11 Best Small Towns for Retirement

(Related: 12 Cheapest U.S. Cities for a Comfortable Retirement)

Americans who are thinking about retiring often consider doing so in a small town — whether because of lower cost of living, desire to leave a large city, nostalgia for the place they grew up or any number of other considerations. Numerous small towns in the U.S. offer good public transportation, nearby health care, tolerable weather, socializing opportunities and senior amenities. Many also offer retirees a slower pace, fewer crowds, less crime and traffic and a close-knit community. GoBankingRates created a list of manageable towns that it found to be the best places to retire. The firm's researchers estimated the annual income a retiree would need to afford housing, health care, food, transportation and other living expenses in 60 American cities outside the 150 biggest ones. They also ensured that their selection of the top 30 cities had a relatively higher rate of seniors and a lower crime rate. Their livability score for each town, which came from AreaVibes, is a score out of 100 that comprises seven different categories and dozens of data points across multiple data sets. Crime rates — violent and property crimes per 1,000 people — are sourced from Neighborhood Scout. See the gallery for GoBankingRates' top 11 most desirable small towns for retirement. --- Related on ThinkAdvisor:

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