America's Top Places For Boomers To Retire

Charleston, South Carolina

Listed in AARP The Magazine's selections for "Dream Towns" and the "best places to reinvent your life," Charleston, South Carolina is a great place to retire. Although in the city retirement income is taxed, social security is exempt in the state and an income tax deduction for couples filing jointly that are 65 years or older reaches $30,000.

The city has a bustling historic district and is dotted with a variety of gardens, both publicly and privately maintained. The town has been named "The Holy City" for its large volume of churches and other places of worship and has a history of religious tolerance, dating back even before the founding of the country.

More recently, in 2002, Charleston established the country's first "Livability Court," which has jurisdiction over cases involving non-compliance of local codes and standards concerning housing, environment, noise, traffic and tourism. Charleston is also close to resort towns and other pleasure locations, such as Hilton Head, Kiawah, Seabrook Islands and South Carolina's major seaside golf destination, Myrtle Beach.