Finance Website Says Owensboro is the Best ‘Under-the-Radar’ Retirement City

My hometown of Owensboro has been getting some love from across the pond, and it wouldn't be the first time. Ten years ago, Stamford, England, was designated as an Owensboro sister city, with the goal of sharing economic ideas as well as cultural experiences.

Retirement Cities

Today, I don't see Stamford listed at owensborosistercities.org. The Owensboro Sister Cities and Regions, Inc. (OSCAR) website shows two cities in the Czech Republic and one in Japan.

However, that doesn't mean we're no longer on the United Kingdom's radar. The Daily Mail, a British tabloid, has shared data from a Finance Buzz study that lists 15 American cities (both sites call them "warm-weather cities"; they obviously weren't here a few weeks ago) where one can live in retirement for less than $1,850 a month. With the average social security check at about $1,900, that number should come as relief.

Owensboro Tops a List of 'Under-the-Radar' Retirement Cities

I mentioned "warm-weather cities" in parentheses because I thought it was amusing coming off a winter storm in late January and early February. But "warmth" seems to be an important criterion in the judgment of these cities as fit retirement destinations. All 15 cities on the list have comparatively low median household incomes and are touted for their affordability and, yes, climate. I guess if you live in the British Isles, Kentucky does seem like a year-round warm climate.

The Finance Buzz study showed Owensboro's median household income to be $1,337, and that low number put us at the top of the list.

Cities in Arizona, Florida, South Carolina, Texas, Arkansas, Mississippi, Virginia, Alabama, Louisiana, and Georgia complete the list.