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Where to Retire: Charlottesville, Virginia |
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Where to Retire: Asheville, North Carolina |
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Where to Retire: Chapel Hill, North Carolina |
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Where to Retire: Bellingham, Washington |
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Where to Retire: Burlington, Vermont |
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Where to Retire: Bloomington, Indiana |
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Is Hawaii Truly the Ultimate Dream Retirement Location? |
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Where to Retire: Chico, California |
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Where to Retire: Colorado Springs, Colorado |
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Where to Retire: Eugene, Oregon |
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Do Not Toss My Memories in the Trash |
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Where to Retire: Fayetteville, Arkansas |
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Where to Retire: Hendersonville, North Carolina |
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Digital Survival from Electronic Crimes |
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To Have a Residence in Florida, That is the Question |
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Active Seniors Guide to Adult Retirement Communities in Arizona |
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Where to Retire: Hot Springs, Arkansas |
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Where to Retire: Lexington, Virginia |
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Where to Retire: Olympia, Washington |
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Where to Retire: Oxford, Mississippi |
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Where to Retire: Lexington, Virginia
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Ed Note: Author Warren Bland provides a summary of this desirable active adult community in the where to retire series.
The historic town of Lexington, with its beautifully restored and revitalized nineteenth century downtown, lovely residential neighborhoods and picturesque campuses, is an exquisite southern college town and an excellent site for retirement.
Landscape: Located on the gently rolling surface of the Shenandoah Valley and bracketed by the Blue Ridge and Allegheny mountains, Lexington is in a lovely, largely rural region offering easy access to some of the most scenic terrain in the East.
Climate: Summers are hot and humid; spring and autumn are delightful; winters are cool. 40 inches of precipitation falls annually, with about 22 inches falling as snow. Lexington is frost free 180 days and sunny about 60% of the time.
Quality of Life: Excellent. Lexington is clean, uncrowded and well planned and maintained. Downtown restoration efforts have revitalized the retailing core. Residents are particularly friendly and helpful.
Housing: Housing costs are about 6% above the national average. Many attractive homes are priced between $150,000 and $255,000. Prices are lower in nearby Buena Vista and in the surrounding countryside.
Goods and Services: Most categories of goods and services are priced modestly below national norms.
Taxes: State and local taxes in Lexington are 8.5% of income compared to the U.S. average of 9.7%. Property, sales and excise taxes are below national norms whereas income taxes are above average.
Transportation: Although most residents drive, the town is small enough that walking and bicycling are viable alternatives for many trips. There is no local bus service. Greyhound, Amtrak, and Roanoke Woodrum Regional Airport provide bus, rail, and jet service.
Retail Services: Lexington’s charming downtown features a wide variety of unique shops, restaurants and services, many housed in magnificently restored historic buildings. Typical mass merchandise may be bought at the local Wal-Mart.
Health Care: Stonewall Jackson Hospital provides primary health care services. Additional medical care assets are available in Charlottesville and Roanoke.
Community Services: Basic public services are more than adequate. The Rockbridge Regional Library is complemented by the college libraries. The colleges and various clubs and social organizations offer members and guests a good mix of services.
Cultural and Educational Activities: Residents can audit classes and attend concerts, plays and lectures at Washington and Lee University and the Virginia Military Institute. Other musical and theatrical opportunities are offered at parks and the Theater at Lime Kiln.
Recreational Activities: Recreational opportunities of great variety are found in Lexington and nearby areas. Historically significant attractions are plentiful, and a drive along the Blue Ridge Parkway offers spectacular vistas of the Shenandoah Valley and the Piedmont Plateau.
Work and Volunteer Activities: Retailers offer some jobs. Many volunteer opportunities exist at the hospital, educational institutions, cultural organizations, museums and libraries.
Crime Rates and Public Safety: The incidence of property and violent crime in Lexington and in Rockbridge County are well below nation norms. Lexington feels safe and secure, night or day.
Conclusion: Lexington offers an excellent quality of life in a perfect college town. Its site in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley, within view of the Blue Ridge Mountains, is beautiful and its historic colleges and downtown are idyllic. It’s a great option in considering where to retire.
Ratings courtesy of “Retire in Style, 60 Outstanding Places Across the USA and Canada” by Warren R. Bland, PhD (www.nextdecade.com)
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