These 5 Spa Towns Offer Retirees Affordable Living and Relaxation

If your dream retirement involves soaking in hot mineral pools instead of battling traffic, a spa town might be your sweet spot. Many of these places combine old-school bathhouse culture, walkable downtowns, and the scenery of national parks with costs that are far lower than coastal cities and luxury resort hubs.

Below are five spa-focused towns that balance affordability, relaxation, and livability, especially for retirees who value wellness as much as their wallet.

1. Hot Springs, Arkansas

Hot Springs wraps historic bathhouses, a national park, and a cost of living that is about 14% below the U.S. average into one retirement-friendly package. Those on a fixed income benefit from the housing costing a third less than the national average.

The town’s Bathhouse Row, modern spa hotels, and miles of woodland paths offer opportunities for year-round soaking, walking, and fresh air. Arkansas also doesn’t tax Social Security benefits, which helps stretch retirement income further.

2. Truth or Consequences, New Mexico

Truth or Consequences (locals say “T or C”), once called the “City of Health,” has 10 commercial hot spring spas in a compact, walkable historic neighborhood. Notable hot spring spas include Riverbend Hot Springs and La Paloma, offering soaks along the Rio Grande. Many inns pipe geothermal, mineral‑rich water directly into private soaking tubs.

Instead of big-city bustle, the village has modest galleries, cafes, and river vistas, and a lower cost of living than larger New Mexico cities. Elephant Butte Lake State Park is nearby, offering chances for boating, hiking, and fishing.

Retirees generally use local clinics and larger hospitals in nearby cities for health care, so it’s wise to plan accordingly.

3. Glenwood Springs, Colorado

Glenwood Springs, a Rockies favorite with large hot spring pools, vapor caverns, and mountain views, is cheaper than Aspen. It has a cost of living 25% higher than the U.S. average, but its cost of living and housing are far lower than in other Colorado mountain towns like Aspen.

This city offers active retirees hiking, skiing, river sports, a bustling downtown, regional hospitals, and low-cost senior housing.  Glenwood Springs sits at 5,763 feet, and two rivers, the Colorado and Roaring Fork, converge in the town, making fly fishing popular.

The most famous spa location is Glenwood Hot Springs Resort, built in the 1880s, which features the world’s largest outdoor hot springs pool—it’s two blocks long. Pool waters are a therapeutic 92°F year-round—104°F in the smaller therapy pool.

4. Desert Hot Springs, California

Desert Hot Springs has the same sun-soaked desert and mountain views but a more approachable price tag than Palm Springs next door. The average home value is about $373,000, while rentals and assisted living are cheaper than in coastal cities.

The town sits above a natural aquifer of hot mineral water and has boutique spas, day-use pools, and wellness retreats that attract guests while preserving its peacefulness. Retirees benefit from California’s strong health care network, but should still budget carefully for property taxes and insurance.

Nearby attractions include Mission Creek Preserve, Big Morongo Canyon Preserve, Cabot’s Pueblo Museum, and the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway.

5. Bedford, Pennsylvania (Bedford Springs)

Bedford’s small-town charm complements the Omni Bedford Springs Resort & Spa, which was built over natural springs for medicinal soaks and drinking treatments. The springs have long drawn America’s elite—Thomas Jefferson was here for several weeks in 1819 to alleviate his rheumatism, and President James Buchanan was here when he received the first trans-Atlantic telegram.

For retirees, it has a walkable downtown, gorgeous rolling hills, and a lower cost of living than big East Coast metros.​ The area also features historic covered bridges and scenic views of the Allegheny Mountains. 

Bedford’s cost of living is about 18% lower than the national average, and the average home price is more than 40% lower than the U.S. average.

Things to Check Before You Move

Here are some things to check before ordering up the moving truck:

• Compare local housing, health care, and tax costs to your city, including Social Security and retirement income taxes.
• Check seasonal tourism to discover how busy the area is and if crowds or higher prices annoy you.
• Confirm regional airports, highways, transit, and older adult shuttles.

Conversations with locals, tours of medical facilities, and hot spring visits can make a postcard town a confident retirement choice.