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    25 Cheap, Beautiful Places To Retire With Just $100K in Savings

    By Deborah Sabinus,

    11 hours ago

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    A $100,000 retirement savings can sound like an impossibly low number, especially with the general rule of drawing 4% of your retirement savings every year. However, while this number may not sustain you in the way that $500,000 or $1,000,000 can, retiring on $100,000 is possible — just not for too many years.

    Discover More: These Are America’s 50 Fastest-Growing Retirement Hot Spots

    Consider This: 7 Reasons You Shouldn’t Retire Before Speaking To a Financial Advisor

    “Based on median incomes for Americans between 24-40 years, $100,000 retirement savings between 25-30 is good, but you’ll need to increase your savings by a 40-year benchmark,” said financial consultant Steve Sexton.

    With only $100,000 in your retirement savings, it’s beneficial to know which cities are the best to retire in that can still offer great scenery and comfort. Listed below are the 25 most affordable and beautiful cities to retire in with only $100,000 in retirement savings, according to data from GOBankingRates. Also, feel free to check out America’s 50 Fastest-Growing Retirement Hot Spots .

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    Alberto Loyo / Shutterstock.com

    Seward, Alaska

    • Population: 2,768
    • Population 65+ percentage: 17.2%
    • Total cost of living monthly: $4,170
    • Livability: 84
    • Years to draw down $100K savings without Social Security: 2.00
    • Years to draw down $100K savings with Social Security: 3.62

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    Money mistakes the super wealthy never make - that you might be doing now.

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    Flying Horse Farms / Flickr.com

    Lake Geneva, Wisconsin

    • Population: 8,335
    • Population 65+ percentage: 21.6%
    • Total cost of living monthly: $4,153
    • Livability: 71
    • Years to draw down $100K savings without Social Security: 2.01
    • Years to draw down $100k savings with Social Security: 3.65

    Find Out: The Average Retirement Age in 2024: US vs. China

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    Beaufort, South Carolina

    • Population: 13,582
    • Population 65+ percentage: 14.8%
    • Total cost of living monthly: $4,144
    • Livability: 71
    • Years to draw down $100K savings without Social Security: 2.01
    • Years to draw down $100k savings with Social Security: 3.66
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    graphiknation / Getty Images/iStockphoto

    Saint Francisville, Louisiana

    • Population: 1,724
    • Population 65+ percentage: 15.6%
    • Total cost of living monthly: $4,121
    • Livability: 67
    • Years to draw down $100K savings without Social Security: 2.02
    • Years to draw down $100K savings with Social Security: 3.70

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    ChrisBoswell / Getty Images/iStockphoto

    Grand Marais, Minnesota

    • Population: 1,768
    • Population 65+ percentage: 23.8%
    • Total cost of living monthly: $3,980
    • Livability: 80
    • Years to draw down $100K savings without Social Security: 2.09
    • Years to draw down $100K savings with Social Security: 3.95
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    Frank DeBonis / Getty Images/iStockphoto

    Lake Placid, New York

    • Population: 2,280
    • Population 65+ percentage: 18.8%
    • Total cost of living monthly: $3,917
    • Livability: 68
    • Years to draw down $100K savings without Social Security: 2.13
    • Years to draw down $100k savings with Social Security: 4.07
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    Ron and Patty Thomas / Getty Images/iStockphoto

    Yellow Springs, Ohio

    • Population: 3,739
    • Population 65+ percentage: 35.3%
    • Total cost of living monthly: $3,904
    • Livability: 74
    • Years to draw down $100K savings without Social Security: 2.13
    • Years to draw down $100K savings with Social Security: 4.09

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    Jon S Hanson / Flickr.com

    Marfa, Texas

    • Population: 2,141
    • Population 65+ percentage: 36.4%
    • Total cost of living monthly: $3,783
    • Livability: 73
    • Years to draw down $100K savings without Social Security: 2.20
    • Years to draw down $100K savings with Social Security: 4.35
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    Nicholas Klein / Getty Images

    Nashville, Indiana

    • Population: 1,528
    • Population 65+ percentage: 42.7%
    • Total cost of living monthly: $3,779
    • Livability: 78
    • Years to draw down $100K savings without Social Security: 2.21
    • Years to draw down $100K savings with Social Security: 4.36

    Pictured: Nearby Bloomington, Indiana

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    tunart / Getty Images

    Chicago

    • Population: 2,721,914
    • Population 65+ percentage: 13.3%
    • Total cost of living monthly: $3,773
    • Livability: 78
    • Years to draw down $100K savings without Social Security: 2.21
    • Years to draw down $100K savings with Social Security: 4.37

    Learn More: Trump Wants To Eliminate Social Security Taxes: Here’s How Much the Average Retiree Would Save

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    Vito Palmisano / Getty Images/iStockphoto

    Holland, Michigan

    • Population: 34,186
    • Population 65+ percentage: 16.9%
    • Total cost of living monthly: $3,706
    • Livability: 83
    • Years to draw down $100K savings without Social Security: 2.25
    • Years to draw down $100K savings with Social Security: 4.53
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    Sean Pavone/iStockPhoto / iStock.com

    Savannah, Georgia

    • Population: 147,583
    • Population 65+ percentage: 14.7%
    • Total cost of living monthly: $3,696
    • Livability: 81
    • Years to draw down $100K savings without Social Security: 2.25
    • Years to draw down $100K savings with Social Security: 4.56
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    Solange_Z / Getty Images

    Galena, Illinois

    • Population: 2,992
    • Population 65+ percentage: 42.1%
    • Total cost of living monthly: $3,693
    • Livability: 80
    • Years to draw down $100K savings without Social Security: 2.26
    • Years to draw down $100K savings with Social Security: 4.57

    Explore More: The Average Retirement Age in 2024: US Versus Italy

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    Sean Pavone / Getty Images/iStockphoto

    Albuquerque, New Mexico

    • Population: 562,551
    • Population 65+ percentage: 16.6%
    • Total cost of living monthly: $3,649
    • Livability: 72
    • Years to draw down $100K savings without Social Security: 2.28
    • Years to draw down $100K savings with Social Security: 4.68
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    aimintang / Getty Images

    Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania

    • Population: 4,532
    • Population 65+ percentage: 20.7%
    • Total cost of living monthly: $3,579
    • Livability: 70
    • Years to draw down $100K savings without Social Security: 2.33
    • Years to draw down $100K savings with Social Security: 4.87
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    ©Toppling Goliath Brewing Co.

    Decorah, Iowa

    • Population: 7,611
    • Population 65+ percentage: 23.9%
    • Total cost of living monthly: $3,574
    • Livability: 85
    • Years to draw down $100K savings without Social Security: 2.33
    • Years to draw down $100K savings with Social Security: 4.48

    Check Out: What a Trump Presidency Could Mean for Social Security in 2025

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    JTGrafix / Getty Images/iStockphoto

    Eureka Springs, Arkansas

    • Population: 2,053
    • Population 65+ percentage: 26.5%
    • Total cost of living monthly: $3,480
    • Livability: 66
    • Years to draw down $100K savings without Social Security: 2.39
    • Years to draw down $100K savings with Social Security: 5.17
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    Sean Pavone / Getty Images/iStockphoto

    Chimayo, New Mexico

    • Population: 2,955
    • Population 65+ percentage: 22.2%
    • Total cost of living monthly: $3,384
    • Livability: 65
    • Years to draw down $100K savings without Social Security: 2.46
    • Years to draw down $100K savings with Social Security: 5.50
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    Sean Pavone / Getty Images/iStockphoto

    Philadelphia

    • Population: 1,593,208
    • Population 65+ percentage: 14.0%
    • Total cost of living monthly: $3,381
    • Livability: 76
    • Years to draw down $100K savings without Social Security: 2.46
    • Years to draw down $100K savings with Social Security: 5.51

    Consider This: The Average Retirement Age in 2024: US vs. Canada

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    Larry Gibson / Getty Images/iStockphoto

    New Orleans

    • Population: 380,408
    • Population 65+ percentage: 15.9%
    • Total cost of living monthly: $3,361
    • Livability: 75
    • Years to draw down $100K savings without Social Security: 2.48
    • Years to draw down $100K savings with Social Security: 5.58
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    catnap72 / Getty Images

    Houghton, Michigan

    • Population: 8,303
    • Population 65+ percentage: 8.6%
    • Total cost of living monthly: $3,345
    • Livability: 77
    • Years to draw down $100K savings without Social Security: 2.49
    • Years to draw down $100K savings with Social Security: 5.64
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    Sean Pavone / Getty Images/iStockphoto

    San Antonio

    • Population: 1,445,662
    • Population 65+ percentage: 12.8%
    • Total cost of living monthly: $3,323
    • Livability: 80
    • Years to draw down $100K savings without Social Security: 2.51
    • Years to draw down $100K savings with Social Security: 5.73

    For You: 7 Vacation Destinations To Avoid on a Retirement Budget

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    Columbus, Indiana

    • Population: 50,896
    • Population 65+ percentage: 15.7%
    • Total cost of living monthly: $3,248
    • Livability: 76
    • Years to draw down $100K savings without Social Security: 2.57
    • Years to draw down $100K savings with Social Security: 6.04
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    Jon Mattrisch / Getty Images/iStockphoto

    Milwaukee

    • Population: 573,299
    • Population 65+ percentage: 11.3%
    • Total cost of living monthly: $3,057
    • Livability: 79
    • Years to draw down $100K savings without Social Security: 2.73
    • Years to draw down $100K savings with Social Security: 7.01
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    stevegeer / Getty Images/iStockphoto

    St. Louis

    • Population: 290,018
    • Population 65+ percentage: 14.5%
    • Total cost of living monthly: $2,848
    • Livability: 74
    • Years to draw down $100K savings without Social Security: 2.93
    • Years to draw down $100K savings with Social Security: 8.50

    Methodology: For this study, GOBankingRates analyzed beautiful cities to find the best places to retire with $100K in savings. First, GOBankingRates found beautiful cities as sourced from CNTraveler, Forbes’s Most Beautiful Cities in America, IBTimes’s Most Beautiful Cities in the US, and Architectural Digest’s Most Beautiful Towns in America. For each city, total population, population of ages 65 and over, total households and household median income were all sourced from the US Census American Community Survey. The cost-of-living indexes were sourced from Sperlings BestPlaces, the livability index was sourced from AreaVibes, and the average full Social Security benefits for one person was sourced from the Social Security Administration. The percentage of population ages 65 and over can be calculated to show the retirement hotspots. To find the average expenditure costs for each city, the cost-of-living indexes were used along with the average national expenditure costs from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey for retired residents. The average mortgage cost can be calculated by assuming a 10% down payment and using the national average 30-year fixed mortgage rate as sourced from the Federal Reserve Economic Data. The average mortgage cost and the average expenditure costs can be used to find the total cost of living for each city. Using the average Social Security income as sourced from the Social Security Administration, the total cost of living after Social Security income can be calculated. Assuming a $100,000 savings accounts, the years to draw down the savings account can be calculated. The cities were sorted to show the most years to draw down savings, showing the cheapest beautiful cities to retire with just $100,000 in savings. All data was collected on and is up to date as of August 2nd, 2024.

    This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com : 25 Cheap, Beautiful Places To Retire With Just $100K in Savings

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