Greensboro, N.C.: A Great Midsize City for Retiring in Good Health
Proximity to the downtown district and recreational venues attracts many retirees here.
Population: 285,342
Cost of living: N/A (national median: 100)
Median home price: $121,000 (national median: $185,000)
Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free E-Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
Healthy highlight: City Center Park, including the Great Lawn, a natural amphitheater
Deciding whether to retire to the mountains or the beach? Split the difference in Greensboro, N.C., just three hours by car from the Blue Ridge Mountains or the Atlantic beaches.
But you won't need to leave town to stay active, engaged and healthy. Greensboro’s downtown offers a wide variety of restaurants (mostly independently owned), plus brew pubs, bars, coffee shops and theaters on or near Elm or Greene streets. The Farmers' Curb Market, founded in 1874, is open year-round.
12 Great Places to Retire for Your Good Health
- Naples, Fla.
- Lynchburg, Va.
- Billings, Mont.
- Greensboro, N.C.
- Omaha, Neb.
- Nashville, Tenn.
- Columbus, Ohio
- Seattle
- Austin, Tex.
- Philadelphia
- St. Petersburg, Fla.
- Augusta, Ga.
Fitness and recreation venues include the new City Center Park, which offers a variety of fitness classes; the Greensboro Aquatic Center, within the Greensboro Coliseum Complex; and numerous rec centers with adult programs. Golfers can choose from six public and six private courses. The city has invested in sidewalks as well as hiking and biking trails that are open year-round. The Downtown Greenway, under construction, will create a four-mile walking and biking trail around the center city and connect with existing and planned greenways.
After energizing your body, exercise your brain with learning opportunities at the area's colleges and universities (the largest of which is the University of North Carolina at Greensboro) or the city's downtown cultural campus, where a performing arts center will debut in 2018.
Just a couple of miles from downtown, the Old Irving Park neighborhood attracts new residents to its high-end, eclectic homes and winding, tree-lined streets. Three-bedroom houses there run about $210,000 to $675,000. The neighborhood, which surrounds the Greensboro Country Club, also attracts nonresidents who like to stroll there after work, says former Neighborhood Congress board member Cyndy Hayworth. A decade ago, she and her husband downsized to the neighborhood, where they appreciate being "just minutes to everything," including the flagship hospital of Cone Health, a nonprofit health care system.
The state imposes a flat income tax of 5.75% but exempts Social Security benefits. Residents of Greensboro pay a sales tax of 6.75% (prescription drugs and medical equipment are exempt).
-
Strategies to Optimize Your Social Security Benefits
To maximize what you can collect, it’s crucial to know when you can file, how delaying filing affects your checks and the income limit if you’re still working.
By Jason “JB” Beckett Published
-
Don’t Forget to Update Beneficiaries After a Gray Divorce
Some states automatically revoke a former spouse as a beneficiary on some accounts. Waivers can be used, too. Best not to leave it up to your state, though.
By Andrew Hatherley, CDFA®, CRPC® Published
-
403(b) Contribution Limits for 2024
retirement plans Teachers and nonprofit workers can contribute more to a 403(b) retirement plan in 2024 than they could in 2023.
By Jackie Stewart Published
-
SEP IRA Contribution Limits for 2024
SEP IRA A good option for small business owners, SEP IRAs allow individual annual contributions of as much as $69,000 a year.
By Jackie Stewart Published
-
Roth IRA Contribution Limits for 2024
Roth IRAs Roth IRA contribution limits have gone up for 2024. Here's what you need to know.
By Jackie Stewart Published
-
SIMPLE IRA Contribution Limits for 2024
simple IRA The maximum amount workers at small businesses can contribute to a SIMPLE IRA increased by $500 for 2024.
By Jackie Stewart Published
-
457 Contribution Limits for 2024
retirement plans State and local government workers can contribute more to their 457 plans in 2024 than in 2023.
By Jackie Stewart Published
-
Roth 401(k) Contribution Limits for 2024
retirement plans The Roth 401(k) contribution limit for 2024 is increasing, and workers who are 50 and older can save even more.
By Jackie Stewart Published
-
Is a Medicare Advantage Plan Right for You?
Medicare Advantage plans can provide additional benefits beneficiaries can't get through original Medicare for no or a low monthly premium. But there are downsides to this insurance too.
By Jackie Stewart Published
-
What You Must Know About the Different Parts of Medicare
Medicare Medicare can be complicated but we've got you covered. Here is a quick guide to the different benefits provided through each part.
By Jackie Stewart Last updated