10 Affordable Cities for Retirees Who Don’t Mind the Winter

Arizona, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina — warmer-weather states like these usually get credit for being top places to retire. But what if you don’t like heat or humidity and palm trees and would rather surround yourself with quaint downtowns and snow-covered mountains and sip cider while sitting in a quaint restaurant?

Then retire in a city or town with an awesome winter vibe. To determine which winter locations are affordable for retirement, GOBankingRates looked at locations across the United States that a variety of travel and other publications have identified as places that are spectacular for winter vacations.

While some of the average home values are on the high side, you might have equity in your home or ample savings to make houses in some of these cities within reach. The cost of monthly non-housing expenditures makes these 10 places affordable in retirement.

• Livability Score: 86
• Monthly Expenditures: $1,690
• Average Home Value: $309,493

The average temperature in January is 24 degrees, but in July, it’s a beautiful 72 in Frankenmuth, southeast of Saginaw.

Known as “Little Bavaria,” Frankenmuth offers a lot for retirees to do. It boasts Christmas all-year, a variety of festivals and horse-drawn carriage rides through the town, or you can sip German beer at a local brewery. When the grandkids visit, you can take them to the area’s two waterparks. Frankenmuth’s livability score of 86 ranks highest on this list.

• Livability Score: 85
• Monthly Expenditures: $1,630
• Average Home Value: $723,194

Would you rather live in a Bavarian village in the Pacific Northwest? You’ll find that in Leavenworth, set in the Cascade Mountains, which also has a high livability score.

A bit more than two hours east of Seattle, Leavenworth offers pursuits for all ages, from the Winter Karneval to Oktoberfest. The village’s mountain location makes it ideal for recreational activities for on-the-go retirees, such as climbing, biking, rafting and kayaking, as well as snowmobiling and tubing.

• Livability Score: 82
• Monthly Expenditures: $1,647
• Average Home Value: $850,218

If skiing is on your winter agenda, Whitefish could make an attractive retirement destination.

National Geographic dubbed Whitefish one of the “Top 25 Ski Towns in the World,” but it’s also a year-round destination for those who love the outdoors — Whitefish is known for its biking, hiking and boating. The average high temperature in Whitefish in January is 29 degrees, and 34 in February.

• Livability Score: 78
• Monthly Expenditures: $1,676
• Average Home Value: $209,492

It’s no doubt cold in the winter in Lanesboro with average highs and lows of 24 and 4 degrees in January — 28 and 8 in February — but the location offers a lot to like for people who don’t mind the frigid air.

Lanesboro’s average home value is the lowest on this list. The local Chamber of Commerce bills Lanesboro as “a place to experience adventure and renew friendships in a slower paced way of life.” Places to meet people include the area’s farmers market, museums, restaurants and art galleries.

• Livability Score: 69
• Monthly Expenditures: $1,617
• Average Home Value: $2,347,946

Vail is a world-known ski-resort town in the Colorado Rockies and another place on this list that celebrates its Bavarian architecture.

If you’re a serious outdoors enthusiast, you can hit the slopes in the winter and enjoy hiking, biking and river rafting in the summer. When you’re not taking part in the bevy of recreational opportunities, wander the pedestrian-friendly streets to explore restaurants and shops.

• Livability Score: 72
• Monthly Expenditures: $1,927
• Average Home Value: $2,847,949

Nantucket, an island off Cape Cod, isn’t easy to reach. It’s accessible only by plane or ferry, but once you’re there, it’s worth the bit of inconvenience.

Year-round, the scenery is spectacular with its location along Nantucket Sound, and it has emerged as a summer playground for vacationers. But full-time residents get the island back to themselves in the offseason, giving them a chance to dress in their winter attire and view the lighthouses, historic houses, cobblestone-paved Main Street and the beaches.

• Livability Score: 75
• Monthly Expenditures: $1,736
• Average Home Value: $565,220

Salt Lake City, the host of the 2002 Winter Olympics, has a pedigree as a winter sports playground.

But if skiing and snowboarding aren’t your thing, there’s plenty for retirees to do in Salt Lake City. Watch the Utah Jazz of the NBA play, research your family history at the Family History Library or discover the area’s microbreweries and brew pubs.

• Livability Score: 77
• Monthly Expenditures: $2,008
• Average Home Value: $2,353,794

It gets downright chilly in Jackson in the winter, with average highs of 26 degrees and lows of 6 degrees in January, rising to 30 and 9, respectively, in February.

Jackson, part of the popular Jackson Hole area, is the gateway to Grand Teton National Park and about 60 miles from Yellowstone National Park, and the natural beauty of the area is undeniable. Museums, restaurants and shopping can fill your winter days if you’re not a snow-sports enthusiast.

• Livability Score: 69
• Monthly Expenditures: $1,652
• Average Home Value: $4,464,070

Tiny Telluride is big on scenery, history and the rich and famous. The Telluride Film Festival is held annually in the picturesque town, surrounded by peaks as high as 14,000 feet.

The town is just eight blocks wide and 12 blocks long, according to Telluride.com. It has world-class skiing, and if you take a break and stop for a meal in the historic downtown, don’t be surprised if you see a Hollywood celebrity. Telluride is known as a vacation-home destination for the stars.

• Livability Score: 73
• Monthly Expenditures: $1,999
• Average Home Value: $747,277

Small Woodstock is about two hours northwest of Boston in the central Vermont, making it close enough to reach big-city amenities while living in a cozy community of about 3,200 in the town and its hamlets. Yes, it is downright cold in Woodstock — the average low temperature in January and February is in the single digits — but it’s still a great place to live.

Woodstock is known for its charming, quintessential New England downtown and frequently shows up on lists touting the most beautiful places in America. One of the fun winter events is Wassail Weekend in December, which celebrates the season with twinkling lights, music and the elaborate decorations at historic homes.

Jordan Rosenfeld contributed to the reporting for this article.

Methodology: In order to find the top affordable places to retire for winter lovers, GOBankingRates analyzed cities around the United States that are popular among winter vacations, winter travels and beautiful winter locations, sourced from Timeout’s Best Winter Vacations and TravelandLeisure’s America’s Best Winter Travel. For each city on the list, GOBankingRates found the cost of living indexes, as sourced from Sperlings Bestplaces and multiplied by the average expenditure costs for those 65 years and older as sourced from Bureau of Labor Statistics, to find the average expenditure cost for each city. The livability index was sourced from AreaVibes, the median household income was sourced from the U.S. Census American Community Survey, the average home value was found from the Zillow Home Value Index and using the Federal Reserve Economic Research’s 30-year average national mortgage rate, the average mortgage costs can be calculated for each city. The household income was scored and weighted at 1, the monthly expenditure costs were scored and weighted at 1, the average mortgage was scored and weighted at 1, and the livability index was scored and weighted at 1. All scores were summed and sorted to show the best and most affordable places to retire for winter lovers.

Photo Disclaimer: Please note photos are for representational purposes only. As a result, some of the photos might not reflect the locations listed in this article.