Southaven, Miss., is a tax haven and regional medical hub.
Population: 49,000
% over 50: 28%
Median home price: $145,000
Top state income tax: 5%
Cost of living index: 88
This vibrant little city is a suburb of Memphis, but since it's located on the Mississippi side of the state line it offers some unique tax perks: For homeowners 65 or older, the first $75,000 of a primary home's market value is exempt from property taxes. Not bad, considering you can find a great rambler for less than $150,000. Meanwhile, qualified retirement income and Social Security income is exempt from state taxes.
But Southaven is more than just a tax haven. It's also a regional hub for medical care, thanks to its state-of-the-art, 339-bed Baptist Memorial Hospital-DeSoto.
Of course, a town can't be located that close to Memphis without offering something for music lovers. Southaven's DeSoto Civic Center and Snowden Grove Amphitheatre are a destination for big-time music and entertainment acts. It's also an easy drive to the blues clubs on Beale Street or the northern tip of the famous Mississippi Blues Trail.
See complete data and interactive map for SouthavenNEXT: Pittsburgh, Pa.
