New report reveals best and worst spots to retire in North Carolina

If you’re of a certain age (or you’re just a regular working stiff who fantasizes about it), then you might be curious about where to retire in North Carolina.

Personal finance and consumer banking website Go Banking Rates has compiled a list of the 10 worst NC cities for retirement, and it’s pretty eye-opening.

The folks at Go Banking Rates included high costs of living, livability, and other factors in their assessment. They found that the following 10 NC cities (listed alphabetically) are the worst places to retire:

1) Asheville

2) Cary

3) Chapel Hill

4) Charlotte

5) Gastonia

6) Goldsboro

7) Jacksonville

8) Mooresville

9) Statesville

10) Wilmington

The good news? In a separate analysis, Go Banking Rates saw one NC city land on its list of the country’s 10 best cities for folks retiring without savings: Pinehurst. The Moore County town got high marks for its relatively low average home prices and the fact that Social Security income isn’t taxed.

Pinehurst also received positive rankings thanks to several important factors, like:

• Percentage of population 65 and older: 39.5%
• Annual grocery costs: $4,537.47
• Annual healthcare costs: $7,564.28
• Annual home health aide costs: $52,624

Last year, Hickory NC was previously rated as the “best affordable place to retire” by US News & World Report. This year’s report highlights the reasons why NC is as good a place as any to retire, even bearing in mind those 10 places that are maybe less than ideal. “North Carolina gets pretty high marks as a retirement destination thanks to its combination of affordability, moderate weather, diverse geography and urban centers that offer all the amenities,” the report says.

So, any way you look at it, there are several good places in the state to settle in when you’re ready for retirement.

READ MORE: 10 best affordable golf courses in North Carolina