Retirement communities among best in nation . . .
The Searchers, Inc. has named eight Mississippi communities as among the best places in the country in which to retire. Chosen for the honor were the Mississippi Gulf Coast, Oxford, Aberdeen, Hattiesburg, Corinth, Picayune, Madison and Natchez.

Several factors were involved in the decision, according to Daniel Flanagan, CEO of The Searchers, which is a St. Louis based data research/information company. Quality of life, taxes, crime rate, affordability of housing are just a few of the more than 70 sets of criteria used.

Certified retirement cities nationally rated Biloxi/Gulfport and Oxford were rated in Modern Maturity's May-June 2000 issue as being a top ten small town in which to live. The study focuses on "The 50 Most Alive Places to Live" in the United States. There are five categories with ten cities/towns listed for each. These Mississippi towns were recognized for their recreational opportunities, low cost of living and cultural amenities.

Being last can be good news . . .
Mississippi ranks last in the amount of federal, state and local taxes paid, according to The Tax Foundation, a private group that analyzes tax impact on individuals and business. Americans will work an average of 124 days this year to pay their total taxes, or until May 3, the foundation calculates. But in Mississippi, taxpayers get a little bit of a break, working only 114 days to reach Tax Freedom Day, meaning their tax bill is paid by April 23.

Click on Tax Advantages for more details.