Less is More
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8/11/2006
We are retiring and returning to Florence after a 36 year absence. A lower cost of living is icing on the cake; the "cake" is Florence, AL is an ideal community. People are friendly, the climate is ideal (short winter, long summer), the presence of a 6,000 student university (where I formerly taught), the recreation activities, the diverse population, and a chance to enjoy the "small town" attitudes with many advantages of larger cities. We reviewed seven different cities for our retirement years (cities each of us had lived in before & after we married or cities we liked) and Florence was the top choice. The other cities were Memphis, Nashville, Jackson, TN, Hattiesburg, MS, Dyersburg, TN (hometown), and Blue Mountain, MS (hometown).
The cost of living criteria was important; lower taxes, lower housing costs, lower land prices, and lower utility costs improve your quality of life. Being close enough to Memphis, Birmingham, Nashville, and Atlanta that a quick trip for the big city life is a low cost adventure as well. Roll Tide!
Gene | Lima, OH