Incline operating in front of the downtown skyline of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.
Incline operating in front of the downtown skyline of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.
Sean Pavone—Alamy

Does the thought of retiring to a sleepy beach town or country hamlet bore you silly? Spending your post-work years in a city has plenty of perks, including easy access to the arts, cutting-edge health care, and a diverse set of neighbors. That said, the cons of urban living (like cost) can be daunting.

There is a happy medium. We set out to find places that won’t ding your nest egg with high taxes and nosebleed prices, yet still have great attractions and plenty of your peers. Read on for five affordable small cities (populations of 150,000 to 500,000) you may one day want to call home.