Alexandria Convention & Visitors Association
City population: 146,294
Percentage of population age 45 to 64: 24.6%
Crime rate: 2.45 crimes per 100 residents
Cost of living: 21% above the national average
State’s retiree tax picture: Mixed
Government shutdowns aside, Uncle Sam is a stable employer, buoying the local economies of the nation’s capital and its suburbs. Alexandria, just south of Washington, D.C., boasts the lowest unemployment rate of all the cities on this list. The trade-offs for residents are above-average living expenses and so-so tax breaks. While Virginia doesn’t tax Social Security income, it does tax other income, including federal and military pensions, at rates ranging from 2% to 5.75%. Someone 65 or older can deduct up to $12,000 of retirement income, subject to income-eligibility limits. Sales tax adds up to 6% once you factor in the 4.3% state tax, 1% local tax and special 0.7% regional tax for Northern Virginia.
Proximity to Washington means easy access to plenty of free attractions. Forget the usual suspects: monuments and memorials along the National Mall, as well as the Natural History and Air and Space museums. You’ve probably seem them a hundred times already. Instead focus on the rich cultural programs offered by the National Gallery of Art, which has a robust lineup of films, concerts and lectures. Two Metro lines offer direct service into the District. In Alexandria proper, many neighborhoods near Old Town and the King Street metro station are very walkable, meaning you can keep the car in the garage when you run errands. The Potomac River waterfront and the Mount Vernon Trail are prime spots bikers and joggers.
SEE ALSO: 10 Most Expensive U.S. Cities to Live In
Source: Kiplinger
10 Best Cities for Early Retirement
