Indiana is GREAT! We are an hour from Indy but you could get closer. Real estate is very inexpensive here. Taxes in our county are unbelievable. We have 8 1/2 acres with a 2000+ SFT house and a barn and pay less than $300 a year in property taxes. Our house recently appraised for $130K in our re-finance. We have many, many retirees who have moved here in the past few years from Chicago and points north because it is so cheap to live here. We get all 4 season here but it's not too bad in either summer or winter. Up in northern Indiana they get a lot of lake effect snow in the winter that we don't get here in west central Indiana. Can you tell I love my state? Now if we just had a different governor it would be perfect!

Lancaster PA might be an idea?

I live in northern ky, just 15 miles south of cicinnati. OH. Advantage of big city culture 20 min away but country living where the deer & the bunny rabbits play. Cost of living is lower than most places too & its a friendly place.

my daughters are planting their gardens just south of raleigh n.c. gets real hot in the summers tho. ashvile prob is better.

South is good- our area, close to you offers all of what you're looking for but we still have that dreaded winter.

I want to go to Virginia. We summer vacationed there for many years when the kids were growing up and I loved it! I want to retire there but hubby won't leave and I have a business. Darn.

I also live on Long Island and would love to retire elsewhere. Will be following this thread.

How about KY, its mid ways between north & south, Lexington has the things you mentioned, an airport, lots of cultural events, its not a huge city but has lots of shopping, all 4 seasons & its accompanying weather, cold around Christmas, January, hot in the summer, mild in between, a little of everything. You may want to consider it.

Cathy S/Willowwind

Funny, I live in Maryland and each time I take one of those "best places for ME to retire" quizzes, the top choice always comes out to where I already live. The weather is moderate, the gardening great, easy access to cultural events, ocean and mountains both pretty easy to get to. Guess I'll just stay put. :)

We have contemplated Tennessee. The taxes on retirement accounts are less....

Your lucky day! We have a home for sale with 12 acres in West TN. We have a garden plus an orchard. Quilting stores in close by Jackson and Dyersburg.