Affordable for retirees??

[edshaw4947927]

Ohio cost of living is about 7% below national average. One thing to keep in mind with Ohio is that the economy is defined largely by "former factory towns." That goes pretty much for the Great Lakes region of the upper midwest. What looks like a bargain might turn out to be a distressed sale with lipstick. In AZ or TX, you could always find someone to help you with the "needs work" issues. Maybe not so much in Ohio. I mean, it is not like they are not there, but you have to be careful, esp at our age. The area you are looking is former steel and auto, from Pittsburgh on down to Kentucky. These are the warnings. Under the right circumstances and with skillful planning, the positives of life in Ohio far outweigh the negatives. You can't just dive right in. There is a fair share of misrepresentation. As almost always, best advice: rent first. You might find the cutest deal there in Ashtabula; then after about a week of overnights, be going, wth?