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25 Best Places to Retire in the U S
New list shows college towns are popular with retirees
Athens, Ga., makes the list of best places to live. Istock When it comes to a comfortable retirement, beat — at least according to Forbes, which this week released its annual list of the 25 Best Places to Retire in the U S Nine of the cities on the 2017 list — more than a third of the selections — are college towns, from Athens, Ga. (University of Georgia), to San Marcos, Texas (Texas State University). Clearly, cultural events and attractions figured into the publication’s criteria, as did factors like , access to medical care, quality-of-life components such as crime rate and air quality, and volunteer and community engagement opportunities. Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. were taken into account as well, though the survey points out that states with minimal (or zero) income tax, such as Florida, Texas and Nevada, often have higher real estate and sales taxes, both of which can greatly affect retirees who are . With economic factors fluctuating yearly, there have been several changes to the new list from the 2016 version. Sixteen of this year’s towns weren’t ranked among the top 25 last year, and only a handful — Athens; Fargo, N.D.; Lincoln, Neb.; and San Marcos — have maintained a place on the list for each of the past three years (Fargo has made the cut for seven years running). Find Forbes’ full photo gallery here. And to discover other great spots to live, go to AARP’s for people over 50, which features our tool, which lets you enter your ZIP code to see how your community measures up. Forbes’ Best Places to Retire 2017 Bella Vista, Ark. Bethlehem, Pa. Boise, Idaho Brevard, N.C. Clemson, S.C. Fargo, N.D. Grand Prairie, Texas Green Valley, Ariz. Harrisonburg, Va. Iowa City, Iowa Jefferson City, Mo. Lawrence, Kan. Lewiston, Maine Lincoln, Neb. Maryville, Tenn. Ocean Pines, Md. Peoria, Ariz. Port Charlotte, Fla. San Marcos, Texas Summerville, S.C. The Villages, Fla. Wenatchee, Wash. MORE FROM AARP AARP NEWSLETTERS %{ newsLetterPromoText }% %{ description }% Subscribe AARP VALUE & MEMBER BENEFITS See more Health & Wellness offers > See more Flights & Vacation Packages offers > See more Finances offers > See more Health & Wellness offers > SAVE MONEY WITH THESE LIMITED-TIME OFFERS