Lynchburg, VA
Best if you’re looking for: College town
Median home price: $127,000
Top state income tax: 5.75%
Located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, this tidy town has beauty and brains. Lynchburg is home to several higher-learning institutions, including Randolph College and Lynchburg College, which open their doors to non-degree students.
Retirees don’t need to enroll in classes to take advantage of the wide range of lectures and workshops open to the community. Though the area drips with history (the site of General Lee’s surrender is just outside town), the city isn’t stuck in the past; new restaurants, quirky shops, and contemporary art are just as prominent as Civil War lore.