Finding the Best Places to Retire Since 2006!
Retire in Kennesaw, Georgia?
Overview: About 25 miles northwest of Atlanta, Kennesaw was originally called Big Shanty, thanks to the shanties built by railroad workers in the 1830s. During the Civil War, the town was raided and burned by General Sherman and barely survived.
Today, Kennesaw is racially diverse, comfortable and suburban. Housing is a mix of homes from the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, along with newer construction in some sleek master planned communities. Box stores, nicer retailers and chain restaurants are in good supply. Town Center at Cobb is an indoor mall. Miles of hiking trails, bike paths and woodland areas wind in and around the beautiful Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park. Kennesaw’s downtown district hosts several festivals and holiday celebrations, including the Big Shanty Festival and the Great Greased Pig Chase. Kennesaw State University (23,000 students) is here, but the city does not have a collegiate feeling. This may be because many students commute from other areas.
In 1982, Kennesaw made national news when it passed an ordinance requiring every head of household to maintain a firearm. The law is still in effect today.
Population: 35,000 (city proper)
Age 45 or Better: 30%
Cost of Living: 5% above the national average
Median Home Price: $245,000
Climate: Summer temperatures reach the upper 80s and low-90s. Winter temperatures are in the 30s, 40s and 50s. The area receives 50 inches of rain per year.
At Least One Hospital Accepts Medicare Patients? No, but Wellstar Kennestone, five miles away in Marietta, accepts Medicare patients.
At Least One Hospital Accredited By Joint Commission? No, but Wellstar Kennestone, five miles away in Marietta, is accredited.
Public Transit: Yes, provided by Cobb County Transit
Crime Rate: Well below the national average
Public Library: Yes
Political Leanings: Very conservative
College Educated: 41%
Is Georgia Considered Tax Friendly for Retirement? Yes
Cons: The tornado risk is 145% higher than the national average.
Notes: It has been said that the city's low crime rate is due to the fact that every house has a gun. Not everyone agrees with this assessment. Kennesaw has grown by 18% within the last decade.
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.
Stats:
Population - 10,310,371
Persons 65 years old and over - 13%
High school graduates, persons age 25+ - 85%
Bachelor's degree or higher, persons age 25+ - 29%
Persons of Hispanic or Latino origin - 9%
White persons, not Hispanic - 53%
Median household income - $49,620
Median home value - $148,100
Social Security taxed? No
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
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