Smyrna, Tennesse: A Great Place to Retire

By TAYLOR LOYAL
Gannett Tennessee

Smyrna is one of the "Top 10 Best Places to Retire" in the country, according to the latest issue of U.S. News & World Report.

The bustling little bedroom community in northern Rutherford County was among the tops in the nation in offering amenities that retirees want, such as the cost of living, climate, and access to health care.

It also was singled out for offering extensive parks and greenways and numerous offerings for history buffs.

"Smyrna is just a great place to live, in my opinion," said Doris Jones, 72. "We've met people from everywhere. There aren't many people who live here who were born in Smyrna."

She and her husband, Clyde, 79, got a call recently from friends in Kansas who'd been reading U.S. News — Lawrence, Kan., was also in the top 10 — and flipped the page, unexpectedly finding a photo of Doris and Clyde.

The Joneses moved to Smyrna in 1985 after Clyde retired from Lockheed. They had visited the city several times and lived here briefly when Clyde was sent to Smyrna on business.

Twenty-two years ago, one of their children was living in Louisville, Ky., and two others were living in Atlanta. Smyrna seemed like a logical point in the middle. "We had made a few friends here over the years and bought some real estate so when it came time to retire, it made sense to move here," Doris Jones said.

Recognized by U.S. News along with Smyrna were Hillsboro, Ore.; Bozeman, Mont.; San Francisco; Prescott, Ariz.; Fayetteville, Ark.; Peachtree City, Ga.; Venice, Fla.; and Concord, N.H.

The town has a population of just over 33,000. It also has more than one million square feet of retail space set to open in the next eight months.

This is from the Tennessean newspaper

Read the entire list of great retirement locations in the U. S. News Magazine