These are the best mountain towns for retirees!
You may be the type who is looking for a retirement full of picturesque peaks and outdoor adventures. You’ve had enough of city life, and you feel like it’s finally time to find a new place just for you somewhere in the heart of the mountains.
Well, this is totally possible, but you need to know where to go if you want to get the best perks. First of all, you probably want to live in a beautiful place that will make you go outside happy every day. Then you might look for something that is friendly for seniors.
Most mountain communities provide you with all of this. If you are into hiking, swimming, biking, skiing, fishing, and golf, then you can find peace in these mountain towns. From scenic landscapes and crystal-clear rivers, this might be the best new home for you.
Maybe you still want to work, or maybe you want to remain an active person. This is another aspect that many people forget. If you are planning to start a new life, keep reading because you are in the right place!
Gatlinburg, Tennessee
Found at an elevation of 1,450 feet in the heart of the Rocky Mountains, this is one of the perfect mountain towns for those looking to spend their golden years in a clean and beautiful place.
Gatlinburg is the town you have to go through if you want to visit the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, so you can imagine that this comes with a couple of things. If you are not bothered to live in a tourist area, you are all set. There are a bunch of tourists visiting this little piece of heaven every month of the year considering its position.
But despite all of this, the small-town feeling is still there. The quiet atmosphere is one of the main attributes of Gatlinburg, and this combines fantastically with the opportunities for hiking, fishing, biking, rafting, and even skiing.
Ober Mountain Adventure Park and Ski Area is accessible by car or by the air tram. Looking down at the beauty of the mountains from the air tram is an amazing experience, and you can easily take it from downtown Gatlinburg. Other attractions we need to mention are the Aquarium of the Smokies, the Ripley’s Oddities Museum, and the 407-foot Gatlinburg Space Needle observation tower.
For medical emergencies, The LeConte Medical Center is located 15 miles away in Sevierville, the county seat. Also, we need to mention that Tennessee has no state income tax, which is great for any retiree looking to start a new life.
Bozeman, Montana
This is not a boring state! Whoever told you that is lying to you. Montana is perfect if you want to retire in mountain towns, and probably the best place out there is none other than Bozeman. Here, 11% of the population is older than 65, and even if you don’t think this is a high number, this is more than perfect. There is a balance between senior residents and younger ones, and this can give you access to some fantastic opportunities.
Bozeman is located in the Gallatin Valley, and it is near six well-known mountain ranges. Here you can see the Madison Range, the Absaroka, Bridger, and Tobacco Root, just to name a few of them. Of all the mountain towns on this list, this is the one closest to the most mountain ranges! So, we can say that this is the most mountain town of the mountain towns!
Since this is home to Montana State University, you can expect to find tons of outdoor activities here. From fly fishing and hiking to rock climbing and hunting, there is something for every outdoor enthusiast.
Then, no matter where you live in this place, you will easily have access to the “Main Street to the Mountains.” This is a 100-mile community trail system that everyone living nearby is using. Commuters, runners, and bikers; all of them take advantage of it.
Bozeman used to be previously marketed as Boz Angeles due to its popularity and rapid growth, but people who live there can assure you that there are plenty of over-55 communities where you can make friends and find connections. Also, we need to mention that although Montana taxes retirement income, there are no general state sales taxes.
Lake Placid, New York
19% of those living here are older than 65, which means there are many seniors in Lake Placid. This is good news if you want to move to one of the most beautiful mountain towns in the whole country.
Located in the Adirondack Mountains in the state of New York, this is probably an unexpected location when you are looking for mountain towns. But here we are, and we want to tell you more about what you can find in Lake Placid.
Maybe you know about this place because it was the host village for the Winter Olympics two times. This is a huge achievement, and as a result, you will notice how modern structures perfectly blend with the rustic spirit. But besides the nice surroundings, Lake Placid attracts people with the year-round activities that it offers. Summer paddling and swimming on Mirror Lake or skiing in the winter on nearby Whiteface Mountain; you will always have something to do here.
This is the place where one of the biggest hockey games was played back in 1980, the “Miracle on Ice.” Then you have the downtown Main Street area, where you can find everything from shops to restaurants. What is amazing about most of these restaurants is that there are many locally sourced farm-to-table options.
Another thing that we like about living in New York for retirement is that Social Security retirement payments are not taxed here, and income from retirement savings or private pensions is deductible up to $20,000 per year.
Prescott, Arizona
Maybe when you hear Arizona, the first thing that comes into your mind is living in the desert, and this is not what you imagine when thinking about mountain towns. But this is not true for Prescott. This town is located north of the Bradshaw Mountains, and it has lush vegetation that is waiting for you.
Even better, this is not about the mountains, but 41% of its residents are seniors! Since you are reading an article about the best mountain towns to move into at retirement, we thought that this might interest you.
What people like best about this place is that it keeps all four seasons, and the best part is that all of them are moderate. Perfect for those who hate big temperature changes. Then the Wild West spirit lives on in Arizona, so if you fancy something like this, well, this might be your place.
There are a lot of +55 communities in Prescott, and most of them provide a lot of fun activities. For example, you can learn how to build cottages and little homes, and most of these activities take place in the Prescott National Forest.
If you plan to visit any of these towns you might need this to make things easier for you: Amazon Basics Travel Laptop Backpack for 15.6 inch Laptop, Black
You should also read: The 5 Best States to Retire If You’re Looking for Perfect Weather
