Retirees find quiet living, plenty to do in Southeast Missouri

Southeast Missouri, particularly the Cape Girardeau/Jackson area, has been lauded multiple times as a great place to settle down with a low cost of living.

Most recently, in 2013, the Wall Street Cheat Sheet ranked the Cape Girardeau/Jackson area No. 5 on its list of least expensive places to live in America, citing cost of living, home costs and property taxes as well below the national averages. And in 2009, CNN's Money magazine named Cape Girardeau one of the 25 best places to retire thanks to its position as a hub for health care, education, entertainment and commerce.

"Cape Girardeau offers a unique culture that many seniors find desirable. It has all the advantages of small-town living, nearness to lakes and beautiful countryside, warm, welcoming people, affordability and quality health care," says Kim Wilson, marketing counselor for Chateau Girardeau, a Cape Girardeau facility offering independent living, assisted living and skilled nursing services.

Bluegrass fans applaud during a performance by The Lewis's during a Bootheel Bluegrass Festival at the Bavarian Halle in Jackson. (Adam Vogler)

Brian Gerau, director of the Jackson Area Chamber of Commerce, says the seniors he meets like that the area is quiet and easy to get around, but still has plenty of things to do, like Homecomers and Oktoberfest in Jackson and concerts, a movie theater and shopping mall in nearby Cape Girardeau. Both communities have a variety of parks and civic organizations, as well as active senior centers and retirement communities for low-maintenance living.

"It's convenient, and people in Southeast Missouri are very friendly," says Gerau. "It's a nice, clean place to retire, and we have a low crime rate, which is very nice. We have all of the things you need for nice, quiet community to retire in, and we enjoy that."

The arts community is also a huge draw for retirees. Southeast Missouri State University is a constant source of educational, athletic and cultural events to enjoy, especially when it comes to theater and music performances at the River Campus, says Wilson.

"The activities and programming in Cape Girardeau are continuously growing, allowing for local retirees to maintain an active lifestyle," she says. "In addition to entertainment and events, the historic riverfront, our Old Town Cape, offers residents a variety of locally owned restaurants and shops."

The Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce has even linked Chateau Girardeau's boomerswelcome.com webpage to capechamber.com so that retirees become more aware of all the area has to offer.

"What this area has to offer is relatively inexpensive living, great health care amenities and quality of life, reasonable proximity to metro areas larger than ours, and a location in the middle of the country," says John Mehner, president of the Cape Girardeau Area Chamber of Commerce. "Many active retirees have numerous children across the country, so this is a central location to Texas, Chicago, Colorado, North Carolina ..."

It's also not far from St. Louis and Memphis, notes Gerau: "You can go away to a major city and then come back at the end of the day to relax and put them behind." While there's no replacing the warm, sunny South as a retirement destination, Mehner says Southeast Missouri is an ideal spot for many.

"The ones who do retire here enjoy four seasons and the quality of life we have to offer, without being in a metro area that's densely settled," he says. "They love the health care options and exercise facilities and golf courses and shopping."