. As for housing, the median dwelling worth is $654,400, in line with Area of interest.

Dwelling in Decatur presents a lot to do outside, too, with considerable parks and inexperienced areas, together with close by Atlanta’s museums, leisure, {and professional} sports activities venues. Plus, per SmartAsset, Decatur supplies “a stable variety of medical facilities, with 13.98 areas per 1,000 residents.”

Dalton

Positioned within the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Dalton is called the “Carpet Capital of the World” for its 150-plus carpet producers and textile historical past courting to the early 1900s. Based on realtor Laura Younger of Coldwell Banker Kinard Realty, “Dalton is all enterprise with a facet of enjoyable. We now have nice eating places, distinctive buying, and a vigorous downtown nightlife with bars, breweries, and an open container coverage.” Along with the nightlife, Younger provides, “There’s nice mountaineering and canoeing at Haig Mill Lake Park. It’s small however stunning, with fishing, picnicking, and two strolling paths.”

Dalton additionally has inexpensive housing and a low unemployment charge, interesting to seniors on a restricted funds and those that could wish to work part-time after retirement. Area of interest cites a median dwelling worth of $182,500, and glorious well being sources and reasonable winters, in line with Greatest Locations, seal the deal.

Sandy Springs

About half-hour north of downtown Atlanta, and a simple journey on MARTA public transportation, Sandy Springs is about alongside the Chattahoochee River, with greater than 20 miles of river frontage, parks, and trails, in line with realtor and 11-year resident Robin Conklin of House Luxurious Actual Property. “Sandy Springs is a superb place to dwell and retire. We get 4 true seasons, and are simply two hours from the mountains and 5 hours from the seaside.” Conklin says. “An awesome profit for retirees is the Dorothy C. Benson Senior Multipurpose Advanced, the place they’ve artwork, laptop, and different lessons; grownup daycare; health applications; lectures; and weekly journeys, with no revenue necessities and no cost for this system.”

There’s an vary of housing choices, too, with the typical dwelling gross sales worth for the final 12 months at $730,000, per Conklin. She factors out one other plus for retirees: “Sandy Springs has the most important focus of main well being care services in Metro Atlanta. We even have a tremendous performing arts heart, festivals, parades, tennis and pickleball courts, and farmers markets. Misplaced Nook Protect presents free lectures, health lessons, images and guide golf equipment, and a group backyard.”

St. Simons Island

Considered one of 4 barrier islands on Georgia’s Atlantic coast, St. Simons Island presents golf, historical past, buying, seashores, museums, outside actions, and a small-town environment. Area of interest states the median dwelling worth is $445,500, and in line with the World Inhabitants Evaluate, the median age there may be 57.4 years.

“With our in depth listing of facilities together with kayaking, boating, fishing, golf, pickleball, nature trails, miles of sidewalks, and the seashores, St. Simons Island has one thing to supply everybody,” Chandra Kendall, affiliate dealer at DeLoach Sotheby’s Worldwide Realty, tells T + L. “The great thing about St. Simons is like no different. When you see the moss-draped oak bushes and watch a dawn on the seaside, you gained’t wish to go away.”

Cartersville

Small-town model and inexpensive housing make Cartersville interesting to retirees. The median dwelling worth right here is $274,800, in line with Area of interest, whereas Zillow estimates the typical dwelling worth is $316,659. Realtor Chris Hardin tells T+L, “There’s a wide range of housing, from single-family properties to flats, in addition to senior communities, together with assisted and unbiased dwelling.”

The walkable downtown presents eating places, historical past, artwork, theaters, group occasions, and buying. “Residents can simply get to the river, mountains, or parks,” Hardin says, including that public transportation can be out there, as is a transit service for seniors and people with disabilities.

Well being care is handy, too. Hardin notes, “For medical care, Piedmont Healthcare places of work in Cartersville supply a spread of companies, together with emergency care, surgical procedure, imaging, and rehabilitation.”

Woodstock

Positioned about 30 miles north of Atlanta, Woodstock is thought for its walkable downtown, parks, trails, and interesting way of life. Hardin and his household have lived in Woodstock for 10 years, and in line with him, “It’s an ideal place for households and retirees. You see a number of retired of us on e-bikes and golf carts, having fun with being outside.” He provides that there are a number of properties out there as properly, from flats to spacious homes. The median dwelling worth is $359,800, in line with Area of interest, whereas Zillow studies the typical dwelling worth is $448,164, a rise of practically 4 p.c over the earlier 12 months.

“Many seniors are transferring in from states like California, they usually discover they will get rather a lot for his or her {dollars} compared,” Hardin says. “The town is including downtown parking, and there’s a resort within the works, too.”

Athens

Positioned within the northeastern a part of the state, this metropolis, dwelling of the College of Georgia, is about 1.5 hours east of Atlanta. Carol Bitner, affiliate dealer at Keller Williams Larger Athens, has helped many retirees discover properties in Athens.

“They love the truth that they will audit lessons on the College of Georgia for free of charge. Additionally, there’s the Osher Lifelong Studying Institute (OLLI) with a variety of lessons, journey alternatives, and social occasions for adults ages 50 and over.” Bitner provides, “Athens has a small-town really feel, with eating places, concert events, a theater, museums, and a stunning botanical backyard. So many seniors benefit from the mixture of ages right here in Athens. They inform me it makes them really feel younger.”

Area of interest states the median dwelling worth right here is $242,300, whereas Zillow studies a mean dwelling worth of $322,972. And with a wide range of neighborhoods, from downtown to upscale 5 Factors, comes wide selection of way of life choices.

The median age in Athens/Clarke County is 33.3, and 21 p.c of the inhabitants is over age 60. Well being care high quality and availability is rated glorious by Numbeo — an vital consideration for a lot of retirees.

Augusta

Based on Jena Puckett, a realtor with Meybohm Actual Property, “Augusta is a superb place to dwell. We now have the Savannah River and Augusta Canal, the place there’s stunning surroundings, mountaineering, biking, kayaking, and boat excursions.” Puckett provides, “We even have Clarks Hill Lake close by, with a lot of issues to do there.” The historic metropolis presents an lively way of life with reasonable climate and a low value of dwelling. Zillow estimates the typical value of a house to be $172,060, in comparison with the estimate by Area of interest of $141,900.

Augusta additionally hosts the annual Masters skilled golf match, attracting thousands and thousands of tv viewers and “patrons” (as Masters friends are referred to as). Puckett notes, “Many Augusta owners hire their homes in the course of the Masters golf match as a result of there are such a lot of guests on the town.” Numbeo charges well being care high quality and availability above common, and Puckett feedback, “We now have the Medical Faculty of Georgia, with nursing, medical, and dental colleges.”