10 Best Towns In Texas To Retire Comfortably

Flood update - July, 2025: Early-July flash floods left some Central and North-Texas rivers running high and several parks temporarily closed. Double-check local conditions and park alerts before planning waterfront activities

Sun-belt retirement pieces usually open with golf scores and sunshine tallies. Instead, start with the “Porch Index.” In Texas, that’s the measure of how many streets still own front porches wide enough for two rocking chairs and a glass of iced tea. Towns that score high on the Porch Index almost always share three retiree essentials: a hospital inside city limits, a farmers’ market you can reach without starting the car, and home prices that won’t devour pension-check margins!

This list of ten towns nudges aside big-name Hill Country darlings and zeroes in on overlooked corners where life is governed by courthouse-square bells rather than traffic apps. We've therefore put together a map of settlements where second acts feel less like downsizing and more like reclaiming time, one porch swing at a time!

Huntsville

Huntsville is home to the largest statue of an American hero in the country, the 67-foot Sam Houston monument visible from I-45. The town hosts the headquarters of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice and Sam Houston State University, giving it both civic infrastructure and year-round intellectual activity. As of mid-2025, the median house price in Huntsville is $296,000, well below the state’s average, making it an accessible place to settle long-term.

Coffee is handled by Farmhouse Coffee & Cream, which roasts in-house and serves locals rather than tourists. The HEARTS Veterans Museum displays personal stories from every American conflict, organized by war rather than rank. For quiet afternoons, the 208-acre Huntsville State Park offers flat, paved walking trails alongside Lake Raven, with fishing piers and kayak rentals. Finally, the Wynne Home Arts Center, housed in a preserved 19th-century mansion, provides rotating exhibits and workshops.

Nacogdoches

Nacogdoches is the oldest town in Texas, with written records dating back to 1716, but its story goes back further; its name comes from the Caddo tribe that lived in the region long before Spanish missions arrived. The streets of downtown still follow original Spanish colonial footpaths, and the red-brick roads are not decorative; they’re preserved originals. The town is also home to one of the largest collections of azaleas in the state, centered around the Ruby M. Mize Azalea Garden. That garden anchors the city’s annual Azalea Trail, which draws walkers and photographers each spring. As of mid-2025, the median home price in Nacogdoches is $290,000.

For those staying year-round, options are fixed and familiar. Java Jacks Coffeehouse roasts on-site and operates out of a converted 1930s gas station. The Stone Fort Museum on the Stephen F. Austin State University campus holds 18th-century Spanish artifacts and trade ledgers. Festival Park, just off South Pecan Street, hosts regular farmers’ markets and concerts. For meals, Dolli’s Diner serves all-day breakfast and lunch without pretense. Retirees who move to Nacogdoches find consistency, access to basic services, and a layout that rarely changes. The town’s scale and age allow for a life measured in slow patterns, not constant adjustments.

Seguin

Seguin is built on concrete, not metaphorically, but literally. In 1896, the town constructed what is likely the oldest still-standing concrete structure west of the Mississippi, the Sebastopol House, using limecrete made from local materials. That early industry led to decades of cement manufacturing, which still anchors the local economy. Today, Seguin’s main draw is stability: it has its own hospital, a central location off I-10, and deep-rooted civic institutions. The current median home price is $292,000, well under the Texas average, with most listings concentrated around the Guadalupe River and aging neighborhoods north of Kingsbury Street.

The Heritage Museum on East Donegan displays early settler tools and original maps of the German migration routes. Walnut Springs Park, which cuts through downtown, is home to walking trails, birding platforms, and periodic Shakespeare-in-the-Park performances. Powerplant Texas Grill, set inside a former hydroelectric facility on the river, draws a steady stream of weekday regulars.

Stephenville

Stephenville refers to itself as the “Cowboy Capital of the World,” a title earned through its concentration of rodeo champions and ranching operations. The claim is backed by numbers: more professional rodeo athletes have lived in Stephenville than any other town of its size in the U.S. Tarleton State University, now part of the Texas A&M system, adds educational access, stable employment, and cultural programming without driving up costs. The median home price in mid-2025 is $315,000, putting it below the state average, with most listings west of Washington Street and along U.S. Highway 377.

Hard Eight BBQ's open-pit courtyard smokes mesquite-kissed brisket, ribs, and sausage; pay-by-weight counters, free beans, and friendly pitmasters define Stephenville's legendary roadhouse vibe. Beans & Franks is the main downtown coffee stop, known for its espresso and scratch-made kolaches. Stephenville Historical House Museum preserves 19th-century log cabins and ranch structures and hosts living history events each quarter. For outdoor space, Jaycee City Park has paved walking paths, a stocked fishing pond, and hosts the summer Concerts in the Park series.

Port Isabel

Port Isabel is one of the few towns in Texas with a functioning lighthouse in the center of its downtown. The Port Isabel Lighthouse, built in 1852, still opens for daily climbs and sits adjacent to the town square; not fenced off, not decorative, but integrated into daily life. The town’s identity is tied to maritime history, from its Civil War port activity to its modern shrimping fleet. Across the causeway from South Padre Island, Port Isabel avoids resort sprawl while offering water access. As of mid-2025, the median home price is $330,000, with modest single-story homes east of Highway 100 comprising much of the inventory.

Daily routines rely on fixed institutions. Dirty Al's at Pelican Station overlooks the Laguna Madre, plating ultra-fresh Gulf shrimp, signature blackened redfish, and sunset views with relaxed, salt-air hospitality. Pirate’s Landing Fishing Pier extends into the bay and remains open year-round, with no license required for pier fishing. The Treasures of the Gulf Museum uses dioramas and artifacts to document 1554 shipwrecks off the coast and includes firsthand excavation records. Arturo Galvan Coastal Park, just south of town, offers a quiet, wind-exposed shoreline with direct bay views and no commercial development.

Princeton

Princeton was once the largest producer of Bois d’Arc timber in Texas, a wood valued for its strength and rot resistance. Though the timber industry has faded, its influence remains in local street names and the Bois d’Arc Park north of McKinney Street. Located on the eastern edge of Collin County, Princeton offers retirees proximity to medical centers and services in McKinney and Plano without the corresponding price tag. As of mid-2025, the median home price in Princeton is $340,000, still below the state average. Most new construction is clustered east of Monte Carlo Boulevard.

Local routines revolve around fixed anchors. Jocy’s Bakery & Cafe serves pan dulce and breakfast plates and operates six days a week on Princeton Drive. The Veterans Memorial Park on East College Street includes a walking loop, shaded benches, and a monument to local servicemembers. Sister Grove Farm, just outside the city limits, runs weekly classes on soil health and organic gardening, and offers volunteer harvest programs. For lunch or early dinner, Tokyo House blends casual hibachi theatrics with delicate sushi, generous bento portions, and family-run service that feels genuinely always welcoming.

Granbury

Granbury claims to be the final resting place of Jesse James. Whether or not the outlaw actually died under a different name in Hood County is debated, but the Granbury Cemetery does contain a marked grave with his name. That kind of myth-making runs through the town’s structure; Granbury preserves more 19th-century stone buildings than any other small town in North Texas, and the courthouse square remains the center of civic life. The Opera House, built in 1886, still stages performances weekly. The current median home price is $398,000, slightly above the state median, but that includes lakefront properties and restored houses near Houston Street.

Day-to-day life includes fixed places. Paradise Bistro & Coffee Co. operates from the courthouse square and runs a regular live music schedule on its patio. Granbury City Beach Park offers access to Lake Granbury, a small boardwalk, and a permanent volleyball court. The Hood County Museum, housed in the 1885 jail, includes original iron cells and records from the town’s founding. Stumpy’s Lakeside Grill, on the marina, serves catfish and live music to regulars year-round.

Cleburne

Cleburne’s rail history isn’t a footnote; it shaped the city. From 1890 to 1981, the Santa Fe Railroad Shops operated as the town’s economic engine, employing thousands and influencing its street layout, housing, and commercial zones. The original depot has been converted into the Gone With the Wind Remembered Museum, which contains one of the largest private collections of memorabilia tied to the film and novel. Cleburne remains structurally intact, with public buildings and neighborhoods that pre-date zoning restrictions. As of mid-2025, the median home price is $245,000, placing it among the most affordable towns of its size in Texas.

Coffee and meals are handled by local fixtures. Mug on the Square serves espresso and scratch-made pastries from a restored brick building on East Henderson. Layland Museum, housed in the 1905 Carnegie Library, maintains original archives from Cleburne’s founding and photographs of early railroad workers. Lake Pat Cleburne sits on the south side of town and includes launch ramps, fishing piers, and a shoreline walking trail. Burger Bar, located in a converted 1930s walk-up, serves a fixed menu of patties, fries, and floats to a steady customer base.

Palestine

Palestine operates on two tracks—literally. It is one of the only towns in Texas where an original 19th-century railroad still runs for tourism and education. The Texas State Railroad operates vintage steam locomotives between Palestine and Rusk, with regular passenger excursions. The depot itself dates to 1902 and remains in use. The town’s commercial core features early 20th-century buildings, many of which survived due to Palestine's slower growth during the highway boom.

As of mid-2025, the median home price is $253,000, with most listings concentrated near the Old Town and west of Loop 256. Coffee is handled by Cream & Coffee, located on North Sycamore and known for its fixed-roast menu and early open hours. The Museum for East Texas Culture, set inside a former school, includes period classrooms, military exhibits, and documents from Palestine’s timber and cotton past. Davey Dogwood Park spans 200 acres and includes walking trails, hill overlooks, and hosts the annual Dogwood Trails Festival each March. Pint and Barrel Drafthouse operates out of a repurposed garage and offers Texas-brewed beer and rotating food truck partners.

Brownwood

Brownwood built its economy around Camp Bowie, a World War II military training site that once held 80,000 soldiers. The camp’s remnants still exist, some repurposed as warehouses, others integrated into the town’s industrial edge. That military infrastructure led to lasting federal investment, which in turn supported a hospital, a regional airport, and a stable downtown grid. Howard Payne University anchors the city center and offers adult education access. As of mid-2025, the median home price in Brownwood is $260,000, with most properties located between Austin Avenue and Main Boulevard.

Common routes include stops at Common Grounds Coffeehouse, located on Center Avenue, which serves locally roasted beans and baked goods made in-house. The Lehnis Railroad Museum displays train cars, telegraph equipment, and materials from the Santa Fe line, which once made Brownwood a transport hub. Lake Brownwood State Park, located 20 minutes northwest, includes fishing piers, paved trails, and stone cabins built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s. For meals, Underwoods Cafeteria serves pit-smoked meats and scratch-made rolls, with no-frills counter service and seating that doesn’t turn over quickly.

Retirement in Texas isn’t one homogenized sunbaked fantasy; it’s ten distinct tempos measured by porch swings, courthouse bells, and scent of mesquite smoke. From Gulf breezes in Port Isabel to dogwood trails in Palestine, each town offers a calibrated balance of cost, care, and community. Choose any dot on this map and you’ll trade traffic noise for local stories—and discover that comfort here is less purchased than quietly practiced daily.