Simple life:   http://www.aarpmagazine.org/lifestyle/the_simple_life.html

Tucson Arizona, Montpelier Vt, Ames Iowa, Greenville SC, Logan Utah

Tucson seems to be too big to lead the simple life.  The last two cities may be good locations.

Iowa is great in some respects but not others.  Vermont is beautiful but many out of staters relocate there and easy to get snowed in.  Trivia :  Vermont: In 1777 Vermont declared independence and existed as an independent country until 1791, when it became the first state to enter the United States after the thirteen colonies.

I can't answer your condemning generalties lacking specifics, but as a middle class or income retiree,  I have no problem monetarily or otherwise in presently living a lifestyle of my choosing.  Social Security and a modest, contributory company pension more than satisfies my needs.  No vacations or foreign travel, but why should I?  I stay close to home enjoying my choice.

Others may have other retirement priorities, but mine was a simple life, a modest life, a low cost life and so I may be more easily satisfied than you or others.  I knew what I wanted and I provided for it is the simple answer.

I could not be happier in my choice or its results.

Peace, Duane(OF)

    I'm in Illinois now, but a former Cheesehead (born in Madison). I love looking at lists of the 'best places' to live, retire, or other categories.

   The thing about 'best', is that different criteria are used from poll to poll to determine 'best'. I know that La Crosse showed up as a 'good' (not best) city in a Money magazine article a few years ago, and I've seen it in other lists.

  Many river towns are interesting. I do like LaCrosse (have not lived there, but traveled there a number of times for the proximity of the bike trails which are some of the best in the U.S.).

  But, La Crosse and Wisconsin, in general have negatives. They don't treat retirees well -- I won't retire in my home state as it gives no breaks on retirement income. La Crosse, specifically, has experience almost no job browth for 10 years (according to money mag), show poor scores in reading and math, have higher property crime rate than other cities making the 'good' list, and some other negatives. Now, that may not matter to you if all you want is a house close to the river and access to Wisconsin and Minnesota recreational activities.

U.S. news also mentioned it  --- ranked #6 in their 2009 report. How perspectives change!

But I can see why AARP would not like Wisconsin, in general, unless the tax situation for seniors changes.

Ah, there's something to be said about seasons! I've lived in tropical, single-season locations and could never bring myself to hang ornaments from a palm tree...

I've heard wonderful things about LaCrosse but have never been there. Isn't it nice that, in a survey such as this, we have too many American towns from which to choose? That's a "good" problem. :-)

In my military travels, schooling, and family vacations, I've seen most of the 50 states except for New England and Alaska.   Serving thirty-eight months in the Air Force, I lived in Wyoming, Texas, Florida, and Hawaii.

From what I've read and heard, Vermont or New Hampshire would be my second choice for a permanent home since they seem to resemble Wisconsin in many ways.   You might ask, "what about the cold weather?" to which I would reply that there are four seasons in these states of which only one season has what I would call "cold weather."

The difference between a Wisconsin winter and summer may be best expressed in the saying "Variety is the spice of life."  Any state that can provide weather and a vast and varied terrain for almost all recreational activities without traveling great distances is one I would choose to live in.   It is a given that the state would have acceptable and diverse cultural and educational facilities as well as adequate employment opportunities and affordable housing.

As to a specific city, I am amazed that AARP omitted an highly qualified candidate as one of the five cities.  Some years ago, my son, a CPA, studied a number of cities in which to bring his newly wed Italian wife to raise a family, to work, to play, to enjoy a "simple life."  He chose a city on the Mississippi river named by an early explorer when he saw Native Americans playing a game with sticks similar to a bishop's crozier or in French, "la crosse."

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Crosse,_Wisconsin 

Peace, Duane(OF)

P.S.  I do recognize the wisdom of AARP in selecting Milwaukee as a "great place to live" and Madison as one of the "healthiest" in previous surveys, so I can forgive overlooking LaCrosse in their latest effort. 

I know, I'm always a bit skeptical about these lists--and yet I'm still a sucker for them! Your town sounds idyllic; who wouldn't want to live close to the water? :-) I'm guessing Brielle would pass the "simple life" test.

New Jersey would fail, because of housing prices & property taxes .. but that's to be expected in the New York City/Philadelphia Metropolitan area .. and a lot of people work there .. so I wonder where the people who do these studies think they're supposed to live?!

Those lists usually don't consider municipalities under a certain size (Montpelier, Vermont is an exception); probably because it would mean a lot more research & number-crunching.

I live in Brielle, NJ, a town with less than 5,000 residents, that has a marina & is only a 10 minute drive to a string of popular beaches in Monmouth & Ocean Counties .. ones that attract young people & have boardwalk attractions, others that attract families & are much quieter, and one that's part of a national park (and has a "clothing optional" area). Water sports like boating, kayaking, canoeing are readily available on the ocean, bays, rivers & local large lakes within a 15 minute drive. It's not the sort of place where the "Welcome Wagon" greets newcomers, but that seems typical for suburban towns near urban areas. The county's community college & a private university both have educational & cultural programs, and there are a few professional theaters within a 25 to 45 minute drive.