Best Places to Retire in Georgia

Where to retire? If you’re like most, you’ve dreamed about where to retire, listened to friends and family, and started researching. Take your time! Visit a few destinations, and then think again. 

Gone are the days when you can just retire to a beach and sip iced tea. And when pretty towns in Vermont experience historic flooding, Mother Nature has shown there are hazards everywhere. So, it’s worth revisiting factors to consider in your retirement choice of where to retire.

We’ve counted 11 factors. Family-related moves is consistently ranked #1 or #2, particularly for seniors. We think Georgia scores high on the remaining 10 factors.

By the way, we’re Bellhop Movers experts at local Atlanta moves and long-distance moves to Atlanta and parts all over Georgia. We can also offer packing services in Atlanta to get you started with your moves. We’d love to help with an affordable, easy move to your retirement dream place in the great Peach State.

What Are the Advantages of Retiring to Georgia?

Rating Georgia for Retirement on 10 Factors

How you rank these factors can help you zero-in on your perfect home setting when considering Georgia.

• Cost of Living – Georgia ranks consistently lower than the U.S. average across website ratings. RentCafe says: 10% lower than the national average with homes 21% lower than the national average, while utilities are 13% lower. The U.S. Census shows the median value of a home at Georgia $245,000, $36,000 lower than the U.S. average. There are bargains to be had in many small Georgia towns.
• Best Home Style for Seniors – Brick ramblers abound in the South and Georgia is no exception. Ramblers make it easy for seniors to age in place. Brick-built homes offer strong hurricane protection.
• Tax Considerations – Tax-friendly Georgia offers exemptions on Social Security income and hefty deductions for other types of retirement income.
• Healthcare Access – Living near top-rated healthcare is important for seniors. Georgia ranks high with multiple retirement options offering nearby access throughout the state:
  • Atlanta – Emory Healthcare system consistently ranks among the top hospitals in the nation. Piedmont Atlanta Hospital and Northside Hospital are noteworthy.
  • Augusta – home to Augusta University Medical Center and Doctors Hospital of Augusta.
  • Savannah – Memorial Health University Medical Center and St. Joseph’s/Candler, known for its focus on senior health, wellness programs, and advanced care.
  • Athens – Piedmont Athens Regional Medical Center offers geriatric care, plus women’s and cardiac health services.
  • Macon – Atrium Health Navicent has a verified Level I trauma center.
  • Brunswick – Southeast Georgia Health System offers senior related services and is highly rated.
• Climate – Georgia’s climate is ‘southern temperate’ with muggy summers and mildly cold winters (as measured in Atlanta). People ‘escape’ with vacations to the mountains or the seaside. You can choose your own preferred option. Hurricane protection should be a consideration in near sea-level communities and flooding protection in mountain towns bordering rivers.
• Recreation and Activities – There’s something for everyone with world renowned golf courses, and plenty of historic parks, forests, beaches and mountains for water activities, hiking, and biking. Compared with neighboring Florida, the range of activities and variety of terrain rank much higher in Georgia.
• Social Life and Community – Lots to choose from! There are 28 55+ Senior Living Communities, 676 retirement communities and 159 Independent Living communities according to USNews.
• Lifestyle and Diversity – The state welcomes diverse groups and lifestyles, anchored by Atlanta’s historically active gay community and international travel hub. There’s a thriving ‘foodie’ culture that extends beyond Southern barbecue, as international food options take root with recent immigrants. The state boasts seven Trader Joe’s Stores in greater Atlanta, plus Marietta and Athens.
• Transportation and Accessibility – Excellent highway systems, Amtrak service and world-class air travel from Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport give Georgia a high score on access.
• Safety and Crime Rates – Georgia ranks 27^th in terms of violent crimes per capita. The most common arrest is for drug possession. The city with the highest crime rate is College Park, near Atlanta.

Choosing Where to Live with New Extreme Weather

Nearly all websites offering choices for best places to retire in Georgia were written before the double-whammy of hurricanes Helene and Milton. We’ve intentionally not included many wonderful sea-level communities and mountain towns like Asheville, NC in narrow river valleys given their potential storm risk. Some Georgia towns (Clayton, Sandy Springs and Vinings, for example) that were recommended on other sites before Helene’s historic flooding experienced infrastructure destroying flooding, isolating residents. Neighborhoods in Atlanta were not immune given the historic rainfall on already saturated soil.

Please don’t misunderstand us; we’re not saying don’t consider any mountain, riverside or seaside town for retirement. Simply be mindful of fire, flooding and wind damage when selecting a retirement property. (Yes, include forest fires). Factors to think about include:

• Height above sea level or river flood levels
• Slope and drainage of the property
• What’s upstream or upslope that could fail
• Trees, powerlines and other nearby hazards in high winds
• Evacuation and resupply access with alternate routes
• Forest fire protection (roof type, landscaping)
• Plans and preparations like water, food and backup power.

Two weeks after Helene hit rural North Carolina, residents were still cut off and without power. It’s worthwhile to develop a plan that includes a much longer shelter in place, wherever you choose to live.

As an alternative to the seashore, could you be happy living on a lake like Lake Lanier in Gainesville, Georgia, for example? It’s worth rethinking those long-held dreams.

How to Check the Risks of Hurricanes and Floods before You Buy

FEMA and First Street’s risk ratings drive insurance premiums for many properties. Look up any property address you may wish to purchase beforehand. FEMA’s limits risk to flooding and are based on back data and ‘do not reflect extreme rainfall events’ like what Helene delivered. First Street’s shows 5 different factors including wind, flood, fire, heat and air, and are much more ‘aggressive’ which can be a good thing if it saves your life.

5 Best Cities in Georgia for Retirement

Macon, Georgia

Macon (county population of 235,000) is overlooked by the websites that rate best places to retire in Georgia. That’s good for home values and retirees. It’s 80 miles from Atlanta and 160 to Savannah with historical parks to walk, museums and well-organized civic events.

Home Value: Zillow Average: $166,000 compared to Georgia’s $328,000. Home values are increasingly steadily which is good news.

Great Neighborhoods: Wesleyan Woods, Payne and other northwest neighborhoods.

Activities: Excellent walking trails and parks, organized events like the Skydog Musical Festival, Cherry Blossom Festival and a thriving music scene.

Medical Care: Multiple choices are available including highly rated Piedmont Macon and the larger Atrium Health Navicent, which operates a Level 1 Trauma Center.

Athens, Georgia

Because we needed to add a college town we chose the hometown of the University of Georgia. It’s known for its antebellum architecture, youthful energy and good vibes. The 130,000+ city offers broad and raucous entertainment choices, thriving music, and good outdoor access.

Home Value: Zillow Average: $322,000.

Great Neighborhoods: Downtown offers a mix of single-family homes and condos averaging $437,000. Homes in the southwest (zip code 30606) offer a broad range of style and prices.

Activities: Consider theStateBotanical Garden, a great art museum and music, bar and restaurant venues, 22 scenic biking and walking trails, plus ADA-accessible services at Sandy Creek Park.

Medical Care: Multiple choices including Emory Heart & Vascular Center at Athens, Piedmont Athens Regional are available.

Dahlonega

They grow wine everywhere now and Dahlonega offers a self-driving wine tour. Gold was discovered in the first gold strike in the East, setting the town’s name in history and attracting an early boom population. Its population is a smaller 7,500+ now. 65 miles north of Atlanta at an elevation of 1,500 feet the town shares Atlanta’s muggy summer climate.

Home Value: Zillow Average: $372,000

Great Neighborhoods: There are desirable homes all around. Check out the homes near state highway 19. The north/south running highway 19 is the major route connecting to Atlanta (and offers rapid evacuation in the event of climate flooding).

Activities: Excellent trails and parks both in town and outside including the 2.8-mile walking trail around Lake Zwerner. March offers a Chocolate crawl. Visit the gold mine. The city has a well-organized guide. Take that self-guided Dahlonega Wine Trail tour.

Medical Care: A newly opened Georgia Mountains Health offers general health services.

Augusta, Georgia

Just say ‘golf’ and Augusta comes to mind with over 30 courses nearby. There is plenty of greenspace around this thriving 200,000+ city. Straddling the Georgia / South Carolina border and halfway between Atlanta and Charleston, you have plenty of housing choices.

Home Value: Zillow Average: $172,000 with gradual appreciation being key.

Great Neighborhoods: Pepperidge on the southwest side (zip code 39006), Belair Hills (39009) is closer to golf.

Activities: Excellent trails and parks like the New Savannah Bluff Lock & Dam Park, the River Walk through downtown with its access to local restaurants, brew pubs and entertainment.

Medical Care: Multiple choices including Augusta University Medical Center and Piedmont Hospital.

Gainesville, GA

90 minutes north of Atlanta this 40,000+ town bordering the man-made Lake Lanier offers a gateway to the mountains and plenty of outdoor fun. The city offers north/south Amtrak service as an alternative transport mode. The many lakefront homes on the sprawling lake command high prices.

Home Value: Zillow Average: $172,000 with gradual appreciation being key.

Great Neighborhoods: Longwood Park offers value (zip code 30501), Atlanta Botanical Garden (30501) is a desirable location with more expensive homes.

Activities: With aFocus on the outdoors there is easy access to the Blue Ridge Mountains. Lake Lanier is a strong draw for boating and family fun. Mountain bikers can enjoy the Tumbling Creek Trails at University of North Georgia – Gainesville Campus. The downtown anchors a strong restaurant and pub scene.

Medical Care: Northeast Georgia Health System has multiple locations in the city.

Like What You See?

It’s understandable that, as a retiree, you’d like to consider new horizons. The places we offer here represent great choices in a great state we know well. If you decide to make a move to the Peach State, get in touch. We know some people who would love to help.