After decades of saving for retirement and dreaming of the days when you’ll have free time to enjoy your hobbies and passions, the time has come to enjoy your golden years. One of the most important decisions you’ll make as you enter this next life phase, is where to live your days of newfound leisure. If you’re looking to improve your quality of life by relocating to an area that better suits your interests and budget, Austin is definitely a good place to retire.
While we may seem biased, we’re not alone in our praise of Austin as the destination for retirees. In 2019, U.S. News & World Report ranked Austin fourth in their list of Best Places to Retire.
Here are some of the top reasons why Austin is the place to live your best years yet.
A Kaleidoscope of Activities and Attractions
Austin is known as a thriving center of culture, music, dining and more. Known as the “Live Music Capital of the World,” Austin is a music-lover’s paradise. From outdoor festivals like Austin City Limits to entertainment like the Austin Lyric Opera, if you’re a retiree, then you won’t have to venture far to experience a musical and cultural sampling that rivals any dynamic city.
Prefer spending your free time breathing in fresh air and feeling the warmth of the Austin sun on your face? Austin’s plentiful outdoor recreational facilities, abundant green spaces, hiking and biking trails, various lakes, and more than 250 parks help you maintain a healthy lifestyle.
After working up an appetite, enjoy Austin’s bustling culinary scene, featuring an endless array of food trucks and renowned restaurants.
Lower Cost of Living
Unlike most states, Texas has no personal income tax, and the state has one of the lowest state and local tax burdens in the nation, ranking 38th among the 50 states in taxes paid per capita and ranking 33rd in taxes paid per $1,000 of personal income.
According to the Economic Policy Institute’s family budget calculator, it costs approximately $3,197 per month for a single adult to live in Austin (factoring in expenses such as housing, food, transportation, and health care) compared to $5,756 per month for an adult living in San Francisco.
If you’re a homeowner aged 65 and older, you can also take advantage of exemptions on property tax, and the state doesn’t tax any retirement income which helps to stretch your retirement income farther.
Ample Housing Options
Retiring often means downsizing. Fortunately, Austin’s housing market includes almost any type of property you might want. If you’re searching for less house to fit your new easygoing lifestyle, the Austin area also has a selection of 55-plus communities and lock-and-leave condos and garden homes to choose from. Downsizing, however, doesn’t mean a lack of amenities. Some communities feature amenities such as championship golf courses, fitness centers, swimming pools, lake access, bocce, horseshoes and fishing ponds, plus miles of walking trails.
Access to Quality Healthcare
No matter where you live, you are only minutes away from top-notch medical care. Ascension Seton, St. David’s HealthCare, and Baylor Scott & White operate 25 of the region’s 46 hospitals, with the remainder run by 16 different non-profit and for-profit systems. If accessible health care is a major factor in deciding your retirement move, you’ll find a number of comprehensive options in the Austin area that should meet your requirements.
Climate
There’s no absence of sun in Austin. In fact, residents of Austin can enjoy more than 300 sunny days each year. While the summers are toasty, the winters are temperate and the spring and fall offer the perfect balance of blue skies and mild temperatures. Overall, the area has very pleasant weather ideally suited for the abundance of outdoor activities the area is famous for.
Best Neighborhoods and Communities for Retirees
With so many unique neighborhoods and levels of activity to choose from, it’s easy to find an area of the city that matches your lifestyle and needs. We’ve gathered a list of some of our favorite areas that are havens for retirees:
Central Austin: Downtown Austin, Barton Creek, Bouldin Creek
West Austin: Barton Creek, Rough Hollow, Lakeway
South Austin: Circle C, Dripping Springs, Oak Hill
North Austin: Georgetown, Crestview, Allandale
Looking for an Austin neighborhood in which to retire? We can help. Speak to our team of experts today to explore each of these Austin areas to discover which will be the best fit for you.
