Good States for Retirement.

Hello all,
So here is the thing, I am eligible for retirement in 3 years. I've decided my current setup is becoming unacceptable. Due to some other life issues, it looks like I am stuck where I am for probably 5 years but then I can bail to wherever I want. So where does everyone love for places to live (knowing that much will change in 5 years)
Looking to run a homestead/hobby farm, I have 25+ acres here and looking for at least that (with forest, so not all open plain/prairie) I don't mind the cold/snow as long as I also get summer weather.
Top picks right now are MT, ID, SD, ND, WY and possibly CO.
Right now WY has the lead with no income tax and no retirement tax.
I want to hear the GOOD and the BAD and anyplace you think I should add to the list.

Thanks
-JW

 

I'd definitely take CO off that list - it's a political mess and it won't be getting any better >>>>>>>>>

 

In 2005, we settled in Maine.

The state with the highest percentage of retirees.

I had never been to Maine when we made that decision. But now, after living here 20+ years, I think we made the right choice.

 

No income tax here in TN.
I'll probably move to East TN when I get to retirement age.

 

MT, ID, WY, SD, ND all have horrific winters. But I'm a warm climate guy with a tolerance for triple digits on a regular basis. Maybe you can tolerate low temperatures better than I can.

Good thing about those states is that you are pretty much free to do a lot more than almost any eastern state, save for maybe AR MO, or WV and taxes are usually pretty low. TN would probably be OK if you stay away from the Blue run cities like Nashville.

I lived for awhile in the northeastern corner of NV. Pretty much free to do anything there too but the winters drove me out. If you get arrested there, you did something really egregious. Worked with a fellow who got arrested for urinating on the sidewalk in the small town right in front of the cop, who politely asked him not to do it. Casinos there were open 24/7 and they have public restrooms so he had no excuse.

@Illini Warrior is correct about Colorado. Parts of NM are pretty nice, but like CO it's a Blue run state which means it's on its way to becoming California east without the ocean front.

AZ where I am is also teetering on the edge, save for one very Red county where I have 40 acres in the mountains. The sheriff there declared the County a Second Amendment sanctuary.

 

Cold weather keeps the pests down…even the two-legged kind.

 

Except them damn ticks. Those things are basically immortal in the bush.