Population: 110,263
Cost of living: N/A (national median: 100)
Median home price: $208,200 (national median: $185,000)
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Healthy highlight: Swords Park Trail, with spectacular views of the city and Yellowstone Valley
Billings attracts retirees who enjoy the great outdoors but like their urban amenities, too. You can spend the morning hiking or mountain biking on nearby Phipps Park Trail or Swords Park Trail and be back in town by noon for a burger and a beer at Montana Brewing Company. During baseball season, you can spend the evening at Dehler Park rooting for the Billings Mustangs, a farm team for the Cincinnati Reds. Billings is in the midst of a decade-long project to connect a series of trails in and around the city. People often use the trails to bike to work, says Ed Ulledalen, a financial adviser for Raymond James and former deputy mayor.
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.
Although outsiders often associate Montana with fierce winters, locals say it doesn't get nearly as cold in Billings as it does in other parts of the state. Because the city lies in a valley, temperatures are usually moderate, says Michael Mace, 65, a retired business executive. "I can remember one Christmas break when I went fly fishing one day, snow skiing the next day and played golf the following day," he says.
Isolation is a potential downside to Billings. Flying in and out of Billings Logan International Airport is expensive, and Denver, the closest major metropolitan area, is more than seven hours away by car. You won't have to travel to find good health care, though. St. Vincent Healthcare provides specialty services in heart and vascular disease, oncology, orthopedics, and neurology, among others. The Billings Clinic, which has a 304-bed hospital and offers more than 50 specialties, is a member of the Mayo Clinic Care Network.
Many single-family homes in the Central-Terry and North Park neighborhoods, which are close to downtown Billings, are available for less than $200,000.
Montana has no sales tax, and residents don't have to worry about estate taxes, either. However, the state taxes most forms of retirement income at rates of up to 6.9%.
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457 Plan Contribution Limits for 2025Retirement plans There are higher 457 plan contribution limits for state and local government workers in 2025. That's good news for state and local government employees.
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Medicare Basics: 12 Things You Need to KnowMedicare There's Medicare Part A, Part B, Part D, Medigap plans, Medicare Advantage plans and so on. We sort out the confusion about signing up for Medicare — and much more.
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The Seven Worst Assets to Leave Your Kids or Grandkidsinheritance Leaving these assets to your loved ones may be more trouble than it’s worth. Here's how to avoid adding to their grief after you're gone.
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SEP IRA Contribution Limits for 2025SEP IRA A good option for small business owners, SEP IRAs allow individual annual contributions of as much as $70,000 in 2025, up from $69,000 in 2024.
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Roth IRA Contribution Limits for 2025Roth IRAs Roth IRA contribution limits have gone up. Here's what you need to know.
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SIMPLE IRA Contribution Limits for 2025simple IRA The SIMPLE IRA contribution limit increased by $500 for 2025. Workers at small businesses can contribute up to $16,500 or $20,000 if 50 or over and $21,750 if 60-63.
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457 Contribution Limits for 2024
retirement plans State and local government workers can contribute more to their 457 plans in 2024 than in 2023.
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Roth 401(k) Contribution Limits for 2025retirement plans The Roth 401(k) contribution limit for 2025 increased, and workers who are 50 and older can save even more.
