As we’ve covered in another blog post, Georgia is a great place to retire particularly if you’re thinking about moving to the southeast. With warm weather, low taxes and a low cost of living, and plenty of high-quality and affordable housing options, Georgia makes for an amazing place to start your retirement. Many people tell us that while they started their retirement search in Florida, they ended up moving to (and loving) Georgia given the similarity between the two popular retirement destinations. If you’re thinking that Georgia is the state for you, then the next exciting step is to decide what city or town you want to live in! Thankfully, Georgia has just about every variety of place to live you could think of - from laid-back beach towns, to the countryside of Georgia to the ninth largest metropolitan area in the country - Atlanta. You’re sure to find the perfect place for your retirement in Georgia.

Savannah

One of our favorite cities in the state of Georgia, and also one of the most historic, is beautiful Savannah, located near South Carolina along the Savannah River. The oldest city in Georgia, Savannah attracts millions of visitors each year who come to visit its historic squares, or take part in its artistic or cultural events, like its live music scene. The lively and historic downtown, mixed with the ability to live along the water and near the coast as well as access to great hospitals and other amenities you’d associate with a slightly larger city (Savannah is the fifth largest city in Georgia), makes Savannah an ideal retirement destination.

St. Simons Island

Another beautiful, historic, and maybe most important of all, coastal city similar to Savannah is St. Simons Island. Like Savannah, St. Simons Island is a slightly more expensive retirement destination when compared to the rest of the state, but many people find that the benefits are well worth it. Situated along the coast next to Sea Island, living on St. Simons Island gives you easy access to some of the most beautiful, unspoiled beaches in the whole country. Many residents live in gated, planned communities and there are many amazing active adult communities on the island. In addition, the laidback downtown area provides access to high end shopping and dining.

Augusta

If you love the idea of living in a historic southern town, but don’t care about being near the beach, then Augusta, Georgia might be perfect for you. But even though you’ll be a little further from the beach, don’t worry Augusta still has access to the water as it sits along the Savannah river. The lovely Augusta Riverwalk features historic architecture as well as live concerts at the Jessye Norman Amphitheater, and is a popular local feature. Along with the artistic and cultural offerings provided by downtown Augusta, the mild year-round weather means that you can spend plenty of time pursuing other outdoor activities like biking or hiking. And finally, one of the most exciting parts of moving to Augusta is getting wrapped up in what is one of America’s favorite yearly traditions, the Masters golf tournament held each year in Augusta, Georgia.

Athens

Staying in the interior of the state another amazing option is Athens, Georgia. You may know Athens as the home of University of Georgia and its famous football team the Georgia Bulldogs. But along with being one of the country’s best college towns, Athens, Georgia is also an amazing place to retire. In fact, Athens routinely ranks as one of the best cities in the entire country for retirement. Not only does being near the University of Georgia provide for plenty of culture and entertainment, but Athens also has easy access to top notch healthcare facilities as well as all that nearby Atlanta has to offer. And while the University certainly is a big feature of town, Athens has its own cultural and artistic offerings in its own right including an amazing live music scene. And because it’s Georgia, you can expect plenty of time exploring the beautiful leafy countryside in the warm weather.

Fayetteville

One of the most popular retirement destinations in the state is the small town of Fayetteville, located south of downtown Atlanta. In fact, roughly 20% of the town is at or over the age of 65. Fayetteville is so popular because it provides for a quiet, laid back retirement in an affordable community, that is also close enough to Atlanta to provide access to all the things you’ll need and want in retirement, like entertainment and topnotch healthcare (both of which you can find plenty of in Atlanta). 

Atlanta

While people often associate relocating for retirement with small towns, it can sometimes be a huge benefit relocating to a big city for retirement. With over 5 million people living in the greater Atlanta metro area, you’ll get easy access to everything you’ll want and need in retirement. Not only does this mean easy access to things like entertainment and shopping, but also more practical concerns like being near a large number of top-flight medical facilities or being near one of the country’s biggest airports for all your retirement journeys (or for having the family come visit you). Further, while downtown Atlanta is certainly one of the major urban areas in the country, the greater Atlanta area is full of beautiful, small suburbs that feel, and indeed are, their very own towns with their own unique offerings. 

Blue Ridge

If we weren’t able to convince you of all the benefits of relocating for retirement to a big city like Atlanta, then you might love the next city on our list as it is one of the smallest: Blue Ridge, Georgia. A tiny town of just about 1,200 residents, Blue Ridge is located in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains near the border of Tennessee and the Carolinas. Located along the Appalachian Trail, people are drawn to Blue Ridge for its bountiful outdoor activities, from hikes in the mountains to swimming in Lake Blue Ridge or in the Toccoa River. If you want scenic views and tranquil times in nature, then you may really want to check out Blue Ridge, Georgia. But even if you are less of the outdoorsy type and just like the sound of a peaceful retirement in the countryside, there is still plenty for you to do in Blue Ridge’s downtown area, which boats a healthy cultural scene featuring galleries, restaurants, and festivals year round. 

Sunbound is the best way to pay for senior living. If you want to learn more about how Sunbound can help make senior living more affordable for residents and easier to manage for communities, email us at info@sunboundhomes.com or request a demo here. Sunbound is on a mission to make senior living more affordable for everyone.