Over the Thanksgiving holiday a piece appeared in the Wall Street Journal touting Chattanooga as a near perfect place to retire–I could not agree more. The story highlights the unique blend of culture, the natural beauty, and the mild winters as the primary reasons retirees have chosen the Scenic City in recent years. The writer from the Wall Street Journal paints a very desirable picture:
“A steady stream of retirees are finding their way to the Scenic City, Chattanooga’s official nickname. The scenery is indeed a big part of the lure, but people don’t just look at it. The town sits on the Tennessee River in the southern reaches of the Appalachian Mountains, an area that offers plentiful opportunities for boating, hiking and cycling. Other selling points include mild winters, a solid economy, a low cost of living and an array of cultural offerings. Newcomers also cite the city’s proximity to several interstate highways, which creates easy access for grown children and grandchildren to visit.”
I couldn’t have said it any better myself.
From a real estate perspective, the lack of a state income tax, the relatively low cost of living and the quality of the real estate market, all make Chattanooga an outstanding place to relocate—at any age.
My long-standing position that Chattanooga is a hidden jewel that offers an unbeatable quality-of-life now seems to be the popular position to take. Between this article and Outdoor Magazine’s declaration that Chattanooga is “the best town ever“, I think that our secret may be out—and that is just fine by me.