Finding the Best Places to Retire Since 2006!
Canyon, Texas
Wide open West Texas is home to Canyon, a city that was once a thriving cattle ranch. Just 18 miles from downtown Amarillo, it grew up around the railroad and in 1910 welcomed the opening of West Texas State Normal College, which today is known as West Texas A&M University (10,000 students). Canyon is Home to West Texas A&M University and is the Gateway to Palo Duro Canyon State Park, a Dramatic Canyon System
Still, Canyon does not feel like a typical college town. It is quiet and friendly, with a "country" feeling and little nightlife. It is known as the gateway to Palo Duro Canyon State Park, a dramatic, rugged canyon system that is second in size only to the Grand Canyon. Painter Georgia O'Keeffe lived and taught in Canyon from 1916 to 1918 and said of Palo Duro Canyon, "It is a burning, seething cauldron, filled with dramatic light and color." Canyon is also home to the musical drama, "TEXAS," which is performed in an outdoor amphitheater six nights a week during the summer. It chronicles the tragedies and triumphs of early Texas settlers and is said to be the most attended outdoor drama in the nation, drawing tourists from around the region.
Residents enjoy two golf courses and exhibits at the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum. The downtown square has some cute shops and more than 50 restaurants, everything from fast food chains to mom and pop BBQ places, are sprinkled around town.
West Texas A&M has a writers' academy and a continuing education department with a community lecture series. Residents also enjoy university football, basketball, soccer and baseball games.
Many homes are brick ranch ramblers.
Population: 15,500 (city proper)
Age 45 or Better: 24%
Cost of Living: Meets the national average
Median Home Price: $410,000
Climate: Summer temperatures are in the 80s and 90s, and winter temperatures are in the 20s, 30s and 40s. The elevation is 3,550 feet above sea level. On average, the area receives 20 inches of rain each year.
At Least One Hospital Accepts Medicare Patients? No, but Amarillo has several hospitals that accept Medicare patients.
At Least One Hospital Accredited by Joint Commission? No, but Amarillo has several hospitals that are accredited.
Public Transit: Yes
Crime Rate: Below the national average
Public Library: Yes
Political Leanings: Conservative
College Educated: 41%
Is Texas Considered Tax Friendly for Retirement? Yes
Cons: The tornado risk is 155% above the national average.
Notes: Home prices have increased 17% since last year, and the population has remained steady during the last decade.
Recommended as a Retirement Spot? Yes
Texas:
With a name based on a word used by Caddo Indians meaning "friends," Texas is the second biggest state in the United States. It is estimated that 70% of population lives within 200 miles of Austin- the capital of Texas.
Houston is the largest city in Texas, while Dallas-Fort Worth is the largest metropolitan area in the state. Connecticut and Delaware could fit inside Texas' largest county - Brewster.
The historical people of Texas include members of the Native American tribes of Apache, Choctaw, Tonkawa and Hasinai. When Texas became the 28th state of the United States (1845), it adopted the official flag called the Lone Star Flag. Texas has a number of symbols, including the Bluebonnet - the state flower.
The land of Texas is larger than all of New York, New England and Ohio combined. Almost 10% of these lands are covered by forest. Two-thirds of the population lives in a major metropolitan area. This state had famous natives and residents such as Mary Kay Ash, George W. Bush, Tommy Lee Jones and Joan Crawford.
Texas has nearly 24,000 farms and 90 mountains a mile or more high. This state is the nation's leading producer of natural gas, oil, wool, cotton, watermelons and rice. It also has the most airports of any state in the nation and is one of the most business-friendly states. Its culture comes from a blend of Southern, Southwestern (Mexican) and Western influences.
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