4 —HERALD-CITIZEN, Cookeville, Tenn. — www.herald-citizen.com — Sunday, April 27, 2014
LIVING 50+
Cookeville offers much to attract retirees By RiCK AMBURGeY HERALD-CITIZEN Staff
COOKEVILLE — “An unprecedented way of life.” That’s what the Cookeville Chamber of Commerce website says is offered in the Cookeville-Putnam County region. Cookeville and Putnam County are often mentioned in “Best Places to Retire” and similar lists. “We have a retiree recruitment program,” said Molly Brown, convention and visitors director for the Cookeville Chamber of Commerce. She added Cookeville has been deemed one of the top 16 communities to live in Tennessee, which is part of the Retire Tennessee program (retiretennessee.org), a part of the state economic and community development department. Brown said a town has to have certain amenities to be considered, such as proximity to a good health care facility and a lively downtown. Brown said Ideal Living Magazine does an Ideal Living Show. She’s been to shows in New York and New Jersey in the past year. Brown said they are the only one there that isn’t trying to sell something. “We are there to promote Tennessee and Putnam County,” she said. Cookeville is also one of five Tennessee communities that has the American Association of Retirement Communities’ (AARC) seal of approval, according to Brown. She said Cookeville is the largest mircopolitan
area in Tennessee and that people like the small town feel, while still having many amenities. “We are very walkable, which is appealing to retirees,” she said. On www.greatretirementspots.com, it states, “Tennessee is somewhat of a mixed bag when it comes to taxes and retirement.” While there is a seven percent state sales tax and five to seven percent tax on food (local government can add to that to make the total sales tax as much as 9 3/4 percent), Tennessee has no state income tax, which means retirees will not have to pay taxes on incomes from Social Security, IRAs or retirement. Another appealing thing for retirees is that prescriptions are exempt and there is a property tax relief program for seniors, the disabled and veterans with income below $39,540, according to the website. Cookeville offers a lot of attractions that retirees would enjoy as well. There are three man-made lakes in the area — Cordell Hull Lake, Center Hill Lake and Dale Hollow Lake. According to greatretirementspots.com, these attractions tend to get crowded on the weekend, but tend to be peaceful places during the week. The website also notes that each of those three lakes are within an hour’s drive of Putnam County and there are also state parks, including some with waterfalls, that are with 15 to 45 miles from town. Brown said there is a lot of music and arts,
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