8 Wallet-Friendly Small Towns To Retire In The Ozarks

The Ozarks region of the United States is tailored for you, especially if your dream is to retire to a quiet, affordable place where you can feel at home and enjoy a soft, placid environment with epic outdoor recreational opportunities, With its clear brooks, peaceful valleys, rolling hills, and glassy lakes, retiring here can be either relaxing or adventurous, depending on your mood and, of course, the time of year. The best part is that you can purchase a decent home here for under $300,000, meaning you don’t have to deplete your savings for a nice, lakefront property. Discover eight wallet-friendly small towns in the Ozarks to retire.

Branson, Missouri

Branson is one of the most vibrant and entertaining towns in the Ozarks. From local fish caught fresh from the area's lakes to all kinds of barbecue and smoked meats, the ever-expanding culinary scene here is one reason to seriously consider Branson. And don't mention entertainment, especially with places like Silver Dollar City, Mansion Theatre for the Performing Arts, and the Christian-themed Sight & Sound Theatres.

Moreover, you are close to the glittering waters of Lake Taneycomo and about 43 miles south of Springfield, Missouri’s third-largest city. The 130-acre Lakeside Forest Wilderness Area and the rugged scenery of Dogwood Canyon Nature Park are a tiny fraction of the area's outdoor offerings. On healthcare, the highly-rated Cox Medical Center is in town. And according to Zillow, homes in Branson fetch a median listing price of $251,567, much better than the state median of $284,633.

Van Buren, Arkansas

Van Buren is home to Legacy Heights, an upscale, all-inclusive retirement community that provides home-cooked meals, weekly housekeeping, paid utilities, and several other activities that make independent living a tad easier and manageable. Combine this with a lovely downtown area (which you will want to stroll every evening ), the mind-calming trails at Lee Creek Reservoir Recreation Area, and easy access to Fort Smith, just 7 miles down the road, and you realize that retiring is close to winning the jackpot.

When you are tired of being indoors, you can catch a rib-cracking comedy show at the Victorian-era-styled King Opera House, a feature of the town since 1891. Your medical needs will be served by Baptist Health, which is right in town, or the award-winning Mercy Hospital Fort Smith, located right next door. And the best part is that there is no need to worry about affordability. The median listing price in Van Buren is around $249,733, while the median listing price in Arkansas is $284,500.

Mountain Home, Arkansas

With a median listing price of $280,205, Mountain Home is another wallet-friendly town in the Ozarks perfect for those who want to stretch a dollar. There's the centrally located Cooper Park, which features a lovely trail, nature pond, tennis courts, and a Senior Center, and Twin Lakes Golf Course, if you want to regularly practice your swings. Norfork Lake is easily accessible and is a cool place to occasionally reel in a yummy catch.

With venues like Sun Valley Cinema, boredom here is just a choice you make. On healthcare, the 268-bed Baxter Health offers comprehensive medical services, from emergency to senior health care to orthopedics to heart care and several other specialties in between. It has been serving residents of Baxter, Marion, and surrounding counties since 1963.

Galena, Kansas

Galena is conveniently set on Route 66, one of the most famous and historic roads in the world. With a median listing price of $188,000, which is quite tempting, even by Kansas’ standards, you can easily snap up a decent home and remain with a modest amount for adventure. Schermerhorn Park has a creek to swim in and a short trail to hike.

Moreover, it is incredibly peaceful and, therefore, a lovely place for mental refreshment. According to ratings by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Mercy Specialty Hospital Southeast Kansas is a 5-star hospital, the highest rating in the region, and the highest given by CMS. There's the Galena Nursing Center, which offers several assisted-living options and services for seniors, and the Galena Mining and Historical Museum, whose interesting exhibits can occasionally be a source of entertainment.

Versailles, Missouri

Versailles is a big name in history, partly because of the opulent palace in France, originally a hunting lodge and private retreat for Louis XIII. This Missouri jewel was named after the extraordinary French city, and you will feel a touch of the extraordinary in its pastoral surroundings. With places like City Park, which has a paved loop for walking or running, and the nearby Loop 2 Lake Ozark Offroad Park, which boasts plenty of trails and hills to test your climbing abilities, a retiree here is never far from nature's epic sights and sounds.

There is the 1854-established Morgan County Museum & Historical Society, listed on the National Register of Historical Sites, and the Royal Theatre, which hosts all kinds of mood-lifting performances. Meanwhile, Good Shepherd Care Center is a community-owned and operated organization offering skilled nursing, residential care, and sub-acute care for vulnerable empty nesters, while Lake Regional Hospital, just down the road in Osage Beach, is the premier healthcare provider in the region. Houses in Versailles fetch a median listing price of just $244,950.

Tahlequah, Oklahoma

Oklahoma is typically not the place that zooms into your mind when thinking of a retirement location in the Ozarks. However, parts of the state are actually in the Ozarks, including Tahlequah, reputed to be the capital of the Cherokee Nation. Tahlequah is home to the historic Northeastern State University, which dates back to the 1840s. It boasts the largest enrollment of Native American students in the United States and gives the town a touch of youthful energy and cultural flair. You can occasionally kill time at the Cherokee National History Museum, practice your swings at the well-maintained Cherokee Springs Golf Club, or spend a contemplative afternoon at Floyd H Norris Park.

Northeastern Health System and Cherokee Nation W. W. Hastings Hospital both have a local presence, meaning you should have zero concerns regarding healthcare access. The most exciting part is that the median listing price of $261,483 is significantly friendlier than the statewide median of $291,633.

Batesville, Arkansas

With an old, historic square that still hums with restaurants, boutiques, and mom-and-pop shops, and easy access to the highly fancied 224-bed White River Medical Center, previously named one of the Top 100 Rural & Community Hospitals in the United States by The Chartis Center for Rural Health, Batesville is evidently fine-tuned for retirees. A median listing price of $261,300 is just the cherry on top. White River flows through the town and offers a decent range of outdoor recreational opportunities.

Then there is Maxfield Park, an oasis of art and a swoon-worthy place to picnic. The Levitt AMP Batesville Music Series, which features everything from blues to country, electrifies the community ten times a year. And if you fancy an academically stimulating environment, there is Lyon College, the oldest independent college in Arkansas. Life here is an endless round of fun, especially with places like the historic Melba Theater, a beautifully restored Art Deco gem on Main Street.

West Plains, Missouri

A lot of action in Southern Missouri takes place in the town of West Plains, meaning you should expect almost everything you need for a life of convenience and comfort. For example, Ozarks Healthcare provides comprehensive medical services, complete with specialists handling all kinds of complex conditions, while the West Plains Civic Center, just a block from the Historic Downtown District, hosts concerts, interesting stage shows, and bull-riding activities, not to mention its 450-seat theater.

There is also Cedarhurst Senior Living of West Plains, an assisted-living facility. Outdoor enthusiasts have the Galloway Creek Nature Park, which offers paved walking paths and scenic bridges, and White Ranch Conservation Area, a nice place to go camping. The median listing price in West Plains is $254,000, which is a steal, especially considering the value for money.

So, if you are looking for a place to retire, don't think the Ozarks are too beautiful to afford. Although the outdoor scenery here is of a kind to make you stop and drool, the price points are not remotely close to California's. With a median listing price of around $250,000, you can retire on the cheap while living in a park-like setting, regularly washing your face in the fresh, playful air, paddling beautiful lakes, and exploring quiet forest trails.