#23 of 25 Best Places to Retire

Iowa City, Iowa

23 of 25

Iowa City, Iowa, is ideal for literary retirees.

Population: 67,900

% over 50: 23%

Median home price: $164,000

Top state income tax: 8.98%

Cost of living index: 96

For the better part of a century, Iowa City has been a literary destination for writers who flock here for the University of Iowa's world-renowned writing workshops. But you needn't be an aspiring John Irving or T.C. Boyle to appreciate the city's creative appeal.

The Old Capitol Cultural District melds 19th-century architecture with quirky shops and innovative restaurants. In the summer, its pedestrian mall serves as center stage for free concerts, outdoor movie nights, a jazz festival, and an arts festival, complete with sand sculpting.

The art doesn't stop when the temperatures drop. National and local artists perform year round at the restored 1912 Englert Theatre, while the Riverside Theatre produces a half a dozen professional shows each season. For retirees who want a more hands-on experience, the university's lifelong enrichment classes run the gamut from salsa dancing and social networking to--of course--writing.

#12 of 25 Best Places to Retire

Huntsville, Ala.

12 of 25

Huntsville, Ala., offers plenty of green space for outdoor fun.

Population: 180,100

% over 50: 37%

Median home price: $152,000

Top state income tax: 5%

Cost of living index: 91

Known by aerospace buffs as "The Rocket City," Huntsville's Marshall Space Flight Center was the original NASA and still plays a major role in civilian and government spacecraft and rocketry.

There's plenty going on right here on Earth in this northern Alabama burg, too. More than 3,200 acres of parks blanket Huntsville, which also boasts nearly a dozen recreation centers, six public golf courses, three municipal swimming pools, and 175 miles of bicycle paths.

That's just in the city. Huntsville's location between the Tennessee River and the Appalachian Mountains make it an ideal base camp for hiking, fishing, boating, and birding in nearby state parks and nature preserves.

This bucolic setting doesn't come at the expense of amenities. Huntsville also has a healthy serving of restaurants, stores, performing arts, and medical care. The University of Alabama in Huntsville's Osher Lifelong Learning Institute offers dozens of courses geared toward retirees.