9. El Paso, Texas
| Avg. 1BR Rent ~$900/mo |
SS Covers Rent? ✅ Yes |
SS Tax? No SS Tax |
State Texas |
El Paso is one of the most underrated retirement destinations in the entire country. Average 1-bedroom rents run around $900 per month, Texas has no state income tax (including on Social Security), and the city’s dry desert climate is a major draw for retirees seeking sunshine and warmth year-round.
Situated against the Franklin Mountains with the Rio Grande running through its heart, El Paso offers stunning natural scenery, rich cultural heritage, and some of the most affordable large-city living in Texas. The cuisine, music, and art scenes reflect the city’s unique bicultural identity. Fort Bliss anchors the local economy and brings a strong military community, including excellent healthcare through William Beaumont Army Medical Center and University Medical Center of El Paso.
For retirees who want warm weather, a vibrant culture, low taxes, and rents well within Social Security’s reach, El Paso is a genuinely exceptional choice in 2026 — one that deserves far more attention than it gets from retirement-planning publications.
We live in Las Vegas and need a place that includes utilities and cable. Me and my husband make $38,000 a year and now pay $1000 a month just making it. We need to be out of here by January 2027.
I don’t believe you’ll find any place that pays for cable. Some places pay for water but not gas and electric.
Is Mazatlan Mexico a good option???
I’m in Lakeport Ca I can’t recommend it if you rent good luck finding a good honest landlord. Gas is expensive 5.79 a gallon. Not much to do and some people are strange just like most places I guess. I’m trying to get out asap but where? Please advise 🙏.
I can’t even read the article! All I see are a bunch of ads and links that go to more ads. I see Toledo and that’s it. So where’s the other 24?!