A study conducted by SmartAsset compared regional factors to find the best places to retire in Kansas. Neosho County ranked seventh overall in the state. The studied factors include tax-friendliness, medical care, and social opportunities, all of which impact quality of life for retirees according to Smart Asset’s methodology.
“First, we looked at state and local tax rates, considering two types of taxes: income and sales. We calculated effective rates based on a retiree earning $35,000 annually from retirement savings, Social Security, and part-time employment. We subtracted income taxes paid from the gross income to determine disposable income. Sales taxes paid were calculated based on the disposable income being spent on taxable goods,” according to Vanishaa Doshi, a public relations manager for SmartAsset.
“Next, we determined the number of doctors’ offices, recreation centers, and retirement centers per thousand residents in each location. Finally, we measured the number of seniors in each city as a percentage of the total population.”
Doshi said each of these locations were ranked based on those factors, and an average was calculated for each area. The counties with the highest average rankings were determined to be the best places to retire.
Data from the study includes 2023 U.S. Census data from the County Business Patterns report and the 2023 American Community Survey.
The top 10 counties from highest to lowest ranking are: Jewell County, Gove County, Marion County, Elk County, Decatur County, Comanche County, Neosho County, Smith County, Rawlins County, and Marshall County.
A lower tax burden did not inherently make a county retirement-friendly. When viewing the top 10 counties based on the lowest tax burden, only two counties on the Best Places to Retire list were named. The average tax burden in Kansas is 17.42%, and the lowest tax burden is in Chautauqua County at 16.63%. In Neosho County, the tax burden is 17.20%, which is the highest tax burden among the counties within the top 10 best places to retire.
When asked, community members did not agree with these findings.
“Property taxes are way too high compared to surrounding counties,” one respondent said.
The tax burden of neighboring counties is as follows: Allen County, 17.22%, Bourbon County, 17.33%; Cherokee County,16.92%; Crawford County, 17%; Labette County, 17.15%; Montgomery County, 17.11%; Wilson County, 16.99%, and Woodson County, 16.98%.
Medical centers were counted for every 1,000 people, and Neosho County had the lowest rate of medical centers of the Top 10 at .95, or less than one medical center for every 1,000 people. The state average is 1.6 medical centers per every 1,000 individuals.
All other counties in the top ten fell within the state average, except for Gove County, which has over 4 medical centers per every 1,000 people. This is also the highest rate of medical centers compared to the population in the state of Kansas.
Neosho’s neighbors, Crawford (2.64), Montgomery (2.28), and Wilson (2.1) counties were all named in the top 10 of medical center access.
Neosho County was named the top county for recreation and social opportunities in the state for seniors. This is due to the higher number of local retirement centers.
While recreation center data was taken, both across the state and across the top 10 counties, there is only an average of .1 recreation centers for every 1,000 people.
A community respondent stated that he felt there was not much to do in Neosho County other than pickleball, golf, and avoiding goose droppings while walking around the lake, and that other communities have much more in terms of recreation.
Retirement center numbers varied. The state average number of retirement centers for every 1,000 people was .42 centers. Neosho County has over twice that amount, with an average of .89 retirement centers per every 1,000 people. With 20.40% of the Neosho County population being seniors, the total recreation and social index for the county is 44.64. The average recreation and social index rate in Kansas is 34.21, with an average senior population of 20.59%. Having a higher number of retirement centers compared to the total population of seniors provides a better index score.
Despite ranking seventh in Kansas, Nationally, Neosho County ranked 857 in Best Places to Retire.
Neighboring counties ranked as follows for Best Places to Retire in Kansas: Allen County, 53rd, Bourbon County, 14th; Cherokee County, 73rd; Crawford County, 30th; Labette County, 79th; Montgomery County, 21st; Wilson County, 24th, and Woodson
County, 11th. To view the current and prior data taken, visit:
https:// smartasset. com/ retirement/retirement-calculator? year=2025#kansas.
