Move over Florida! Iowa is ranked the best place to retire - while Alaska, New York and California come out worst

Jr and I drove down to Iowa in 2014 for the Trans-Iowa bike race.

Having previously read Bill Bryson's Lost Continent, in which Bryson savagely mocks Iowa and its people, I was prepared to be underwhelmed.

I really liked it. Beautiful terrain, very nice people. An underrated state for sure.
 
Maryland isn't cheap either.
Look at this property go up in just 6 years. Vacant land.

Screenshot_20230801-100457~2.webp
 
LOL, how is Illinois a good place to retire?
If a senior can somehow get a residence in Rosemont, IL - pretty good one of a kind benefits. But the Rosemont residents probably want to take a shower immediately after voting. Here is just one of the many benefits of seniors living in Rosemont. I am leaving off the LAs Vegas junkets, public police staffed gated community, etc.

SNOW PLOW & GRASS CUTTING SERVICES FOR SENIOR RESIDENTS​

The Village of Rosemont offers a Snow Plow/Grass Cutting Service to the elderly and physically disabled residents of the Village.
To participate in this service, residents must be:

  • At least 65 years of age, without anyone residing in the home that is capable of shoveling/plowing.
  • Physically disabled, on a fixed income, and not residing with anyone capable of shoveling/plowing.
    Medical verification of your condition is required.
  • The senior/disabled individual must occupy the home during the plowing season.
Snow Services:
The Village of Rosemont will be using a private contractor, snow plow drivers will begin to clear only driveways after a snowfall of two (2) or more inches or greater. There will be a $10.00 charge every time your driveway is cleared, which will be billed on a monthly basis.

Please note: Because of equipment issues, drivers cannot plow narrow driveways that extend into backyards.
Additionally, there will be no shoveling any walkways or two feet in front of the garage door.

Grass Cutting Services:
Rosemont Public Works Dept. will begin grass-cutting season sometime during the month of April. Grass cutting services will be rendered Monday - Friday ONLY between the hours of 7:00 am. to 3:00 pm. There will be a $20.00 charge for one (1) month,
which will be billed on a monthly basis.
 
From the same article:

Once you start receiving Social Security benefits, you’ll owe federal taxes on a portion of the payments as long as your income exceeds certain thresholds. You might also owe state taxes on the benefits depending on where you live. For the 2022 tax year, 11 states tax Social Security benefits: Colorado, Connecticut, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, Rhode Island, Utah and Vermont. All other states and the District of Columbia do not tax the payments.

West Virginia had previously taxed Social Security payments but started phasing out the tax in 2020, and will not be charged in the 2022 tax year. Several other states are either in the process of phasing out the tax or are exploring eliminating the tax entirely.
Utah now has an exemption for lower income households on Social Security tax. I may add that to some taxes are either secondary to where you wish to live-or you are at the stage in life where you can pay taxes.

For example-I haven't looked but I am guessing Kansas is a bargain for real estate prices compared to some other places. You can pay a lot of (Social Security) taxes if you save a $100,000 on a house.
 
For example-I haven't looked but I am guessing Kansas is a bargain for real estate prices compared to some other places. You can pay a lot of (Social Security) taxes if you save a $100,000 on a house.
Right on. Kansas would be pretty cheap. 31st ranked in median home price.

Taxes of any sort, be it SS, property, sales, whatever, in conjunction with real estate prices, insurance rates, and so on. The total cost of living load is what matters.
 
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Right on. Kansas would be pretty cheap. 31st ranked in median home price.

Taxes of any sort, be it SS, property, sales, whatever, in conjunction with real estate prices, insurance rates, and so on. The total cost of living load is what matters.
Exactly. So to write off the state just because SS is taxed by the state-without looking at the total picture is silly. OR in my case one wants to live next to their grandkids, or a well run state government (Utah actually has a large state surplus) or where the whole state (Utah) has only 3 million residents.
 
Yeah. TIP! Don't hit armadillos with a lawnmower! The spray can transmit leprosy, if they carry the disease.
It would be quite rare because only roughly 25% of armadillos carry the bacteria, and at least 95% of the human population has a natural immunity to leprosy.
 
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