Boasting some of the country's most affordable home prices and one of its lowest cost-of-living indexes, along with low taxes, Alabama is a very affordable state for retirement. However, not all Alabama cities and towns are created equal. When it comes to a quality of life index combined with affordability, these three towns came up winners for retiring in the "Heart of Dixie".
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- Decatur - With a cost of living that is 10.8 percent below the national average and a median home price of $111,000, Decatur, in northern Alabama, is an ideal pick. It sits on the banks of Wheeler Lake and alongside the Tennessee River and is just a few hours drive from Memphis, Nashville, and Atlanta. It is easy on the eyes, with a large Victorian homes district as well as cultural attractions like the Cotaco Opera House. CBS News ranked Decatur among the best cities in the United States to retire. "It also received one of the highest scores for nursing-home care in the Milken survey, ranking No. 2 among small cities."
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- Calera - When it comes to affordability, Calera has one of the lowest sales tax rates in the state at just 8 percent. It also has one of the state's lowest crime rates with just "1,387 crimes per 100,000 people. That's 64 percent lower than the rest of the state," according to the Movoto Blog, which covers real estate and ranked Calera one of its top towns to live in Alabama.
- Eufaula - This small town on the banks of the Chattahoochee River is a charming place to retire if you don't mind being an hour's drive from the next town. Before the Civil War, Eufaula was a major shipping and commercial center, and many of the Victoriana and antebellum homes built during its heyday are still standing. In fact, much of the town is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Eufaula has a low cost of living index as well as a low crime index, making it another affordable and ideal place to retire.
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