5 Best Towns Near Fort Worth For Retirees

Several small towns around Fort Worth are ideal retirement locations for their affordability, amenities, and, perhaps most importantly, proximity to the city. Towns like Corsicana offer a truly beneficial blend of affordability, being 15% below the national average in cost of living, with unique attractions like the Pioneer Village and its preserved frontier buildings. Graham, with one of the state's largest town squares, also boasts a cost of living 16% below the national average and home values significantly lower than those in larger cities like Fort Worth. The five towns listed below are among the top options for towns less than two hours from the Fort Worth/Dallas metropolis.

Mineral Wells

The town of Mineral Wells sits about an hour west of downtown Fort Worth, and has always been a place that people sought out as long as there was a settlement here. In the early 1900s, people would come from the farthest reaches of the country to seek the ‘healing’ waters of natural mineral springs for which the town is named. Landmarks continue to honor this long-standing community here with original architecture, such as The Baker Hotel. Nature is one of the biggest attractions in Mineral Wells for seniors and younger residents alike, from the Lake Mineral Wells State Park, with hiking, biking, fishing, and camping, to the Mineral Wells Fossil Park, where guests can literally dig up (and keep) fossils.

Seniors tend to find Mineral Wells on account of its affordability, as well. Compared to the national average, the town has a cost of living about 10-15% lower. Even the housing market shows a dramatic difference between Mineral Wells and nearby Fort Worth, with the average home value in the town being nearly 33% less than in the city an hour away, according to Zillow. Amenities are plentiful for retirees as well, including the full-service Palo Pinto General Hospital and highly rated senior communities such as Serenity Estates.

Stephenville

Headed southwest from Fort Worth for a little over an hour, travelers can find Stephenville. There are many reasons this community stands out as an excellent retirement destination over Fort Worth, and much of this has to do with the history and culture always on display here. The town is proud of where it comes from, and this is on display regularly at the Stephenville Rodeo, where several events happen every year. In fact, it is claimed that Stephenville has produced more PRCA World Champion riders than anywhere else on earth. Culture comes to Stephenville in the form of Tarleton State University, giving the town a strong youthful vibe.

While seniors can take a leisurely walk or bike ride through the maintained Stephenville City Park and Bosque River Trail, which is flat and ideal for the active retiree, there are plenty of ways to spend the days here without breaking the bank. In fact, the cost of living is around 14% below the national average and 6% below the Lone Star State's average. When it comes to living well, many seniors enjoy the focused resources of the renowned Good Tree retirement community here, especially since it is only a short drive from Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital.

Corsicana

Headed to the southeast from Fort Worth, you can find the city of Corsicana, home to over 25,000 people. Despite the size, the community remains one of the most affordable on this list. The community has a lot of history and attractions that make it a great place to live for an active senior, such as the historic downtown square, which features long-standing staples of Corsicana like the Palace Theatre with live performances. Navarro College here keeps the city young and also offers educational opportunities, including rotating exhibits at the Pearce Museum on campus. For an even deeper drop into the history of the region, folks go to Pioneer Village with preserved frontier structures and exhibits on the history of industry in the area.

The cost of living here in Corsicana is worth noting, as it is 15% lower than the national average, according to data from the Economic Research Institute. Similarly, the housing situation is much more affordable than in Fort Worth, with average home values significantly lower, without losing the amenities a drive to the metropolis offers. Housing is also available through multiple retirement communities, the most highly rated of these being Brookdale Corsicana. Though many of the retirees' needs are met in town, such as at Navarro Regional Hospital, which offers full-service care, including a massive orthopedics division.

Graham

For seniors seeking a much quieter and tamer experience than what is encountered in the heart of Fort Worth, look no further than an hour and a half northwest to find Graham. The community feels remote and also scenic, sitting right on the Brazos River. The Graham City Square is considered one of the largest of its kind in Texas, an epicenter of locally owned businesses and eateries, and the place where the town’s festivals tend to be. Nature is abundant in this more remote portion of Texas, with locations like Lake Graham’s fishing and easy walking paths, or the proximity (about 40 minutes) to one of the most popular natural attractions in the region: Possum Kingdom Lake in the Palo Pinto region.

In terms of affording life in Graham, it is quickly easy to see how fixed incomes can stretch further here, with the cost of living 16% below the national average. For the housing market, you can expect the average home value here to be a whopping 30% less than home values on the market in Fort Worth. Graham also has several retirement communities, one of the best being Ellison Assisted Living on Cliff Drive, if independent living might be a struggle. Plus, Graham Regional Medical Center, right in town for emergency and inpatient care, is a considerable advantage for senior residents here.

Gainesville

If you head an hour north of Fort Worth on I-35, you will encounter Gainesville before you hit the Red River and head into Oklahoma. This is a small town within easy driving distance of Fort Worth, and a much more affordable price point for seniors on a fixed income. There are natural wonders, historic sites, and attractions for all ages here in Gainesville, from the Cooke County Courthouse Square, where you will find local shops surrounding the 1911 historic courthouse building, to the Frank Buck Zoo that has a great variety of animals sure to wow retirees and their grandchildren alike.

Gainesville also has a lot of preserved history beyond the early 20th-century courthouse, such as the Morton Museum of Cooke County, the structure of which has been here since 1884, and with free admission, guests see displays and exhibits about the Civil War, the frontier days, and the region’s connection with the railroad. Gainesville is helping money stretch further for seniors in the present, too, with its cost of living being 11% under the national average, while Fort Worth is slightly above the national average. The Summit Senior Village offers independent living with available resources for retirees, and its closeness to the full-service North Texas Medical Center is an added benefit.

Fort Worth Accessibility At A Smaller Cost

When it comes to retirement, many people seem to believe that being in a major city is the only sensible option due to the attractions, the diverse population, and the resources available for seniors. Fort Worth has countless of these places, from its world-class healthcare to the region’s biggest entertainment venues. But to make fixed incomes stretch further, you can look outside of the city for similar accessibility at a fraction of the higher metropolis price points. Whether it’s the natural wonders you can find in Graham or the low cost of homes in Corsicana, these five towns offer a lot of bang for your buck.