Much has been said in praise of the simple life—words that give us a lot to think about as we consider how and where we may want to spend the rest of our days. In Walden, Henry David Thoreau wrote of his two-year experiment with living in a woodland cabin, “As you simplify your life, the laws of the universe will be simpler; solitude will not be solitude, poverty will not be poverty, nor weakness weakness.”
See also: Find Purpose, Live Longer.
Best Places to Live the Simple Life
Keep life simple, be happier. — Photo by Holly Harris/Getty Images
Much earlier, Leonardo da Vinci said, “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” But closer to our own time Albert Einstein remarked, “Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler.”
We’re with Einstein, at least when it comes to identifying places where a simple life can most easily be attained. Working with Best Places guru Bert Sperling, we defined criteria for just what it may take. We screened more than 300 metropolitan areas in the U.S. for characteristics including stable home values, low unemployment and cost of living, minimal traffic congestion, availability of cultural activities, outdoor recreation opportunities, and more—17 traits in all that contribute to a no-hassle, low-key lifestyle.
All demographic information provided by Bert Sperling of BestPlaces.net. For black-and-white reprints of this article, call 866-888-3723.
2010 Best Places to Retire Abroad
We investigated the overseas retirement scene, looking for mostly warm and sunny, attractively affordable locales with good-to-excellent health care that are hospitable to Americans of retirement age. Read
Argentina
Dance the tango and sip Malbec in Buenos Aires, the "Paris of South America." Read
Belize
A Central American paradise that offers beaches, beauty and a fast track to residency status. Read
Costa Rica
The Central Valley's outlying towns boast temperate, dry days, natural beauty—and so much more. Read
France
Arts and culture, medieval towns and castles attract retirees to the Mediterranean region of Languedoc-Roussillon. Read
Italy
Find vineyards, snow-capped mountains and gorgeous Adriatic Coast beaches in Le Marche. Read
Mexico
First-class urban amenities and charming palm-fringed villages draw retirees to the Puerto Vallarta region. Read
Nicaragua
The dollar goes a long way in Granada—and the breathtakingly beautiful landscape doesn't hurt either. Read
Panama
The mountain village of Boquete offers something close to heaven for American retirees. Read
Portugal
Fall through a crack in time and into the good life in casual Cascais. Read
Spain
Along the beautiful Costa del Sol, the savvy retiree can find quaint villages and quiet beaches. Read
2008 Best Places to Live a Healthy Life
These cities have made robust living—and active retirement—a priority. After reading why, you might want to move there too. Read
Ann Arbor, Michigan
The University of Michigan Health Center in Ann Arbor is one of the largest university medical centers in the world. Read
Honolulu, Hawaii
Residents of Honolulu spend more time exercising than do people in almost any other city we surveyed. Read
Madison, Wisconsin
Madison has worked hard to earn its reputation as a green—and healthy—city. Read
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Rates of diabetes, hypertension and high cholesterol in Santa Fe are among the lowest in the country. Read
Fargo, North Dakota
Fargo's fresh air—and commitment to preserving it—makes this one of the cleanest, greenest cities on our list. Read
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