5 Worst Places to Retire in America (BLOG)

These 'retirement havens' once seemed like ideal places to spend your golden years. But then something went terribly wrong.

It's easy to find lists of the best places to retire in the United States. AARP has one; so do Forbes, U.S. News and a host of retiree-oriented websites. The same cities and states tend to appear on each list -- Tucson, Ariz.! Austin, Texas! -- in part because the things that matter most as people pick a place to retire -- proximity to good medical care, tax advantages for seniors, nice climate and safe streets -- never really go out of style.

But the states, cities and communities in which retirees enjoy those tax breaks, tee times, affordable homes and other trappings of a comfortable retirement have not proved to be nearly as stable. With states and municipalities still reeling from the Great Recession, the security that retirees prize has become more and more elusive.

And so, instead of another list of the best places to retire, we offer something a little bit different and -- in keeping with the tenor of the times -- perhaps a bit more realistic. Here is The Fiscal Times list of the worst places to retire. Consider it a field guide of what to avoid . . . and consider yourself warned.



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