10 Best Places to Retire in Texas Under 100k Population
Where you choose to live in retirement may be based on your life circumstances such as the need, or desire, to be in relatively close proximity to family, part time work, or even your doctor and/or medical treatment facility. However, if you are more flexible, but still want to live in Texas, we’ve put together a nice list of the best places to retire in Texas.
With local.niche.com doing the heavy lifting of gathering data on cities and towns across Texas, we’ve focused our efforts on the top 10 best places to retire. The key factors for grading each town included monthly housing cost, crime rate, property tax rate, weather, access to doctors, and access to grocery stores. Additional factors considered were access to golf courses, recreation, and restaurants. Also more heavily taken into consideration were the number of residents in the communities age 65 and older and those of that age group who had recently moved into the area.
When grading the best places to retire in Texas, town population was also a key factor. For this article, only towns of less than 100,000 residents were considered. If you’d prefer a larger city, we did a nice piece last year on the Top 10 Cities for Retirement in the U.S.
Let’s get going on our countdown of the 10 best places to retire in Texas with a population of less than 100,000 residents. The number 10 spot goes to…
#2 Kerrville
#3 Granbury
#4 Aransas Pass
#5 Monahans
#6 Yoakum
#7 Cameron
#8 Burnet
#9 Brady
#10 Silsbee
#10 Silsbee
Silsbee starts off our countdown of the 10 best places to retire in Texas with a population of less than 100,000 residents. Silsbee is a town of 6,611 residents according to the 2010 Census and is located in southeast Texas, approximately 21 miles north of Beaumont.
Some contributing factors that make Silsbee great for retirees are low housing costs, great weather, low crime rate, and low property taxes. Silsbee’s average median monthly cost for housing is only $697 per month, substantially lower than the $929 average cost per month for housing across the state of Texas. Silsbee’s proximity to the Gulf of Mexico gives the town its warm climate with a year-round average temperature of 68.6° Fahrenheit. The median effective property tax rate for the town of Silsbee is only 1.13% compared to a state median rate of 1.94%.
For retirees that enjoy the outdoors, Silsbee is nestled in the piney woods of southeast Texas near the Big Thicket National Preserve whose visitor’s center is only 15 miles from town. This area is filled with natural beauty and a wide variety of wildlife. The nearby Neches River is a popular canoeing and kayaking attraction for tourists and outdoor enthusiasts across the country. The town also has numerous parks provided for the citizens of Silsbee including the Knupple, Sante Fe, Waldo Mathew, Exquissette, and Veteran Parks.
Of the very few drawbacks for retirees living in Silsbee are the D- ratings for access to golf and grocery stores.
Moving on in our countdown of the top 10 Best Places to Retire in Texas, we come to the 9th place town. The number 9 slot goes to…
#2 Kerrville
#3 Granbury
#4 Aransas Pass
#5 Monahans
#6 Yoakum
#7 Cameron
#8 Burnet
#9 Brady
#10 Silsbee
#9 Brady
The town of Brady comes in at the 9th position in our countdown of the top 10 Best Places to Retire in Texas. Brady is located in central Texas and is known as “The Heart of Texas” because it is the closest town to the geographical center of the state, which is roughly 24 miles to the northeast of Brady.
Brady had a population of 5,528 residents according to the 2010 Census, of which approximately 984 were of retirement age – 65 years or older.
One of the most attractive features of the town of Brady for retirees is the low cost of housing, with the median monthly housing cost for homeowners being only $581 as compared to the $929 statewide average. The median effective property tax rate for the town is 1.43% which is still less than the statewide average of 1.94%, but above the number 10 town of Silsbee who posted a 1.13% median effective property tax rate.
While Brady’s grades for crime & safety, weather, and access to restaurants were all in the B range, the grades for access to doctors, golf, grocery stores, and recreation were somewhat lacking with grades in the C-D range.
If you are a Texan, you know barbeque, but do you know about barbeque goat? An interesting tidbit about Brady is that it is host to the World Championship Barbeque goat Cook-Off each year during the Labor Day weekend at the town’s Richards Park.
Moving on in our countdown of the top 10 Best Places to Retire in Texas, we come to number 8, and the 8th spot goes to…
#2 Kerrville
#3 Granbury
#4 Aransas Pass
#5 Monahans
#6 Yoakum
#7 Cameron
#8 Burnet
#9 Brady
#10 Silsbee
#8 Burnet
The town of Burnet comes in at number 8 in our countdown of the Top 10 Best Places to Retire in Texas. Burnet is a central Texas town located approximately 48 miles northwest of the state capital of Austin. Burnet is the county seat of Burnet County and both the city and county were named after David Gouverneur Burnet, the first president of the Republic of Texas.
Burnet is a bit high on housing costs with a median monthly housing cost of $872, but still under the state average of $929. The median effective property tax rate is 1.62%, coming in below the state average of 1.94%.
Burnet scores well on crime & safety, weather, and access to restaurants, but comes in on the shy side on access to doctors, groceries, golf, and recreation. Over 18% of the residents of Burnet are of retirement age – 65 and older, with 2.3% of those being new to the area, having moved to Burnet within the last year.
Located in the heart of Texas Hill Country, Burnet features rolling hills, lakes, historic sites, and is known as the bluebonnet capital of Texas. Barnet also boasts numerous tourist attractions such as the Longhorn Cavern and State Park, the Historic Burnet Square, the Highland Lakes Air Museum, Fort Croghan Museum and Grounds, the Vanishing Texas River Cruise, Hamilton Creek Park, and the Texas Wine Trail.
Next in our countdown of the Top 10 Best Places to Retire in Texas is number 7, and the 7th spot goes to…
#2 Kerrville
#3 Granbury
#4 Aransas Pass
#5 Monahans
#6 Yoakum
#7 Cameron
#8 Burnet
#9 Brady
#10 Silsbee
#7 Cameron
Cameron takes the number 7 spot in our countdown of the Top 10 Best Places to Retire in Texas with under 100,000 residents. Cameron is a town of 5,770 residents, at the 2010 Census, and is the county seat of Milam County. Cameron sits about 40 miles northeast of the Bryan/College Station area of central Texas.
Retirees enjoy low housing costs in Cameron, with the median monthly housing cost for homeowners being a mere $603 per month. Cameron also comes in lower than the state average on property tax rates with a median effective property tax rate of 1.62%.
Cameron scores well on weather, access to golf, libraries, and restaurants, while leaving a bit to be desired on access to doctors, grocery stores, and recreational/fitness facilities.
Cameron hosts numerous events throughout the year such as The Annual Dewberry Festival, barbeque cook-offs, a Christmas Parade, and the Cameron Chamber Christmas Classic Basketball Tournament.
Next in our countdown of The Top 10 Best Places to Retire in Texas with a Population of Less Than 100,000 Residents is number 6, and the 6th spot goes to…
#2 Kerrville
#3 Granbury
#4 Aransas Pass
#5 Monahans
#6 Yoakum
#7 Cameron
#8 Burnet
#9 Brady
#10 Silsbee
#6 Yoakum
The historic town of Yoakum takes the number six spot in our countdown of the Top 10 Best Places to Retire in Texas under 100,000 in population. Yoakum had 5,815 residents at the 2010 Census, and sits on the border of Lavaca and DeWitt counties, around 100 miles east of San Antonio. Back in the 1800s, Yoakum was a gathering place to bring cattle before the long trek to Kansas up the Chisholm Trail.
Roughly 18% of Yoakum citizens are of retirement age – 65 and older, and enjoy some exceptionally low housing costs, with the median housing cost for homeowners being a low $520 per month. Retirees in Yoakum also enjoy low property taxes, with the median property tax rate of only 1.31%.
Yoakum scores well in crime and safety, weather, access to doctors, and access to restaurants. However, if you are a retiree who enjoys golf, your choices may be somewhat limited with the Yoakum City Golf Course being your only choice within a 15 mile radius of the town.
Next in our countdown of the Top 10 Best Places to Retire in Texas is number 5, and the 5th spot goes to…
#2 Kerrville
#3 Granbury
#4 Aransas Pass
#5 Monahans
#6 Yoakum
#7 Cameron
#8 Burnet
#9 Brady
#10 Silsbee
#5 Monahans
The town of Monahans takes the number five spot in our countdown of the Top 10 Best Places to Retire in Texas with a population of less than 100,000 residents. Monahans’ population at the 2010 Census was 6,953 residents, of which, roughly 14.7% are of retirement age – 65 and older.
Monahans is a west Texas town and the county seat of Ward County, although a small section of the town extends into Winkler County. Monahans sits about 35 miles southwest of Odessa. Being a west Texas town, you know the summers are going to be hot, but you’ll also enjoy mild winters, which is an appealing feature for retirees.
Five miles to the east of Monahans is the Monahans Sandhills State Park, which is great for retirees who enjoy camping, hiking, picnicking, or even sand-surfing. Monahans also hosts the Freedom Fair, the Mild to Wild Salsa Festival, the AQHA Quarter Horse Show, the Wickett Bluegrass Festival, the Butterfield Overland Stagecoach & Wagon Festival, and various other livestock shows and rodeos.
If you are on a budget and looking for a place to retire in Texas, two extremely appealing draws to Monahans are low housing costs and low property taxes. The median monthly housing cost for homeowners in Monahans is only $515, which is 45% lower than the state average of $929 per month. The median property tax rate of Monahans is the lowest in our Top 10 Best Places to Retire in Texas, coming in at a very low 0.67%, over a full percentage point lower than the state average rate of 1.94%.
Monahans scores very well in crime & safety, and access to golf, grocery stores, and restaurants. However, access to doctors is very important to retirees, and Monahans only scores a C- in access to doctors. Another grade where Monahans was a bit lacking was in access to recreation/fitness facilities, but overall, Monahans scores very well for retirees and those searching for a place to retire in Texas.
That takes us to the number four spot in our countdown of the Top 10 Best Places to Retire in Texas with a population of less than 100,000 residents, and the 4th place finish goes to…
#2 Kerrville
#3 Granbury
#4 Aransas Pass
#5 Monahans
#6 Yoakum
#7 Cameron
#8 Burnet
#9 Brady
#10 Silsbee
#4 Aransas Pass
Aransas Pass takes the number four spot in our countdown of the Top 10 Best Places to Retire in Texas with a population of less than 100,000 residents. Aransas Pass has 8,204 residents (2010 Census), and 19.2% of those residents are of retirement age – 65 or older. In addition, 1.5% of the population are retiree newcomers to the area.
Aransas Pass sits right at the Gulf of Mexico and is just “across the bridge” from Corpus Christi. So that means beaches and warm weather – something that countless retirees look for when searching for a place to retire.
Being on the gulf coast in Texas also means restaurants and Aransas Pass has great access to a wide variety of eateries, especially seafood restaurants. Niche.com graded the access to golf at a D-, but we disagree – Aransas Pass has multiple golf courses within a very short drive from the center of town, with access to many more in nearby Corpus Christi. Aransas Pass also has great access to doctors, grocery stores, and recreation/fitness facilities.
The median monthly housing cost for the residents of Aransas Pass is $666 per month, considerably below the state average of $929 per month. Also, the median property tax rate is below the state average of 1.94%, coming in at 1.60%.
The big draw for Aransas Pass is the coastal lifestyle and sense of community. If you want to retire near the beach, Aransas Pass is definitely worth your consideration.
That brings us to our number three spot on our countdown of the Top 10 Best Places to Retire in Texas, and the 3rd place finish goes to…
#2 Kerrville
#3 Granbury
#4 Aransas Pass
#5 Monahans
#6 Yoakum
#7 Cameron
#8 Burnet
#9 Brady
#10 Silsbee
#3 Granbury
Granbury finishes in 3rd place in our countdown of the Top 10 Best Place to Retire in Texas, with a population under 100,000 residents. Granbury has a population of 7,978 residents (2010 Census), and just over 27% of those residents are of retirement age 65 and older. The percentage of residents 65 years old and over, who moved into the area within the last year, is 1.8%.
Granbury is the county seat of Hood County and is less than 50 miles to the southwest of the Fort Worth metro area.
The $897 median monthly housing cost for the homeowners of Granbury is just shy of the $929 state average and the 1.47% median effective property tax rate comes in well under the state’s 1.94% average.
Granbury received high marks in crime & safety, weather, and access to doctors, golf, grocery stores, and restaurants. Granbury’s lowest grade was a C in access to recreation/fitness facilities, but there are still plenty of choices for retirees to choose from.
Granbury is a town rich in history and legends. Davy Crockett’s family moved to the Granbury area after his death at the Alamo. A legend involving John Wilkes Booth and the Granbury area has been featured on the television shows 20/20 and Unsolved Mysteries. There is also the rumored legend that the notorious wild west outlaw, Jesse James, is buried in Granbury and not in Missouri as is recorded in the history books.
The cost of living in Granbury is a bit higher than any other town in our top 10, but with that, come more choices in amenities than in other towns. Granbury is a great town to consider for those looking to retire in a smaller town, but still with easy access to the larger Dallas/Fort Worth metro area.
Next in our countdown of the Top 10 Best Place to Retire in Texas with a population under 100,000 residents is the number two spot, and the 2nd place finish goes to the Texas town of…
#2 Kerrville
#3 Granbury
#4 Aransas Pass
#5 Monahans
#6 Yoakum
#7 Cameron
#8 Burnet
#9 Brady
#10 Silsbee
#2 Kerrville
Kerrville finishes up in the 2nd place spot in our countdown of the Top 10 Best Places to Retire in Texas. Kerrville sits just off Interstate 10 about 60 miles northwest of San Antonio and had a population of 22,347 at the 2010 Census, making Kerrville the largest town in our countdown.
A substantial 27% of Kerrville’s residents are of retirement age, 65 and older, and a hefty 2.3% of those of retirement age, recently moved to the area within the last year.
Kerrville’s $732 median monthly housing cost for homeowners comes in well below the state average of $929 per month. Also, the 1.78% median effective property tax rate comes in below the 1.94% state average property tax rate.
Kerrville scored a B+ in weather and in the B range or above on access to doctors, grocery stores, recreation/fitness facilities, and restaurants. Kerrville actually scored a C- in access to golf, but retirees still have choices to make with multiple golf courses in proximity to the town, and others well within driving distance.
Kerrville is well known for its beautiful parks up and down the Guadalupe River, which are quite the tourist attractions. Kerrville is also home to the Texas’ Official State Arts & Crafts Fair and the 18 day Kerrville Folk Festival which brings in visitors from all over the country and around the world.
Kerrville is a growing town with plenty of activities for retirees and their families. It has loads of outdoor attractions, with the Guadalupe River running right through town, and it also has its share of cultural activities including museums, theater, and the Symphony of the Hills featuring the Kerrville Symphony Orchestra. All in all, our runner-up town of Kerrville is a great place to retire with lots to do and a safe place to do it.
Now that takes us to the number one place in our countdown of the Top 10 Best Places to Retire in Texas under 100,000 in population, and the winner goes to…
#2 Kerrville
#3 Granbury
#4 Aransas Pass
#5 Monahans
#6 Yoakum
#7 Cameron
#8 Burnet
#9 Brady
#10 Silsbee
#1 Fredericksburg
Fredericksburg, Texas takes the number 1 spot on our Top 10 Best Places to Retire in Texas with a population under 100,000 residents. Fredericksburg is a town in central Texas located about 78 miles west of Austin. As of the 2010 Census, Fredericksburg had a population of 10,530 residents.
One attractive feature of Fredericksburg is low housing costs. The median housing cost for homeowners in Fredericksburg is $832 per month, a full 10% lower than the state average of $929 per month. Fredericksburg also comes in under the state average property tax rate of 1.94% with the much lower rate of 1.28%.
Fredericksburg boasts the largest retiree population percentage of our countdown, coming in at 31.4% – well above our second and third place finishers at around 27% each. In comparison, approximately only 10.7% of the entire population of Texas is of retirement age – 65 or older. As an added bonus, 1.7% of those of retirement age in Fredericksburg moved to the area within the last year.
Fredericksburg scored well in Crime & Safety and was graded a solid B, while the state average was a B-. The violent crime rate average index in the U.S. in 2014 was 202.6, while the violent crime rate index in Fredericksburg during that same year was 31.1, with only 1 robbery and 6 assaults reported and no murders or rapes reported.
Fredericksburg has great access to doctors, recreation/fitness facilities, and restaurants. However, if you are a retiree who enjoys the game of golf, your choices may be somewhat limited.
Fredericksburg is also known for its cultural arts, featuring numerous galleries and studios, indoor and outdoor theater, live music, and the “First Friday Artwalk”. Being located in the Texas hill country, Fredericksburg is also in wine country, which means agritourism, wine tasting, and tours.
Again attributed to being located in the Texas hill country, Fredericksburg enjoys a mild climate, which is another draw for retirees or those looking for a retirement destination. The temperatures in the summer months average in the low 90’s while the average winter temperatures are in the high 30’s and low 40’s.
In summary, Fredericksburg enjoys low housing costs, low property tax rates, low crime rates, a large percentage of retirees, great access to amenities, mild climate, and lots of indoor and outdoor activities for retirees. These things together, make Fredericksburg our number one best place to retire in Texas with a population of less than 100,000 residents. We hope you enjoyed the countdown!
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Now that you have some great ideas as to where to retire in Texas, do you need help to make sure you have the means to retire comfortably? At RetirementWatchUSA.com, we specialize in helping individuals and families by educating them on retirement income solutions that are not available in traditional brokerage houses. For more information, call us at (972) 473-4700 or use this form to schedule an appointment. We look forward to hearing from you soon and assisting you with all of your retirement planning needs!
#2 Kerrville
#3 Granbury
#4 Aransas Pass
#5 Monahans
#6 Yoakum
#7 Cameron
#8 Burnet
#9 Brady
#10 Silsbee
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