Retire To Georgia

Georgia is one of the states that often considered a best state to retire to but ultimately only chosen after a retiree’s first option either fails or is too expensive (looking at you Florida).   The term “half-back” refers to retirees that moved from the north to Florida and then decided to retire to Georgia “halfway back.”  Luckily, Georgia offers a ton of options to retirees and even some savings if you can get over the lack of beaches.   It’s no wonder that the fastest growing and selling segments of real estate in Georgia is retirement communities.

Georgia is the state that has us rethinking this whole criteria. Georgia is pretty amazing, at least better than Louisiana, or so you’d think. Ultimately, if you’re focusing on measurable factors that matter to retirees, Georgia is a top 10 state just not the number 1. Georgia ranks number 8 out of 50 for best state with the best weather. The average temperature is 61.5 degrees Fahrenheit and the state gets an average of 205 sunny days per year. Georgia has a statewide 4 percent sales tax and that’s higher in certain regions hurting it’s affordability. While real estate isn’t the cheapest in Georgia, overall, Georgia is very affordable and rank’s 8th overall for the lowest cost of living. Georgia ranks #2 overall according other websites and it’s likely the “goldy locks effect.” That is, Georgia’s weather, health care and affordability aren’t the best but not the worst either, they’re just right. Even with Atlanta sprawl, you can find great retirement communities within an hour of the city or you can opt for college towns like Athens for a comfortable retirement without the hustle of the metro.