image:iStockChattanooga Tennessee skyline

Outside magazine calls it the “best town ever” (it has twice won their Best Towns contest), and both Kiplinger and our sister publication, The Wall Street Journal, dub it a great place to retire.

A peek inside the perks of Chattanooga reveal why: “Nestled against the Tennessee River in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, Chattanooga, Tenn., has transformed itself in recent decades from an unassuming town to a hyper clean, high-tech (“Gig City” was the first in the United States to offer gigabit internet speeds), outdoorsy family destination that offers hiking trails, rock climbing, museums, one of the finest educational aquariums in the world, and innumerable food and entertainment venues,” writes the New York Times, which adds that Chattanooga is a “breath of fresh air.”

It’s got a lot to offer you guys in particular, as it leans liberal and is a midsize city (population is about 175,000) that’s also a college town (home to the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga). Kiplinger highlights the hospitals in the area: “Health care is available through the Erlanger Health System, which has five hospitals based in Chattanooga,” it writes, and there are others, in addition to being about an hour and a half from Atlanta, which has myriad other hospitals.

Plus, the cost of living is significantly below average for the U.S., which may offset the somewhat high sales taxes. Plus, Tennessee does not have an income tax and Kiplinger’s notes it’s one of the most tax-friendly states for retirees.



https://www.marketwatch.com/story/were-fed-up-with-cold-weather-and-want-to-retire-to-a-midsize-college-town-with-good-health-care-where-should-we-go-2020-01-24 January 24th 2020