Well I moved to Loudon TN in 1982 for a job that didn't last, but we worked it out. Retired now and we still love it here.

 

Unfortunately, I can't speak for retirement. Both states are beautiful and have their pros and cons. The thing that would attract me more to Tennessee is they don't have income tax.

 

While I don't live east of Nashville, I've lived in Tennessee for over 31yrs now, except for the 18 or so months I was away deployed. I'll just mention a couple things to keep in mind. One is state income taxes. Tennessee has none. The second is reference hunting. If you plan on hunting a lot, Tennessee has a much longer gun season than does Kentucky and much more liberal bag limits (at least in some areas).

Where I live the bag limits for deer are 3 does a day for the entire season and two bucks of any size.

Best of luck with wherever you decide to live

 

While I don't live east of Nashville, I've lived in Tennessee for over 31yrs now, except for the 18 or so months I was away deployed. I'll just mention a couple things to keep in mind. One is state income taxes. Tennessee has none. The second is reference hunting. If you plan on hunting a lot, Tennessee has a much longer gun season than does Kentucky and much more liberal bag limits (at least in some areas).

Where I live the bag limits for deer are 3 does a day for the entire season and two bucks of any size.

Best of luck with wherever you decide to live

Kentucky has an elk herd IF you can draw a tag.

 

I used to dream of retiring to Smithville or McMinnville Tennessee. Drop dead gorgeous areas with some fine motorcycle roads and plenty of everything my soul needs. I pray it hasn't changed when I do retire. Kentucky is ok but East Tennessee is beautiful. Plus you have several major metros available should you need it.
Chattanooga, Nashville and Knoxville are within 2 hrs. Atlanta add a couple of hours tops.

 

I agree that East Tennessee is beautiful, but I want more of the rolling hills than mountains, for topography.
Healthcare options are another factor I need to explore. East Tennessee certainly has more large metro areas, providing more care options.
Bowling Green is Kentucky's third largest city and seems to have a decent hospital, with Louisville a couple hours away.
It presently looks as though Tennessee land prices are higher than Kentucky's. I wonder if that will change over the next year or two.
Andrew

 

Yes, these two states is where I want to retire. I'm from WI also. Unfortunately, since Covid, real estate prices have tripled. Personally, for me I want western KY or TN because I know people there and have some employment until full retirement.

TN does offer better tax breaks along with better gun laws. It's a toss up. I can guarantee the deer hunting is better than WI unless you have expensive land.

 

Had some in laws around Monticello KY. Seemed a little too backward. Now we vacation every year in Gatlinburg. So much so that I have a TN wildlife account for non resident fishing. If we leave VA, TN would be my first choice; probably between Nashville and Gatlinburg.

 

I'd move to Tennessee, or another income tax free state today if I could. We live in NC and were born and raised here. I like it here too, but would love to move somewhere with no income tax. My mother is still living and both of my wife's parents are still living. As long as they're alive, my wife doesn't want to leave because we'll have to take care of them. But when they're gone, we may get much more serious about moving. Don't misunderstand though, we're not wishing for their demise by any means.

 

As a born and raised resident of The Great State of Tennessee, I am a bit biased to TN. Always good to have some 2A friendly folks move to Tennessee to counter the antis who move here.

 

I retired about 6 months ago and am going to be moving to Knoxville next year from Dallas. My wife was from Knoxville and died in January and is buried there. I would like to be close to her and I am very close to the in-laws. Going back for Christmas and going to look around at smaller houses or maybe a condo. Tennesse, Land of the Free!

 

I looked at the expenses of living in both states.
Being that I plan on fully retiring, within a couple of years of moving, state income tax is not one of my concerns.
The cost of property seems much higher in TN and that has me leaning more towards KY.
Andrew

 

Sounds like you got a great retirement ahead of you! I’ve never seen that part of the country. I’m thinking about taking my wife over there to celebrate our 20th coming up. Just to see that country.

 

It’s a pretty part of the country. Rolling farm land in the west to mountains in the east.
South Carolina was gorgeous, but my wife and I find ourselves drawn to the southern midwest.
Art, your state has some very pretty scenery. But, I want to get away from the deep freezes.
Andrew

 

We moved to Kentucky 6 years ago from Illinois. We looked west, south west and Deep South. The wife was from upstate NY and SC. I was from Oklahoma to Illinois and just about everywhere else while in the service.

Land seemed to be a bit higher in Tennessee than in Kentucky when we looked pre Covid. It took us a full year, but we found our dream. We looked at just land, land with housing, stick built, manufactured, etc. We wanted enough land to hunt and shoot on, and a lake nearby. Reasonably close to a VA clinic
(40 minutes), and decent health care. Also, we wanted to be out and alone at the end of the road.

We found what we wanted, and are happy with it. It fits our needs to the t. People are nice here, always willing to lend a hand, just good country folk. The county went wet several years ago so we don’t have to drive 40 minutes to get an adult beverage.

Glw your search, let us know where you end up. We are on the south side of Lake Cumberland!

Regards,

 

A good friend of mine just retired to Clarksville, TN (north of Nashville & on the KY border) last year.

Despite the tornado outbreak that occurred in the area last weekend, he & his wife have been very happy there so far...

3 Reasons Why You Should Relocate to Clarksville, TN - Millan Enterprises, LLC.

Many of those who are planning to relocate have done research on where the best place to live might be. Well, look no further than Clarksville, TN. Named Best Place to Live in America by Money Magazine, September 2019 and Best Place to Retire in Tennessee by Investment U, January 2020 -...

millanenterprises.com

.

 

Just don't tell all our secret "goods".....LOL

 

Folks,
I sold what was to be my retirement property, in SC.
I felt it was too isolated from any neighbors, which was fine for me, but I know my wife would not be happy.
I am now looking at Kentucky or Tennessee to retire in. Both have pros or cons, just as with any other state.
The Scottsville or Glasgow area of Kentucky, are attractive to us, as are the counties east of Nashville.
Does anyone have any retirement experience in these areas?
Andrew

Howdy. Doug here, in Tennessee. LOVE IT HERE!!! Been here for 32 years. Moved here in 92 with GM and never looked back. I might even leave the state for a day or two so i can move here again!! hehehehe Kentucky is nice too but i do love Tennessee.

 

"Ain't it good to be alive and be in Tennessee"

Charlie Daniels

 

A Republican Governor, two Republican Senators and my Congressman is Rep Mark Green (Major, U.S. Army, Ret)

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Green_(Tennessee_politician)

So, YES!!

 

 

Folks,
I sold what was to be my retirement property, in SC.
I felt it was too isolated from any neighbors, which was fine for me, but I know my wife would not be happy.
I am now looking at Kentucky or Tennessee to retire in. Both have pros or cons, just as with any other state.
The Scottsville or Glasgow area of Kentucky, are attractive to us, as are the counties east of Nashville.
Does anyone have any retirement experience in these areas?
Andrew

Like some of you folks, my wife and I are starting to look at retirement and relocating. I'm still ~5-5.5 yrs out, but time sure does seem to fly at this age (60 in March). Like others have mentioned, Tennessee's tax free status (like here in Florida) is a very nice benefit.

Florida is just filling up at a geometric rate, and the hunting is drying up anywhere near Central Florida unless you have DEEP pockets. The only upside to this is that the value of our little country house just a half hour east of Tampa has skyrocketed over the last decade, so if/when we sell, it would enable us to buy a nice parcel in some parts of TN, KY, etc.

As a serious firearms enthusiast, I couldn't even think of moving somewhere not VERY gun friendly like Florida, Texas, Tennessee, etc. Got a son currently living in Alabama near the Tennessee line, and a daughter in Colorado, so proximity to N. Tennessee would be a huge plus, but anywhere in TN, Alabama, or even most of KY would still be a lot closer than here in Florida. Can't do Colorado... it's being slowly (quickly?) overrun by liberals from CA.

My dream is to buy 50+ acres somewhere that I can hunt on, but the wife wants to be closer to medical facilities, since we're not 20 anymore, than I suspect my bank account & retirement pension would allow for that sort of size of acquisition. Eh. Maybe... we'll see. A lot can still happen in another 5 yrs. Goodness knows if this darn Bidenflation continues, all of this may be a mere pipe dream. 🙄

In any case we've spent many hours already looking at land/houses for sale all over Tennessee, Alabama, & Kentucky.... even considered NW GA, but not as much.

Luis

 

Like some of you folks, my wife and I are starting to look at retirement and relocating. I'm still ~5-5.5 yrs out, but time sure does seem to fly at this age (60 in March). Like others have mentioned, Tennessee's tax free status (like here in Florida) is a very nice benefit.

Florida is just filling up at a geometric rate, and the hunting is drying up anywhere near Central Florida unless you have DEEP pockets. The only upside to this is that the value of our little country house just a half hour east of Tampa has skyrocketed over the last decade, so if/when we sell, it would enable us to buy a nice parcel in some parts of TN, KY, etc.

As a serious firearms enthusiast, I couldn't even think of moving somewhere not VERY gun friendly like Florida, Texas, Tennessee, etc. Got a son currently living in Alabama near the Tennessee line, and a daughter in Colorado, so proximity to N. Tennessee would be a huge plus, but anywhere in TN, Alabama, or even most of KY would still be a lot closer than here in Florida. Can't do Colorado... it's being slowly (quickly?) overrun by liberals from CA.

My dream is to buy 50+ acres somewhere that I can hunt on, but the wife wants to be closer to medical facilities, since we're not 20 anymore, than I suspect my bank account & retirement pension would allow for that sort of size of acquisition. Eh. Maybe... we'll see. A lot can still happen in another 5 yrs. Goodness knows if this darn Bidenflation continues, all of this may be a mere pipe dream. 🙄

In any case we've spent many hours already looking at land/houses for sale all over Tennessee, Alabama, & Kentucky.... even considered NW GA, but not as much.

Luis

We must be neighbors or close to it, TnHunter356, as I live in Valrico. Four years ago I retired after 41 years with DoD, and have been looking for firearms-friendly areas with ample hunting opportunities. The pandemic and in many areas such sellers' market factors as soaring home prices and shortages in construction labor and supply haven't exactly helped. About 96% of my successful hunting was during many years in Germany, so my expectations for hunting in much of the U.S. may have become asking too much. I miss still hunting deer and black bear with a JM-stamped Marlin 1895 on the Canadian border in ME and VT, but real estate even there has become expensive. Please let us know how you do with your quest in TN and elsewhere.

 

It's all fun and games until your car breaks down in Memphis..

 

We don't call Tennessee "The Patron State of Shootin' Stuff" for nothing. (Courtesy of Bob Lee Swagger)

 

Good luck with your search. Texas is full. 😁

 

That's what we've been saying about Florida for the last 30+ years! Sadly... it hasn't been working. LOL

Luis

 

I’ve lived in Florida for for 55 of my 68 years but lived a couple of years in central Kentucky as a kid and still visit there every few years.
I would move to Kentucky tomorrow if my wife would, but our daughter and 3 grandchildren live 2 miles from us and she’s not going to leave that.
The little bedroom community that we live in has been ruined by developers. Seems like every day a new sign goes up in a field seeking a zoning change so they can build a new neighborhood.
It’s sickening to see.

 

I’ve lived in Florida for for 55 of my 68 years but lived a couple of years in central Kentucky as a kid and still visit there every few years.
I would move to Kentucky tomorrow if my wife would, but our daughter and 3 grandchildren live 2 miles from us and she’s not going to leave that.
The little bedroom community that we live in has been ruined by developers. Seems like every day a new sign goes up in a field seeking a zoning change so they can build a new neighborhood.
It’s sickening to see.

I took a drive down 301, then out 64, east of Bradenton a couple weeks back. From Sun City south, and for many miles east of Bradenton, it was nothing but new neighborhoods being built. From the 300's to the 800's! Dunno who is buying all these thousands and thousands of homes, but I assure you that for the most part, it ain't us native Floridians!

Luis

 

I got some relatives from Louisville and they are about as crazy as libs can get!

 

I live about 50 miles south of Louisville, and it ain't for the country folks with traditional values, thats for sure. I like the gun laws in KY, No registration of either handgun or long gun, private sales of both welcome, open or concealed carry without a license. The self defense laws are pretty good. I was a KY firearms instructor/CCDW instructor and can offer details for my state if you have questions.

Whittakers in Owensboro (Aces guns in Hawesville which is pretty close), and Kygunco are both worth the trip.

Midsouthshooterssupply in Clarksville would be handy to save hazmat.

 

The wife and I are both medical professionals, so we need to keep in mind staying within 30 minutes of a hospital system. At least for a few years before I completely retire. She wants to keep treating patients until she is no longer physically able to. Go figure.
My other want, is to stay within 20 minutes or so of a lake with a marina.
So far I like the Bowling Green area and I am now looking into Campbellsville area. Even a little further south into Tennessee would be fine with me.
Andrew