Ruidoso ranks fourth as best place to retire in New Mexico
Study looked at taxes, medical access, recreational opportunities and existing senior population
Dianne L. StallingsA new study from SmartAsset, an online financial advisor, ranks Ruidoso as the fourth best place to retire in New Mexico.
Taos tops the list, followed by Silver City and Santa Fe. The other six to find a slot in the top 10 were Los Alamos, Corrales, Los Lunas, Raton, Aztec and Truth or Consequences.
"A happy, healthy retirement depends a lot on location," the study states.
To determine the best places to retire, SmartAsset gathered data on three separate regional factors that affect the quality of life for retirees.
"First, we looked at state and local tax rates, considering two types of taxes: income and sales," the report reads.
"We calculated effective rates based on a typical retiree earning $35,000 annually (from retirement savings, Social Security or part-time employment) and spending their disposable income on taxable goods.
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"Next, we determined the number of doctors’ offices, recreation centers and retirement centers per thousand residents in each area. Finally, we found the number of seniors in each area as a percentage of the total population."
In their analysis, they ranked each county and city on those three factors, then calculated an average ranking for each area, weighting the three factors equally. The areas with the lowest average ranking are the best places to retire.
The study and other retirement information by SmartAsset, including the retirement calculator can be found at https://smartasset.com/retirement/retirement-calculator#newmexico.