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Home ยป 55+ ยป The 10 Best Places to Retire in Texas in 2021

The 10 Best Places to Retire in Texas in 2021

bluebonnets in texas

Are you looking forward to an exciting retirement? Texasโ€™ comfortable climate and low cost of living make it a fantastic place for destination retirements and keeping your hard earned savings.

You canโ€™t go wrong retiring in Texas, so NewHomeSource found the top 10 cities for retirees in the Lone Star State.

Top 10 Cities to Retire in Texas

Skip Ahead
1. Port Arthur
2. Pharr
3. Weslaco
4. Harlingen
5. San Juan
6. Brownsville
7. Socorro
8. Del Rio
9. Wichita Falls
10. Haltom City
Common Questions About Retiring in Texas

1. Port Arthur

Port Arthur, Texas

Percentage of the Population Over 65: 12.7%

Median Home Value: $65,800

Most Recent Annual Number of Violent Crimes: 344

Most Recent Annual Number of Property Crimes: 1,203

Number of Hospitals Within One Mile of the City: 3

Port Arthur is an exciting beach town, and the best Texas city for retirees! Port Arthurโ€™s fun culture and low median home price makes it perfect for active adults on a fixed income. If you want a beachside retirement, but you donโ€™t want to deal with gators, Port A has the benefits of a Florida retirement ยญ minus the massive reptiles and high cost of living!

2. Pharr

Percentage of the Population Over 65: 12.2%

Median Home Value: $80,900

Most Recent Annual Number of Violent Crimes: 235

Most Recent Annual Number of Property Crimes: 1,423

Number of Hospitals Within One Mile of the City: 6

Not everyone wants to kick it on the beach in their retirement. If you prefer the dessert, Pharr, TX is a great city for retirees. Located in the Rio Grande Valley, this beautiful town combines a lovely setting and low cost of living to create an enjoyable rural retirement. Any retiree can live a life they love in Pharr.  

3. Weslaco

Weslaco, Texas

Percentage of the Population Over 65: 13.7%

Median Home Value: $83,900

Most Recent Annual Number of Violent Crimes: 155

Most Recent Annual Number of Property Crimes: 1,528

Number of Hospitals Within One Mile of the City: 10

Weslaco is another charming town in the Rio Grande Valley. This community is one of the best Texas cities for retirees thanks to Weslacoโ€™s historic downtown and numerous parks. Parks like Estero Llano Grande State Park let you enjoy a wide range of activities throughout your golden years.

4. Harlingen

Harlingen Texas

Percentage of the Population Over 65: 15.1%

Median Home Value: $87,500

Most Recent Annual Number of Violent Crimes: 274

Most Recent Annual Number of Property Crimes: 3,155

Number of Hospitals Within One Mile of the City: 7

Harlingen, TX is the fourth best city in the state for retirees. It has numerous parks, including the Lower Rio Grande National Wildlife Refuge and the Huge Ramsey Nature Park. They showcase the beautiful wetlands of the Valley, and give active adults unique places to explore, so youโ€™ll always have something to do.

5. San Juan

Percentage of the Population Over 65: 9.9%

Median Home Value: $90,300

Most Recent Annual Number of Violent Crimes: 173

Most Recent Annual Number of Property Crimes: 858

Number of Hospitals Within One Mile of the City: 6

San Juan is another stunning city in the Rio Grande Valley. If you want a peaceful suburban retirement San Juan is the perfect town for you. Itโ€™s healthy community and low cost of living are added bonuses for people living on a fixed income.

6. Brownsville

Brownsville, Texas

Percentage of the Population Over 65: 12%

Median Home Value: $90,000

Most Recent Annual Number of Violent Crimes: 846

Most Recent Annual Number of Property Crimes: 4,774

Number of Hospitals Within One Mile of the City: 6 Looking for your next adventure?

Start in Brownsville! This southern-most city has access to a beautiful coast, historic architecture, and thriving culture. Retiring in Brownsville means exploring historic buildings, spending the day on the beach watching dolphins, and taking advantage of all the parks and nature centers.

7. Socorro

Socorro, Texas

Percentage of the Population Over 65: 11.8%

Median Home Value: $93,200

Most Recent Annual Number of Violent Crimes: 50

Most Recent Annual Number of Property Crimes: 325

Number of Hospitals Within One Mile of the City: 14

Socorro is a suburb of El Paso on the banks of the Rio Grande River. This community is excellent for retirees, giving them easy access to a bustling city, while still having access to safe and private neighborhoods to call home. It also has a low median home, making it a great place to settle down on a limited budget.

8. Del Rio

san felipe creek in del rio, texas

Percentage of the Population Over 65: 14.9%

Median Home Value: $100,600

Most Recent Annual Number of Violent Crimes: 38

Most Recent Annual Number of Property Crimes: 610

Number of Hospitals Within One Mile of the City: 1

Del Rio is a charming city on the banks of the Rio Grande.  and a safe and active area for retirees. For example, Moore Park and San Felipe Springs are wonderful places to get out and enjoy nature. Or, you can unwind at the Val Verde Winery, a chill place for good times with good company.

9. Wichita Falls

trees in a park in wichita falls, texas

Percentage of the Population Over 65: 13.5%

Median Home Value: $102,400

Most Recent Annual Number of Violent Crimes: 364

Most Recent Annual Number of Property Crimes: 3,183

Number of Hospitals Within One Mile of the City: 5

Wichita Falls, a city in Northern Texas, is a beautiful city on the banks of the Red River. It is great for active adults that want to enjoy the great outdoors: retirees love the parks on the banks of Lake Wichita. Wichita Falls also features the Worldโ€™s Littlest Skyscraper, the Museum of North Texas History, the Wichita Falls Museum of Art at Midwestern State, the Wichita Rail Road Museum, and the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame & Museum.

10. Haltom City

Percentage of the Population Over 65: 9.9%

Median Home Value: $111,300

Most Recent Annual Number of Violent Crimes: 126

Most Recent Annual Number of Property Crimes: 1,173

Number of Hospitals Within One Mile of the City: 37

Retirees who want the huge benefits of living in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metropolitan Area might want to call Haltom City their new home. This community gives retirees lots of perks, combining a low cost of living, easy access to Downtown Dallas, and a safe and private suburban living environment to create the town that many retirees call home.

NewHomeSource pulled data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Services, Medicareโ€™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 Texas

What are the benefits of retiring in Texas?

Texas is a great state for retirees! If you love the idea of low taxes and a low cost of living, then you can make your fixed income last longer in Texas. Retirees can also enjoy mild winters and exciting cultural opportunities in thriving Texas cities like Houston and Dallas.

Do retirees pay property taxes in Texas?

Retirees over the age of 65, or a surviving spouse is at least 55 years old, can obtain a property tax deferment or exemption for their primary residence.

At what age to seniors stop paying property taxes in Texas?

People over the age of 65 can defer their property taxes for their primary homestead.

City Name People Over 65Violent CrimesProperty CrimesAccess to Doctors Median Home Price
Port Arthur12.7%3441,2033$65,800
Pharr12,2%2351,4236$80,900
Weslaco13.7%1551,52810$83,900
Harlingen15.1%2743,1557$87,500
San Juan9.9%1738586$90,300
Brownsville12.0%8464,7746$90,000
Socorro11.8%5032514$93,200
Del Rio14.9%386101$100,600
Wichita Falls13.5%3643,1835$102,400
Haltom City9.9%1261,17337$111,300
Copperas Cove10.5%1296916$112,000
Mission11.7%1051,6186$112,400
Beaumont14.1%1,2434,3385$113,600
Lufkin15.7%1841,5585$116,800
Baytown11.6%3252,83918$119,900
Abilene13.1%4593,2174$120,400
Edinburg8.1%3273,0146$121,900
Texas City15.4%1991,4008$124,200
Pasadena10.0%8393,86440$124,200
Sherman14.3%1791,1223$126,200

Access to Doctors is calculated by finding the number of hospitals, discounting childrenโ€™s hospitals and VA hospitals within one mile of the city.

Other Texas Resources

Best Places to Live in Texas
The Complete Guide to Closing Costs in Texas
Comprehensive Guide to Building a House in Texas
The Top 10 Most Affordable Cities in Texas
20 Most Affordable States in 2021
Top Master Planned Communities near San Antonio
Best Barndominium Builders in Texas
Best Container Home Builders in Waco
Best Container Home Builders in Houston
Best Tiny Home Builders in Dallas-Fort Worth
Best Log Cabin Builders in Texas
First-Time Homebuyer Programs in Texas
Best Modular Home Builders in Texas
Best Suburbs Near Austin, Texas
Best Suburbs Near San Antonio, Texas
Best Suburbs of Dallas, Texas
Moving to San Antonio? Hereโ€™s Our Relocation Guide
Top 10 Safest Large Cities in Texas
The Best Time to Buy a New Home in Houston
Top Retirement Communities in Dallas
Drew Port

Drew Port is a writer for NewHomeSource. She writes on the homebuying process, as well as informing readers on homeownership.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Carol

    July 11, 2020 at 11:21 pm

    I am looking for a rural home in the panhandle of Texas . I am of retirement age and have a fixed income. Any ideas would be appreciated. Thank you

    Reply
    • Jamie Garcia

      July 15, 2020 at 4:45 pm

      Hi Carol,
      You can find new homes in any Texas city on newhomesource.com! Simply enter the city you’d like to live in to view available homes.

      Reply

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