18 Affordable Southwestern Retirement Towns

UPDATED  September, 2021!  With its abundant sunshine, striking natural landscapes and relaxed lifestyle, the Southwestern United States is wonderful place to retire. Unfortunately, many towns in the Southwest are expensive.  Places such as Flagstaff, Arizona and Georgetown, Texas are often hailed as great places to retire, but they have living costs well above the national average.   Here, though, are 18 Southwestern towns with living costs equal to or below the national average, determined primarily by housing prices.  Some of these spots are fairly well known, while others are still off the national radar.   All of these places have safe neighborhoods, recreational and/or cultural amenities, a local or nearby public library and local or nearby accredited medical facilities.  Each also has a welcoming quality that makes it a desirable place to live.    No one place is perfect, however, so we take a look at each town's drawbacks as well.