Finding the Best Places to Retire Since 2006!
Isle of Hope, Georgia
Isle of Hope is a Romantic Little Coastal Town with Elegant Manors, Canopied Lanes, a Picturesque Marina and a Deep Sense of History
Once a haven for wealthy Savannahans fleeing the Yellow Fever, today Isle of Hope is an enchanting, sleepy town not far from where the Skidaway River intersects with the Wimington River on the northern Georgia coast. Savannah's big city amenities are just 17 miles away. Yet Isle of Hope feels a world away.
The picturesque marina, dotted with small sailboats and tall masted yachts, plays a major role in town life. Its overwater pavilion hosts portions of the annual music and art festival. The Wormsloe Historic Site features the area's best known plantation and has hiking trails, living history exhibits and a Colonial faire and muster. The nearby Wassaw National Wildlife Refuge has rolling dunes, a maritime forest and salt marshes. Skidaway Island State Park boasts trails, camping facilities, a boardwalk, and an observation tower. Beautiful, unspoiled Butterbean Beach is a relaxing place to spend an afternoon.
Neighborhood lanes are tree canopied, and while many homes are large and elegant, others are modest bungalows and ranch ramblers. Gorgeous Bluff Drive in particular is known for its riverfront locale, moss-draped live oaks and lovingly-restored historic residences.
Population: 2,200 (city proper)
Population Age 45 or Better: 45%
Cost of Living: 50% above the national average
Median Home Price: $700,000
Climate: Summer temperatures are in the 80s and 90s, and winter temperatures are in the 40s and 50s. On average, the area receives 43 inches of rain per year.
At Least One Hospital Accepts Medicare Patients: No, but Savannah has several hospitals that accept Medicare patients.
At Least One Hospital Accredited by Joint Commission? At Least One Hospital Accepts Medicare Patients: No, but Savannah has several accredited hospitals.
Public Transit: No
Crime Rate: Below the national average
Public Library: No
Political Leanings: Liberal
College Educated: 58%
Is Georgia Considered Tax Friendly for Retirement? Yes
Cons: The area is vulnerable to hurricanes, and Hurricane Matthew caused significant flooding in 2016.
Notes: Everyone knows everyone else, and community spirit runs deep. Isle of Hope has lost a bit of population during the last decade. Hollywood has come to visit several times over the years, filming portions of Glory and other movies here. Home prices have increased 5% since last year. Most shopping and services are in Savannah.
Recommended as a Retirement Spot? Yes
Georgia:
The Peach State ratified the Constitution on January 2, 1788, becoming the fourth state to enter the Union. By the mid-19th century, Georgia was rich in plantations and deeply dependent on the slave economy. During the Civil War, General Sherman captured Atlanta and set about destroying much of the state's plantation culture.
The largest state east of the Mississippi River, Georgia has five major geographical regions that descend from the Appalachian Mountains in the north down to the Okefenokee Swamp in the southeast. The climate is surprisingly uniform. Most of the state experiences a mild winter and a hot summer.
Although Georgia is the nation's number one producer of peaches, peanuts, and pecans, agriculture is not its major employer. Trade, service industries, textile manufacturing, and federal organizations like the CDC and Fort Benning supply a larger number of jobs.
Georgia was the first state to lower the voting age to 18. Its Wesleyan College was the first chartered college in the world to grant degrees to women.
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