8 Of The Best Affordable Towns To Retire In Texas

Unless one is a celebrity jet-setter with millions of cash to splash for a modest beach property, almost everyone who is about to retire wants to save every coin. Fortunately, Texas offers as much variety, especially considering its massive size, as it does affordability. One quick win is that it does not charge any tax on all kinds of income, meaning a pensioner will retain a significant amount of cash to spend. But not just that. Houses are relatively affordable, although there are significant differences in prices between cities, towns, and neighborhoods. Still, it's nothing like California or dozens of other states. For those who want to stretch a dollar, Texas has some nice, tempting options to consider. Continue reading to discover 8 of the best affordable towns to retire in Texas.

Nacogdoches

Nacogdoches is a beautiful place with trees, great historic homes, and wonderful sunsets. It offers decent shopping and entertainment opportunities, although nearby Lufkin also provides a wider variety and a slightly larger scene. For those who prefer an academic environment, Stephen F. Austin State University is in town and gives the area a mist of youthful energy and cultural flair. The highly rated Nacogdoches Senior Centre offers a variety of games and numerous social activities, while Woodland Hills Golf Club, renowned for its steep slopes and forest-lined fairways, attracts retirees who come to play and socialize.

There’s also the Lumberjack National Golf Course, which features some of the best greens in the state. With a median listing home price of just $280,567, pensioners enjoy easy access to Nacogdoches Memorial Hospital, the only IAP Level III Trauma Centre in the region. Alternatively, St. Luke's Health-Memorial in Lufkin was recently awarded the HeartCARE Centre National Distinction of Excellence for the seventh consecutive year. For those who enjoy the mind-calming allure of nature, Lake Nacogdoches and the adjoining park are at hand.

Rio Grande City

For retirees seeking to stretch their retirement savings, Rio Grande presents irresistible opportunities. According to Zillow, houses in Rio Grande fetch a median listing price of $247,833, which is significantly below the state median of $ 356,983. Keep in mind that you are right on the Mexican border, and the culinary scene around the region bears witness to this with delicious Mexican-inspired flavors. The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV), one of the nation's largest Hispanic-serving institutions, operates the UTRGV Starr County Campus, where empty nesters can pursue a part-time teaching job or enroll in a relevant program.

Rio Grande City Nursing and Rehabilitation Centre provides a supportive environment for vulnerable empty nesters, as do other highly rated adult day care centres in the area. For the occasional mood-lifting show, AMC CLASSIC Rio Grande 10 offers discount tickets for new releases, as well as concession specials. Rio Grande Regional Hospital, just 40 minutes away in McAllen, has earned several Healthgrades awards for clinical excellence and patient safety. Meanwhile, the Rio Grande winds its way around the town, offering boating opportunities.

Mount Pleasant

It may not be on retirees’ radar most of the time, but Mount Pleasant is a serene spot with friendly folks, a quaint downtown square, a bowling alley, and wonderful ethnic diversity. Water lovers enjoy easy access to the bass-filled Welsh Reservoir, Lake Bob Sandlin, where one can take a dip on a hot day, and Lake O' the Pines, a serene East Texas gem offering abundant fishing and boating opportunities. Titus Regional Medical Centre (TRMC), right in town, has previously earned an “A” Hospital Safety Grade from The Leapfrog Group. It has also been recognized for the Outpatient Prostate Care Excellence Award from Healthgrades.

Residents look forward to several annual events that bring the community together, including the Titus County Fair, which features thrilling rides, entertaining live performances, and a variety of exhibits that highlight the region's agricultural heritage. Meanwhile, City Lights Mt. Pleasant is a clean and cozy place to catch a manatee with a long-time friend. For pensioners with a sweet tooth, Sweet Shop USA is the largest handmade chocolate manufacturer in the country. The median listing price in Mount Pleasant is $334,983.

Livingston

With a median listing price of just $286,967 and a landscape that features the tranquil pine forests of East Texas, Livingston is the kind of town that sets your mind at peace. Although it may be small and slow-paced, Houston, the largest city in Texas, is just under an hour away. Still, this Texas jewel is for those who love the simple life. Think of clean, country air, quiet nights out on the porch, and a close-knit community that takes care of each member. Empty nesters have the chance to paddle Lake Livingston, hit up the trails that traverse Lake Livingston State Park, or zip through the woodsy Sam Houston National Forest, which offers more than 80 miles of multi-use trails.

The Livingston Senior Centre offers a wide variety of activities that cater to empty nesters’ interests, while the Livingston Municipal Golf Course offers a scenic 9-hole beauty, stretching 6,172 yards with a par 70. In terms of healthcare access, St. Luke's Health - Memorial Hospital - Livingston is at your doorstep, while numerous other opportunities are minutes away in Houston.

Brownwood

There is no need to spend millions on a home when houses in Brownwood have a median listing price of $253,667. Brownwood is a neat and friendly community that hosts the 135-year-old Howard Payne University, meaning one can expect a lively social scene and a vibrant cultural landscape. Lake Brownwood State Park, just 20 minutes away, is a pristine landscape to drift into bliss. It offers rustic cabins, peaceful camping sites, and excellent hiking trails.

With places such as the Brownwood Senior Citizens Centre, where empty nesters gather and participate in various social activities, and The Hideout Golf Club and Resort, a stunning property on the shores of Lake Brownwood that offers lodging and dining amenities, even the most avid homebody will enjoy getting out and having fun. There’s the Hendrick Medical Centre Brownwood, which has received the American Heart Association's Get With The Guidelines for its management of heart-related issues. Additionally, retirees can expect several major events and festivals, including the brand-new Feels Like Home Festival, which brings together friends, families, and fans of Texas country music for an unforgettable day of entertainment and authentic BBQ.

Pampa

Buying a home for $128,317 is so unbelievably affordable that it almost looks like one is getting it for free. However, that is the median listing price for houses in Pampa, a small, homey town in the Texas Panhandle, situated in a picturesque countryside environment. And for those who don’t want to own property, rent in Pampa is lower than the national average. Although retirees here will have a shopping scene that caters to their basic necessities, Amarillo, the largest city on the Route 66 section that runs from Oklahoma to New Mexico, is less than an hour’s drive away.

There’s Pampa Senior Citizens Inc., a great place to eat, play cards, or paint, and two premier links courses, including Hidden Hills & Pampa Country Club, which offers an 18-hole course with scenic elevation changes. Cinema 4, a no-frills venue with comfortable seating, is ideal for a family outing or a movie-themed date night. Meanwhile, the 115-bed Pampa Regional Medical Centre has won the Healthgrades Patient Safety Excellence Award for several years.

Graham

Graham will feel like a breath of fresh air, especially for empty nesters coming from the inner core of big, noisy cities. Think of calm neighbourhoods, restored homes from the 1800s, sprawling ranches, bountiful small farms, and the largest downtown square in the United States with colorful murals and family-owned shops. Lakes Graham and Eddleman are three miles north of town and offer epic recreational opportunities, including boating and freshwater fishing. On the flipside, Possum Kingdom Lake, which features the towering limestone cliffs of Hell's Gate, is 20 minutes south of town.

Fort Worth is 90 minutes away, but there’s usually no need to make the trip, especially with amenities like the Graham Regional Medical Centre, an award-winning 25-bed facility that serves Young County and the surrounding area. There’s the Graham Country Club, where you can occasionally tee off on a lazy afternoon, and several events that bring people together, such as the Food Truck Championship of Texas, one of the largest of such festivals in the Lone Star State. Houses in Graham fetch a median listing price of $310,483.

Hillsboro

Hillsboro is accessible, affordable, and incredibly convenient, especially with Waco being 35 minutes south and Fort Worth just under an hour north. It is also right on Interstate 35. A median listing price of $279,300 comes with easy access to Lake Whitney, one of the most popular water recreation areas in Texas, and the well-maintained Hillsboro Country Club, which offers a nine-hole golf course smack in the heart of Hillsboro.

One can occasionally stroll around the one-of-a-kind Roadside America Museum, which showcases 40s and 50s advertising memorabilia, classic cars, and nostalgic Americana. Although Hill Regional Hospital is some corners away, there are several other decent healthcare options in nearby Waco, including Baylor Scott & White Medical Centre ‑ Hillcrest, widely considered the best overall hospital in Waco and the primary referral centre for complex care in the region.

So, whether an empty nester wants cacti-strewn deserts, pine-speckled forests, towering mountains, verdant valleys with beautiful vineyards, sugar-white sand, or water, Texas has a diverse range of landscapes to suit the tastes of most retirees. The best part is that it's also affordable, with many towns having median prices that are shockingly low. So, if one is about to swing into retirement, there's no need to look further.