Credit: Getty Images Key Takeaways <\/p>\n
Southern cities offer retirees a mix of affordability, warmer climates, and access to healthcare across a wide range of lifestyles. <\/p>\n
Texas stands out due to no state income tax and a large number of affordable, growing cities. <\/p>\n
Drawbacks of retiring in the South can include higher property taxes and a lack of public transportation. <\/p>\n
Retiring in the South offers many practical advantages, including lower housing costs than many coastal markets, milder winters that reduce seasonal disruptions, and state tax structures that can be favorable to retirees. In places such as Texas and Tennessee, the lack of a state income tax can drastically change one’s financial profile for the better, while smaller cities across the region still offer access to healthcare and everyday services without big-city pricing. <\/p>\n
This list draws from locations featured in Investopedia’s 100 Best U.S. Cities for retirees in 2026<\/a>, focusing on southern cities where the above-mentioned advantages show up. From the coastal towns of Delaware\u2014considered Southern by the Census Bureau\u2014to the fast-growing, lower-cost metros of South Texas, and the midsized cities of Tennessee and Virginia, the region offers a mix of locations where retirees can find a healthy balance of cost, access, and day-to-day livability. <\/p>\n Specifically, Investopedia’s southern data set includes Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, and Washington, D.C. Florida has been separated into its own region that has many great places for Americans to consider as a retirement destination<\/a>. <\/p>\n Delaware Lewes <\/p>\n Rehoboth Beach <\/p>\n Wilmington <\/p>\n Tennessee Johnson City <\/p>\n Kingsport <\/p>\n Knoxville <\/p>\n Nashville <\/p>\n Paris <\/p>\n Texas Amarillo <\/p>\n Baytown <\/p>\n Carrollton <\/p>\n Eagle Pass <\/p>\n Edinburg <\/p>\n Grand Prairie <\/p>\n Houston <\/p>\n Katy <\/p>\n Longview <\/p>\n McAllen <\/p>\n Mission <\/p>\n Pasadena <\/p>\n Pharr <\/p>\n Spring <\/p>\n<\/a> Homes line the shores of Rehoboth Beach.
Credit: brandonhirtphoto \/ Getty Images <\/p>\n<\/a> Credit: Crystal Bolin Photography \/ Getty Images <\/p>\n
<\/a> Route 66, which runs through Amarillo, Texas, turns 100 in 2026.
Credit: HABesen \/ Getty Images <\/p>\n