This North Carolina mountain town was named state’s best place to retire. Here’s why
If you’re dreaming of retiring in North Carolina, one mountain town may be the best place to settle down, a new report finds.
Hendersonville ranks No. 1 on a list of North Carolina cities that offer the best quality of life for retirees, results published this month show. The city of about 14,000 people is nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains, roughly 25 miles south of Asheville.
The town rose to the top of the statewide rankings after personal finance website SmartAsset said it analyzed 122 cities with at least 5,000 residents. Using data from the U.S. government and a tax website, each city was evaluated in three categories: local tax rates, access to health care and social opportunities.
Hendersonville earned recognition for having one of the highest rates of doctor’s offices per 1,000 people. It also got a boost for the city’s social opportunities, a measure of the older adult population, retirement facilities and recreation centers, results show.
For local income and sales taxes, Hendersonville was on par with many other North Carolina cities in the study. Each place’s tax burden was calculated for a retiree earning $35,000 a year through Social Security, part-time work and savings, SmartAsset said.
Cities across North Carolina round out the top 10, including several in the western part of the state:
- Hickory at No. 2
- Marion at No. 3
- Brevard at No. 4
- Roxboro at No. 5
- Pinehurst at No. 6
- Williamston at No. 7
- Forest City at No. 8
- Reidsville at No. 9
- Black Mountain at No. 10
While those cities received nods statewide, they missed out on national recognition earlier this year.
In February, Charlotte and Cary were the only places in North Carolina to be named among the U.S. destinations attracting the most retirees. For that list, SmartAsset said it reviewed 2019 census data to determine how many people over age 60 moved into an area.
While that study focused on 177 of the nation’s largest cities, the more recent statewide rankings weighed cities with populations of 5,000 or more, McClatchy News reported.
This story was originally published June 23, 2021 at 9:09 AM with the headline "This North Carolina mountain town was named state’s best place to retire. Here’s why."
