The 17 Best Places to Retire Where Home Values Are Under $150,000

With the U.S. median home price now over $400,000, housing is a major concern for many retirees. You may own a home with a lot of equity that you could sell while also living comfortably on a fixed income.

That’s why we put together a list of the top places to retire nationwide where county-level home values are under $150,000, less than half the median home price. This list is primarily comprised of small cities and towns, and research indicates that many Americans indeed dream of retiring to small towns over other types of destinations, including big cities and beach towns. Plus, since home values are so much lower in these areas, you may be able to retire mortgage-free if you have a higher-value home to sell.

To determine the best places to retire, Investopedia partnered with Travel + Leisure to gather and analyze data on the cost of living and access to travel, health care, and entertainment in towns and cities across the U.S. From that, we created a list of the 50 best places to retire in the U.S., which helped feed the list below. Learn more at our full methodology page. 

Best Places to Retire With Home Values Under $150k

Midwest

Gregory, South Dakota. Median County Home Price: $129,000

Gregory, in southern South Dakota, has only 1,219 residents. With a median county-level home value of $129,000, no state tax on retirement income, and very low risk of climate-related disasters, this quaint town can be a great place to retire peacefully. Nestled among vast spreads of farmland, Gregory is geared for serene living and is well suited for those looking to get away from the bustle of big cities.

Poplar Bluff, Missouri. Median County Home Price: $138,800

Located in southeastern Missouri at the crossroads of U.S. Route 67 and U.S. Route 60, Poplar Bluff has 16,108 residents. Its county-level amenities include 13 arts and entertainment establishments, including the historic Art Deco Rogers Theatre Building. It also boasts dozens of health care facilities and three hospitals within a 25-mile radius, which can provide peace of mind for older retirees and those with increasing medical needs. All of this helped Poplar Bluff land on our list of the best places to retire in the Midwest. 

Corning, Iowa. Median County Home Price: $116,900

Corning, famous for being the birthplace of late-night TV legend Johnny Carson, is a small town with a population of just 1,465. The median age in the county is relatively high at 46.6, which can make the town more appealing to seniors who prefer a peaceful environment away from child-centric communities. Meanwhile, residents can enjoy easy access to recreational options, such as Lake Icaria, which is just a 10-minute drive away and offers camping, fishing, hiking, and kayaking.

Youngstown, Ohio. Median County Home Price: $141,100

Youngstown, along the Mahoning River in Northeast Ohio, can be a great retirement destination. It’s a city with 58,847 residents and a wealth of entertainment options, including the Covelli Center, a multi-purpose arena; and Wean Park, 20 acres of public green space that includes the Youngstown Foundation Amphitheatre. Plus, this city is just 60 miles from both Pittsburgh and Cleveland, which both offer their own range of activities.

Bay City, Michigan. Median County Home Price: $135,100

Bay City, a medium-sized city with a population of 31,905, is perched on the Saginaw River and boasts several historic bridges and riverside parks. Its known in the region for hosting several popular festivals, including the St. Stan’s Polish festival, the Bay City Fireworks Festival, and the River of Time living history reenactment, among many others. Residents in this county enjoy low county-level living costs. For example, they pay an average of just $588 per month for food.

Saginaw, Michigan. Median County Home Price: $139,400

Located 14 miles south of Bay City and also on the banks of the Saginaw River, Saginaw offers a similarly low cost of living and 69 arts and entertainment options in the county. A former lumber town, Saginaw’s industry has been heavily focused on manufacturing. One downside to this city, however, is that the crime rate, including violent crime, has become fairly high as the manufacturing industry has declined.

Muncie, Indiana. Median County Home Price: $127,600

Muncie lies about 60 miles northeast of Indianapolis. As a result, it offers close access to the Indianapolis International Airport and the advantages of a big city combined with the peace of a smaller town. Muncie is packed with arts and entertainment options, including the Horizon Convention Center, the David Owsley Museum of Art, and the 40-acre Minnetrista Museum and Garden, which offers ample programs on nature and local history.

Northeast

Johnstown, Pennsylvania. Median County Home Price: $115,900

Johnstown, about 60 miles east of Pittsburgh, is a city noted for its past historical destructive floods, but now it anchors the county with a vibrant arts culture, medical facilities and educational centers. The Joyce Murtha Breast Cancer Center, is among the five hospitals and six health care centers in the area. Johnstown also has hundreds of doctors.

Union, New York. Median County Home Price: $145,100

Surrounded by rolling hills and adjacent to the larger city of Binghamton, Union is a sizable town situated along the Susquehanna River. It offers several options for nature lovers, with nearby parks such as Otsinigo Park and Cutler Botanic Garden. Union has 53,821 residents, and the county has about 80 arts and entertainment options, as well as about 250 health care establishments.   

Southeast

Waycross, Georgia. Median County Home Price: $106,500

Waycross, which has the second-lowest home value on our list, sits at the crossroads of several railroad lines. Located in southern Georgia, it’s among the best places to retire in the Southeast, offering a warmer climate for those looking to escape cold winters. Its recreation options include the Okefenokee Swamp, which offers boat tours, and the Laura S. Walker State Park, with 626 acres of golf, fishing, swimming, boating, and hiking trails.

Danville, Virginia. Median County Home Price: $110,200

Located on the Virginia-North Carolina border, Danville is a medium-sized town with 42,507 residents. It’s approximately an hour’s drive from the larger cities of Lynchburg, Virginia, and Greensboro, North Carolina, and just 55 miles from Raleigh-Durham International Airport. Danville has been focused on redeveloping its waterfront district in partnership with private investors and the state to provide a walkway and entertainment venue for its historic district. The county has 160 healthcare centers, and the city itself is known for its wealth of churches.

Natchez, Mississippi. Median County Home Price: $106,300

Natchez sits along the Mississippi River in southwestern Mississippi. It has the lowest median county-level home value on this list, at just $106,300, along with a relatively low overall cost of living. County residents spend a median of $592 on housing and $577 on food per month. Here, Bluff Park and the Natchez Trace Parkway offer scenic venues for outdoor activities, while its riverfront district provides a range of restaurants and nightlife options.

Paris, Tennessee. Median County Home Price: $145,200

Paris is a small town with a population of 10,360. Despite its small size, it offers access to 11 arts and entertainment establishments and 64 healthcare centers. It even features an Eiffel Tower Park with wheelchair access, which includes a small replica of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, along with walking trails, a frisbee golf course, tennis courts, and a swimming center.

Southwest

Santa Rosa, New Mexico. Median County Home Price: $107,200

Santa Rosa, which boasts the third-lowest county-level median home price on our list, is a fairly remote city, about a two-hour drive from Santa Fe and Albuquerque. The historic “Route 66”, designated a National Scenic Byway, runs right through this city. Residents and tourists alike can enjoy a unique feature in this area: Blue Hole, a spring-fed swimming hole and SCUBA diving attraction in the middle of the desert. However, health care access is not Santa Rosa’s strong point. It has 34 doctors and clinicians, but only one 10-bed hospital, Guadalupe County Hospital.

Hugo, Oklahoma. Median County Home Price: $119,700

Hugo is a small town near the Oklahoma-Texas border with a warm climate that once served as a winter residence for many circus acts. It’s among the top places to retire in the Southwest. On top of enjoying low housing costs, residents have access to three hospitals, five community health care centers, and 10 arts and entertainment establishments in the county. They can also swim, fish, and boat on Hugo Lake.

Parker, Arizona. Median County Home Price: $117,600

Parker sits along the Colorado River on the Arizona-California border and is known for its water recreation options like boating and jet skiing. Summer, with average highs ranging from 105-108 degrees, is the time for water activities in the river or visiting the Bluewater Resort and Casino. The moderate winters are great for golf or walking on nearby trails. The county also has the highest median age (59.7) of all the top places to retire in our study. 

Muskogee, Oklahoma. Median County Home Price: $138,800

Muskogee, a medium-sized town with 36,898 residents, is perched along the Muskogee River. It’s home to a number of events and celebrations throughout the year, including an Azalea Festival in April, a 132-acre Garden of Lights display in the winter, a Haunted Castle event at The Castle of Muskogee, and a Renaissance festival. While it has plenty to enjoy on its own—three golf courses, 15 miles of public trails, and museums that pay tribute to the state’s musical influence and the town’s Native American roots—it’s also only a 40-minute drive to Tulsa.