11 Best Towns In Texas For Retirees
Texas is one of the top states in the country for retirement for many reasons. Texas has no state income tax, a lower average cost of living, and a very wide range of communities, from rural Hill Country towns to cities along the Gulf of Mexico. Many seniors look to Texas for generally favorable weather and potential savings, and certain towns stand out dramatically from the pack, like the lakeside town of Granbury, the state’s oldest town, Nacogdoches, or the convenient San Antonio-adjacent Seguin. These 11 towns offer affordability, attractions, and amenities to make senior living easier.
Granbury
Any place considered to be the ‘Best Historic Small Town in America’ according to USA Today four different times, like Granbury, deserves a spot near the top of any Texas retirement list. History shows up throughout town, from the 1890 Hood County Courthouse to the Granbury Opera House, built in 1886 and still one of the town’s most reliable venues. The whole town sits along Lake Granbury, one of the region’s top natural attractions and a space for seniors to stay active throughout the year with paddling, fishing, and wildlife watching.
For a town with its own namesake lake, Granbury is one of the retirement destinations in Texas that can help seniors save money. The median sale price for homes here is within six percent of the state average, keeping homes both affordable and stable. The cost of living, listed 11% below the national average, becomes an even bigger factor when paired with in-town senior amenities like Lakestone Terrace Senior Living community or the full-service Lake Granbury Medical Center.
Kerrville
Kerrville is one of the top choices for seniors because it is so well-connected with a walkable downtown. With about 25,000 residents, it is one of the more affordable Hill Country towns with the advantage of a setting on the Guadalupe River, where outdoor recreation remains a draw, though some riverfront areas have continued recovery work after the July 2025 flooding. There is plenty of green space in town, too, including Louise Hays Park and portions of the Kerrville River Trail, both important gathering places as the city continues flood recovery. Downtown Water Street has antique shops and restaurants, while the beloved Kerrville Folk Festival takes place just south of town at Quiet Valley Ranch.
Between its connectivity and senior-friendly amenities, including the full-service Peterson Regional Medical Center and memory care and assisted living through Juniper Village at Guadalupe Riverfront, Kerrville offers strong value for retirees. Its cost of living sits 6% under the national average, while the housing market remains relatively accessible, with properties averaging a sale price of $359,784, within 5% of the state median.
Nacogdoches
When considering the best place to retire, why not choose Nacogdoches, widely known as the oldest town in Texas? Its history includes Caddo settlement before Spanish arrival and a town founding in 1779, and that layered past shows in the brick facades throughout historic downtown. The Stone Fort Museum, a 1936 replica on the Stephen F. Austin State University campus, interprets the community’s early history. The university is also responsible for much of the entertainment and educational programming available to residents here. Staying active is easy with the convenient Pineywoods Native Plant Center and its trails, so nature lovers can explore native plants and wildlife close to town.
Nacogdoches is one of the most cost-effective options on this entire list, with median sale prices for homes sitting a staggering 40% under the state median. More than this, the cost of living also reflects significant savings here for retirees, falling 17% under the national average. With in-town healthcare like the Nacogdoches Memorial Hospital’s Level III Trauma capabilities and senior living communities like Magnolia Court Assisted Living, savings can last a lifetime in the oldest town of Texas.
Marble Falls
Retirees choosing Marble Falls will immediately recognize the access to some of the best-known bodies of water in this region of the state, such as Lake Marble Falls, Lake Travis, and Lake LBJ. The quick access to each of these allows for a wealth of fishing, boating, and camping opportunities to keep seniors active. Even just walking at Marble Falls Lakeside Park or hiking at the Enchanted Rock State Natural Area nearby can fill days with plenty for retirees to do.
For all of the natural attractiveness of Marble Falls, the cost of living might be even more alluring for retirees. Interested home buyers discover the median sale price here to be about 13% under the state median, which pairs nicely with the Economic Research Institute report that Marble Falls is 9% under the national cost of living average. Nearby Fredericksburg is served by Methodist Hospital Hill Country, formerly Hill Country Memorial Hospital. As for assisted living care for seniors needing it, Marble Falls is a capable location with top options like Arbor House Assisted Living and Memory Care.
Seguin
Seguin is a good choice for seniors who want to remain close to one of the biggest cities in the state without suffering the increasing costs of living in San Antonio. Celebrating local heritage is a big part of the town’s identity, starting with the Texas Agricultural Education and Heritage Center, the “Big Red Barn,” which focuses on agriculture, farming, and ranching heritage. Similarly, the Seguin-Guadalupe Heritage Museum showcases regional life over the centuries through stories, exhibits, and artifacts. Nature is a part of the experience when retiring in Seguin, starting with access to the Guadalupe River right along the edges of town and continuing to popular protected spaces like Bauer Park.
With a median sale price of $284,686, Seguin gives retirees a direct connection to San Antonio’s healthcare and resources while keeping home prices 17% under the state median and the cost of living 14% under the national average. The Guadalupe Regional Medical Center serves Seguin, as does the well-regarded Argent Court Seguin, a senior assisted living community for independence through all phases of the golden years.
Stephenville
Texas is known for cowboys, and Stephenville leans into its moniker as the ‘Cowboy Capital of the World’ with rodeo roots and regular events at the Priefert Cowboy Capital Fairgrounds Arena. Even Tarleton State University, a major local presence, has a mascot called the Texan Rider who shows up to sporting events on horseback. Everything in the walkable historic downtown area starts around the Erath County Courthouse Square, from diners and boutique shops to Caam’s, a downtown restaurant known for Neapolitan-style pizzas.
Bull rider or not, the cowboy capital of the world is attractive to seniors aiming to keep more of their money during retirement. Cost of living here sits 13% under the national average, which complements a home median sale price that is 16% under the state average. Stephenville has amenities that benefit seniors with long-term care and consistent peace of mind, whether that is Laurel Glen at Stephenville for assisted living or the Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital for emergency and acute medical care services.
Glen Rose
For seniors who have always had a fascination with prehistoric life or dinosaurs, there are few better places in the country, let alone Texas, to retire than Glen Rose. This place might as well be called the dinosaur capital, with places like Dinosaur Valley State Park preserving fossilized tracks left by Sauroposeidon and Acrocanthosaurus. Similarly, the Fossil Rim Wildlife Center offers a safari-style wildlife experience without leaving the Texas Hill Country. Combined with access to the Paluxy River for fishing, kayaking, paddling, and even swimming, Glen Rose might be the top choice for seniors retiring with grandchildren.
In the spirit of the area’s biggest attractions, seniors choosing Glen Rose can find some colossal savings in retirement here, starting with a median home sale price that has been as low as 13% under the state average in the past two years. The attractions keep seniors active while the amenities offer peace of mind for putting down roots, like the well-reviewed Glen Rose Nursing and Rehabilitation Center and the Glen Rose Medical Center’s wealth of services.
Mineral Wells
Mineral Wells was once a spot where countless visitors came for its mineral-laden waters, but today it is home to about 14,000 and is well-connected for senior living. The town has a wealth of stores and shops, including The Market at 76067, a large indoor marketplace with more than 100 shops under one roof. History is an important part of the community’s identity here as well, which is evident in the buildings downtown, like the Baker Hotel, a 1929 tower now undergoing restoration. Active seniors are sure to find outdoor recreation at Lake Mineral Wells State Park.
With the historical significance of this North Texas town west of Fort Worth, the cost of living and amenities are surprisingly affordable for retirees. Median home sale prices are roughly 45% below the state median. Cost of living is similarly affordable, sitting 12% under the national average. Healthcare is available nearby at Palo Pinto General Hospital, and Lakewell Court is one assisted-living option for seniors.
Brenham
Those who have lived in Texas all their lives recognize brand names like Blue Bell, which is connected to Brenham. The production facilities remain here, although visitors now stop at the Ice Cream Parlor and Country Store rather than taking guided tours. Brenham is also close to one of Texas’s most important historical sites: Washington-on-the-Brazos, where delegates signed the Texas Declaration of Independence in 1836. There’s plenty more for retirees to do here as well, from visiting the gardens of the Antique Rose Emporium to getting involved with free educational and entertainment programs through Blinn College, which calls Brenham home.
With home median sale prices 20% under the state average and a cost of living 12% under the national median, seniors choosing Brenham have a real opportunity to save money on fixed incomes. Amenities make those savings stand out even more, like top care facilities for the region, such as Silversage Assisted Living or the full-service Baylor Scott & White Medical Center - Brenham.
Llano
If nature is what drives the senior years of life, then Llano might be the place to consider. For one, retirees can access the Llano River here with excellent fly fishing and very clear waters. Llano protects its past by preserving the things that shaped the region over centuries at the Llano County Museum on Bessemer Avenue. Small town Texas is where good barbecue lives, and in Llano, Cooper’s Old Time Pit Bar-B-Que is one of the best-known places to find it.
Living is affordable for seniors in Llano, which is a nice feather in the cap for those looking for a more rural home in the heart of the Hill Country. Home sale prices here average $261,843, a 24% drop from the state median. Combined with in-town amenities to improve a retiree’s quality of life and peace of mind, like Llano Regional Hospital or the highly regarded Arbor House of Llano, senior living in Llano can be truly comfortable.
Sulphur Springs
If Llano connects retirees with Texas Ranger history, and Glen Rose lets them walk where dinosaurs once did, then Sulphur Springs showcases the dairy country of the state like nowhere else. The Southwest Dairy Museum and Education Center in Sulphur Springs preserves the history of the Southwestern dairy industry through exhibits on milk production and processing. Seniors have a lot to do when choosing Sulphur Springs as a retirement spot, with nearby Lake Bob Sandlin State Park or Lake Sulphur Springs both offering fishing, boating, and birding opportunities. Plus, this friendly East Texas town draws its people together regularly for events, one of the most celebrated being the Hopkins County Stew Contest in October.
Seniors find Sulphur Springs to be an affordable destination in East Texas with a lot of connectivity and offerings to keep healthy and active. CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital - Sulphur Springs provides hospital care in town, while Hopkins Court helps when retirees reach a point where long-term care might be more of a need. All in all, the real draw is the savings, with the community sitting 13% under the national cost-of-living average and home sale prices averaging 33% under the state median.
Finding Affordability by Retiring in Texas
There are around 1,200 cities, towns, and villages in the state of Texas with a wide range of amenities, costs, and attractions that might suit seniors in retirement. Without a state income tax and with a mild climate in most parts of the state, it comes down to towns like these 11 listed above that stand out for their affordability and unique offerings. It is the “Cowboy Capital of the World” rodeo heritage of Stephenville, the long-running Kerrville Folk Festival, or historic structures that tell tales of days long ago in places like Granbury. What retirement looks like depends on what these top towns can offer, but one thing they all have in common is affordability.
