Two hot retirement states, one expected, one surprise

[GON]

Basic article that implies South Carolina and West Virginia are the two "hot" retirement states.

South Carolina is likely no surprise. West Virginia is new to the conversation. Numerous recent publications identified West Virginia as the most affordable state in the union for retirement.

West Virginia is absolutely beautiful.

https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/forget-florida-2-states-retirement-120700927.html

 

[gfh77665]

WVA is vastly underrrated. As is Arkansas and Oklahoma.

 

[demarpaint]

Basic article that implies South Carolina and West Virginia are the two "hot" retirement states.

South Carolina is likely no surprise. West Virginia is new to the conversation. Numerous recent publications identified West Virginia as the most affordable state in the union for retirement.

West Virginia is absolutely beautiful.

https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/forget-florida-2-states-retirement-120700927.html

I wish I could get my wife to like those states, or my son to move to one of them. LOL SC maybe WV it will never happen.

 

[skyactiv]

I've been in different parts of West Virginia. The state has a lot of natural beauty but lots and lots of people live away from any sort of decent shopping and restaurants. Lots of people live with junk on their property and unoccupied junk mobile homes that need scrapped.

 

[rijndael]

The state has a lot of natural beauty but lots and lots of people live away from any sort of decent shopping and restaurants.

And major medical care, which you should consider for retirement. I don't want to be 2.5 hours from a hospital where they'd actually do my surgery, or cancer treatments.

I'd throw in major airports too.

 

[factorytuned2012]

Wish my wife would move sc is a miserable place to live absolutely nothing here unless beach is your life.

 

[97prizm]

Basic article that implies South Carolina and West Virginia are the two "hot" retirement states.

South Carolina is likely no surprise. West Virginia is new to the conversation. Numerous recent publications identified West Virginia as the most affordable state in the union for retirement.

West Virginia is absolutely beautiful.

https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/forget-florida-2-states-retirement-120700927.html

West Virginia is one of the poorest states and alot of areas are fairly remote. If you have a large nest egg then it might not be bad but alot of people living there want out but can't afford to leave. A number of towns are based around coal mining with a large percentage of the population being tied to the mines, not my Ideal place for retirement.

 

[shortyb]

I am now amongst the throngs of retirees who are here in SC, but have lived here for more than 17 years. Its getting crowded. Very crowded. And it's not as cheap as that article makes out. Yes, no SS tax, but only first 15K of a pension or IRA is exempt from taxes. And larger metro areas in the state have high higher property taxes, including vehicles of most all types. Most of those larger areas have also been instituting incremental "penny taxes", in addition to a supplemental gas tax, to aid road construction, repair and maintenance. It ain't going to the roads, I can tell you that. SC has one of the most abysmal infrastructure and road system of most any state I been in. All of the growth with no increase in capacity just aggravates an already dire situation. Our county even has an additional "prepared food" (think any restaurant or fast food) tax of 10%. Then we have the utilities. Duke Power is the major player down here and they basically rob folks. I live in the Upstate and in Greenville County. The water is great, but expensive. And sewer. And reclamation. And if you live is a municipality, you pay it all over again. Yes, we have a beautiful state. Mountains on one side, with awesome beach/coast on the other. Weather is good, with mostly mild winters. But hot and humid summers. You definately pay for it, one way or another. Nice place, but I'm headed to AL.

 

[PontiacHO]

I am now amongst the throngs of retirees who are here in SC, but have lived here for more than 17 years. Its getting crowded. Very crowded. And it's not as cheap as that article makes out. Yes, no SS tax, but only first 15K of a pension or IRA is exempt from taxes. And larger metro areas in the state have high higher property taxes, including vehicles of most all types. Most of those larger areas have also been instituting incremental "penny taxes", in addition to a supplemental gas tax, to aid road construction, repair and maintenance. It ain't going to the roads, I can tell you that. SC has one of the most abysmal infrastructure and road system of most any state I been in. All of the growth with no increase in capacity just aggravates an already dire situation. Our county even has an additional "prepared food" (think any restaurant or fast food) tax of 10%. Then we have the utilities. Duke Power is the major player down here and they basically rob folks. I live in the Upstate and in Greenville County. The water is great, but expensive. And sewer. And reclamation. And if you live is a municipality, you pay it all over again. Yes, we have a beautiful state. Mountains on one side, with awesome beach/coast on the other. Weather is good, with mostly mild winters. But hot and humid summers. You definately pay for it, one way or another. Nice place, but I'm headed to AL.

Just go back to where you came! This is what happens when folks move south. They start to complain about everything. Why did you move there????

 

[rijndael]

West Virginia is one of the poorest states and alot of areas are fairly remote. If you have a large nest egg then it might not be bad but alot of people living there want out but can't afford to leave. A number of towns are based around coal mining with a large percentage of the population being tied to the mines, not my Ideal place for retirement.

I recently rented a mountainside cabin for a few days. I ended up choosing one in VA, rather than WVA, because I wanted decent places to eat within a 30 minute drive.

 

[buster]

WV is a surprise, but I could see that due to the low cost.

 

[GON]

I am now amongst the throngs of retirees who are here in SC, but have lived here for more than 17 years. Its getting crowded. Very crowded. And it's not as cheap as that article makes out. Yes, no SS tax, but only first 15K of a pension or IRA is exempt from taxes. And larger metro areas in the state have high higher property taxes, including vehicles of most all types. Most of those larger areas have also been instituting incremental "penny taxes", in addition to a supplemental gas tax, to aid road construction, repair and maintenance. It ain't going to the roads, I can tell you that. SC has one of the most abysmal infrastructure and road system of most any state I been in. All of the growth with no increase in capacity just aggravates an already dire situation. Our county even has an additional "prepared food" (think any restaurant or fast food) tax of 10%. Then we have the utilities. Duke Power is the major player down here and they basically rob folks. I live in the Upstate and in Greenville County. The water is great, but expensive. And sewer. And reclamation. And if you live is a municipality, you pay it all over again. Yes, we have a beautiful state. Mountains on one side, with awesome beach/coast on the other. Weather is good, with mostly mild winters. But hot and humid summers. You definately pay for it, one way or another. Nice place, but I'm headed to AL.

The area 50 +/- miles straight West of Birmingham, AL is also drop dead beautiful terrain.

 

[rijndael]

The area 50 +/- miles straight West of Birmingham, AL is also drop dead beautiful terrain.

The area between Birmingham to Atlanta is definitely worth a look.

 

[GON]

WV is a surprise, but I could see that due to the low cost.

A very good friend of mine just retired in West Virginia. Built a dream house with direct backing to a National Park. I suspect he paid from $800k- 1 million for the dream home on land boardering a national Park. A lot of money, yet every day is a vacation day.

 

[GON]

The area between Birmingham to Atlanta is definitely worth a look.

I am talking West of Birmingham, not east.

 

[rijndael]

mea culpa, I was thinking west of ATL.

 

[Zee09]

WV is the obesity capital

 

[Delta]

Maybe if you're already retired WV would be OK, but a person still trying to make a living WV is terrible for jobs. There's also personal property taxes that can be pretty sneaky. Heck they even tax per dog that you have.

 

[JHZR2]

The area between Birmingham to Atlanta is definitely worth a look.

I-85 corridor is great, Auburn is along there and is a nice little town. But as usual, things build up and it gets ruined… hope that doesn’t become the case!

 

[BISCUT]

I am now amongst the throngs of retirees who are here in SC, but have lived here for more than 17 years. Its getting crowded. Very crowded. And it's not as cheap as that article makes out. Yes, no SS tax, but only first 15K of a pension or IRA is exempt from taxes. And larger metro areas in the state have high higher property taxes, including vehicles of most all types. Most of those larger areas have also been instituting incremental "penny taxes", in addition to a supplemental gas tax, to aid road construction, repair and maintenance. It ain't going to the roads, I can tell you that. SC has one of the most abysmal infrastructure and road system of most any state I been in. All of the growth with no increase in capacity just aggravates an already dire situation. Our county even has an additional "prepared food" (think any restaurant or fast food) tax of 10%. Then we have the utilities. Duke Power is the major player down here and they basically rob folks. I live in the Upstate and in Greenville County. The water is great, but expensive. And sewer. And reclamation. And if you live is a municipality, you pay it all over again. Yes, we have a beautiful state. Mountains on one side, with awesome beach/coast on the other. Weather is good, with mostly mild winters. But hot and humid summers. You definately pay for it, one way or another. Nice place, but I'm headed to AL.

On its way to becoming MA and NY.