Alabama is a safe state, filled with striking scenery and historic charm. This incredibly affordable state allows retirees to invest in their lifestyle without stretching their budget. An Alabama retirement means getting to live in a little piece of heaven on the Gulf Coast.
NewHomeSource found the top ten cities to retire in Alabama. Find the perfect location and new home for your lifestyle, and start this exciting new phase in your life off with a bang.
Top 10 Cities to Retire in Alabama
1. Alabaster
Percentage of the Population Over 65: 12%
Median Home Value: $173,000
Most Recent Annual Number of Violent Crimes: 91
Most Recent Annual Number of Property Crimes: 577
Number of Hospitals Within One Mile of the City: 8
Alabaster is a safe, beautiful city to call home in your retirement years. Days can be spent enjoying the natural beauty of Buck Creek Trail, trying a new brew at Interstellar Ginger Beer & Exploration Company, or learning about history at the local museums!
2. Prichard
Percentage of the Population Over 65: 17.4%
Median Home Value: $66,100
Most Recent Annual Number of Violent Crimes: 256
Most Recent Annual Number of Property Crimes: 871
Number of Hospitals Within One Mile of the City: 6
Pritchard is a beautiful Mobile suburb that gives you easy access to a beachfront retirement, without the high price tags found in Florida and California. If you’re in the mood to enjoy the beautiful Gulf Coast during your golden years then Prichard is the perfect town to serve up an exciting and fun retirement.
3. Gadsden
Percentage of the Population Over 65: 18%
Median Home Value: $73,600
Most Recent Annual Number of Violent Crimes: 365
Most Recent Annual Number of Property Crimes: 2,365
Number of Hospitals Within One Mile of the City: 4
Couch potatoes might not like retiring in Gadsden. This beautiful town in Alabama serves up something for everyone: an exciting cultural scene, beautiful natural scenery, and a really low cost of living! Take the first step to enjoying the retirement you always dreamed about when you find your retirement home in Gadsden.
4. Talladega
Percentage of the Population Over 65: 16.5%
Median Home Value: $86,600
Most Recent Annual Number of Violent Crimes: 123
Most Recent Annual Number of Property Crimes: 772
Number of Hospitals Within One Mile of the City: 6
You don’t have to like Nascar to enjoy retired life in Talladega! This town in Central Alabama offers up an affordable and fun community to call home, making living here an easy decision for anyone on a fixed income. Retirees looking to stay active and connected to nature should head over to the Talladega National Forest for amazing hiking.
5. Selma
Percentage of the Population Over 65: 16.8%
Median Home Value: $87,300
Most Recent Annual Number of Violent Crimes: 300
Most Recent Annual Number of Property Crimes: 1,219
Number of Hospitals Within One Mile of the City: 1
Selma is a historic city that offers up a great quality of life to retirees. You can connect with Selma’s important place in the nation’s history at the National Voting Rights Museum. Architecture lovers will love exploring the numerous picturesque buildings in Selma. No matter how you want to spend your retirement, you’ll love life in Selma.
6. Bessemer
Percentage of the Population Over 65: 18.7%
Median Home Value: $86,500
Most Recent Annual Number of Violent Crimes: 769
Most Recent Annual Number of Property Crimes: 2,348
Number of Hospitals Within One Mile of the City: 9
Bessemer, AL is a thriving southwestern suburb of Birmingham, perfect for people looking to enjoy an urban retirement without the crowds or high cost of living. If you do decide to make Bessemer the starting place of your next adventure, be sure to check out the Bessemer Hall of History in addition to exploring Birmingham!
7. Atmore
Percentage of the Population Over 65: 16.7%
Median Home Value: $94,300
Most Recent Annual Number of Violent Crimes: 102
Most Recent Annual Number of Property Crimes: 443
Number of Hospitals Within One Mile of the City: 3
Atmore is a great town on the Alabama and Florida state line that lets retirees enjoy some well-deserved peace and quiet during their golden years. This affordable community lets you kick back and relax, without having to worry about making a fixed income stretch to fix an untenable budget.
8. Center Point
Percentage of the Population Over 65: 13.5%
Median Home Value: $97,800
Most Recent Annual Number of Violent Crimes: 161
Most Recent Annual Number of Property Crimes: 463
Number of Hospitals Within One Mile of the City: 8
Retirees will never get bored when they make their home in Center Point, AL. This fantastic Birmingham suburb lets you enjoy easy access to the city, while still surrounding you with beautiful scenery thanks to sites like Ruffner Mountain and Turkey Creek Nature Preserve.
9. Anniston
Percentage of the Population Over 65: 20.1%
Median Home Value: $97,600
Most Recent Annual Number of Violent Crimes: 627
Most Recent Annual Number of Property Crimes: 1,585
Number of Hospitals Within One Mile of the City: 3
Anniston is a funky metropolitan area close to the Alabama and Georgia state line. Active adults will never run out of fun things to explore in Anniston, thanks to attractions like the world’s biggest office chair, the Anniston Museum of Natural history, and Longleaf Botanical Garden. No matter how you want to spend your retirement, you can live a life you love in Anniston.
10. Birmingham
Percentage of the Population Over 65: 14.9%
Median Home Value: $91,100
Most Recent Annual Number of Violent Crimes: 3,964
Most Recent Annual Number of Property Crimes: 13,018
Number of Hospitals Within One Mile of the City: 10
Birmingham is a great city for retirees who want to invest in their dream life and their dream retirement. You can live the life you fantasized about while you spent your days in the office thanks to Birmingham’s low cost of living and amazing culture.
NewHomeSource pulled data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Services, Medicare’s Hospital Compare, and the U.S. Census Bureau. In the event exact crime data was unavailable, estimates were used. These factors were entered into an algorithm to calculate a score for each city.
Common Questions About Retiring in Alabama
Alabama is fairly tax-friendly to retirees. Income from social security and pensions are not taxed, and people over the age of 65 do not pay state property taxes. However, withdrawals from retirement taxes are fully taxed.
The median retiree in Alabama has about $31,324 in retirement income.
Anyone over the age of 65 is exempt from the state portion of Alabama property taxes, though they may have to pay some county property taxes.
Access to Doctors is calculated by finding the number of hospitals, discounting children’s hospitals and VA hospitals within one mile of the city.
Sarah graduated from Trinity University in 2012 with a degree in International Relations and Political Science. She writes blogs on new homes, decor, communities, and more for NewHomeSource. When she’s not writing, you can find her spending time with her three cats.
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Neil Rose
We are looking to retire and work a little – me as an Accountant to prepare income taxes and my Argentine wife to get her green card and work in the medical field. She has platinum in her head so cannot take very hot for very long. Want to go to Tennessee, Alabama or North Carolina on $3000 total per month from social security and pension. Want to spend $1000 – $1200 on rent and utilities 2 bedroom. Please advise. Thanks.