Population: 79,812
Cost of living: 90.3 (national median = 100)
Median home price: $180,450 (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: More than 18 miles of trails on a 300-acre greenway running through the city
Lynchburg's natural beauty makes it easy for retirees to stay active. Located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains and overlooking the James River, the City of Seven Hills has more than 18 miles of urban trails for hiking, running and biking. Blackwater Creek Trail, for instance, hugs a creek and passes a waterfall and a historic train tunnel on its way through the city. Lynchburg was named the outstanding runner-friendly community by the Road Runners Club of America in 2011.
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.
Just steps away from the Blackwater trail is Lynchburg's historic downtown, where 120-year-old warehouses are being renovated into everything from artist studios and lofts (two-bedroom units rent for about $1,000 a month) to galleries and restaurants. The Lynchburg Community Market is open five days a week and features a bustling farmers market and live music every Saturday morning. The Lynchburg Is for Locavores program spotlights fresh food from local farms.
Lynchburg is also home to several theater groups, a symphony and an opera company, and it hosts a series of riverfront concerts and arts festivals. The community has raised more than $16.6 million to restore the historic Academy Theatre on Main Street, which will be the marquee building for a busy arts center. With five colleges in town and several more nearby, opportunities for cultural, educational and athletic events abound.
Kids and grandkids can have hours of fun at the Amazement Square children’s museum, a block from the river in a renovated Civil War–era building. And the whole family can enjoy the Lynchburg Hillcats, a minor-league baseball affiliate of the Cleveland Indians. Smith Mountain Lake, Wintergreen ski resort and the Appalachian Trail are all within an hour's drive, and Amtrak gets you to Washington, D.C., in 3 1/2 hours.
Health care centers around Centra Health, a nationally recognized health care system. Its flagship hospital specializes in cardiology, emergency medicine, orthopedics, neurology and neurosurgery.
Virginia doesn't tax Social Security benefits, but it does tax residents on their incomes, including federal and military pensions, at rates up to 5.75%. Residents 65 and older can deduct up to $12,000 per person, depending on their income.
-
-
Fed Raises Interest Rates Yet Again: What the Experts Are Saying
Federal Reserve The Fed's quarter-point rate hike was welcomed by the market and market pros, alike.
-
Stock Market Today: Stocks Swing Higher After Powell Presser
The Fed raised rates by 0.25%, as expected, and Powell promised to "stay the course until the job is done."
-
As the Market Falls, New Retirees Need a Plan
retirement If you’re in the early stages of your retirement, you’re likely in a rough spot watching your portfolio shrink. We have some strategies to make the best of things.
-
Retirees: Your Next Companion May Be a Robot
happy retirement Robots may help fill the gap left by a shortage of humans to help older adults live independently.
-
Using Your 401(k) to Delay Getting Social Security and Increase Payments
retirement Your 401(k) can be a bridge from retirement to higher monthly income.
-
How Do I Stop Robocalls From Scamming Me?
retirement The scammers have automated their efforts to separate you from your money. We have ways to make it stop.
-
A Kiplinger-ATHENE Poll: Retirees Are Worried About Money
Making Your Money Last Concerns about recession, inflation and health care costs weigh on retirees and near retirees.
-
Grandparent Scams Get Victims in Their Hearts
Scams If you get a call from someone who claims to be your grandchild in trouble and needing money right away, be wary. Don’t send any money or give any information until you verify the story.
-
Tech Support Fraud Targets Seniors
retirement Get a message offering help with a computer problem you didn’t think you had? It’s probably a scammer looking for your money and personal information
-
What to Do With Money in a Former Employer’s 401(k)
Basics Leave it behind, move it to your new job’s plan, or roll it over to an IRA. Each of the options has pros and cons.
