(MONEY Magazine) – Each year more than 250,000 Americans retire and move to another state. Many, however, end up relocating with regrets. Perhaps 10% of people who pick up stakes for retirement are so unhappy where they settle that they move again, says Charles Longino, professor of sociology at Wake Forest University. To help prevent similar mishaps, MONEY staff writer Marguerite T. Smith met with Lee and Saralee Rosenberg, co-authors of 50 Fabulous Places to Retire in America (Career Press, $14.95; 800-955-7373), and asked them for advice on selecting your own retirement paradise.

Q. What's the most common mistake people make today when choosing a place to retire? A. We call it the Disney Syndrome -- thinking that a place where you enjoy vacationing would be ideal for year-round living. A perfect example is Orlando. The fact that you or your grandchildren love Disney World doesn't mean that you would be happy living there. Actually, we think Orlando lacks a sense of community, and that's why it didn't make our top 50 list.

Q. How should you start researching a potential retirement location? A. First, subscribe to the town's Sunday newspaper. This will give you a quick picture of the local economy, crime problems and the housing market. Then visit the area in at least two different seasons. When you go, seek out other retirees who have moved in recently and ask them if they're happy. Inquire about whether their property taxes and utility costs have been rising and by how much. Drop by the county sheriff's office or police department and find out which neighborhoods are safest too.

Q. What do people most often forget to ask about? A. Local health-care costs. Even if an area's overall inflation rate is a modest 4%, medical costs there might be climbing at a double-digit pace. Call a few doctors to find out the cost of an office visit and any other care you expect you'll need, since Medicare is unlikely to cover all your health bills. Medical costs are often relatively high in retirement havens like Fort Lauderdale and San Diego. We found, though, that university towns like Chapel Hill, N.C. and Bloomington, Ind. tend to offer affordable care.

Q. Which places are best and worst if you want to work in retirement? A. That depends on the type of job you want. A college town might be ideal if you hope to teach, consult or work in, say, medical research. But if you're looking for another type of part-time work, like as a salesclerk or cashier, stay away from academic communities. The job competition from students is fierce.

Q. After deciding on an area, should you buy a house or rent? A. Unless you know an area very well, rent for six months or a year. Given today's soft real estate markets, if you buy a house and end up not liking it, you might have to live with that mistake for a long time before you can sell.

Q. Which of the 50 places you favor might surprise some people? A. Fayetteville, Ark.; Coeur d'Alene, Idaho; Asheville, N.C.; Lincoln City, Ore.; and Kerrville, Texas. These are all small or medium-size cities with plenty of local activities for retirees and moderate living costs.

Q. Which place on your list is the one you'll retire to? A. Today, it would be Santa Fe. There's fabulous skiing, almost 200 art galleries and historic landmarks. The only problem is that its population, now 55,800, is growing 6% a year, and we won't retire for 25 years.

BOX: The authors' 50 fabulous retirement havens

Asheville, N.C. Austin Bloomington, Ind. Boca Raton, Fla. Brevard, N.C. Brownsville, Texas Brunswick, Ga. Cape Cod, Mass. Carson City, Nev. Chapel Hill, N.C. Charleston, S.C. Charlottesville, Va. Clayton, Ga. Coeur d'Alene, Idaho Colorado Springs Daytona Beach, Fla. Door County, Wis. Eugene, Ore. Fayetteville, Ark. Fort Collins, Colo. Fort Myers, Fla. Gainesville, Fla. Hampton, Va. Hilton Head Island, S.C. Hot Springs Village, Ark. Kerrville, Texas Las Cruces, N.M. Las Vegas Lincoln City, Ore. Maui, Hawaii Melbourne, Fla. Medford, Ore. Myrtle Beach, S.C. Naples, Fla. Ocean County, N.J. Olympia, Wash. Outer Banks, N.C. Palm Springs, Calif. Prescott, Ariz. St. George, Utah St. Petersburg San Antonio San Diego Santa Fe Sarasota Scottsdale, Ariz. Sequim, Wash. Sullivan County, N.Y. Tucson Winter Haven, Fla.