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1. Arkansas

Arkansas is our unlikely number one on this list. It combines some of the best aspects of the top 10. It's one of the best places in the U.S. in terms of outdoor opportunities, and while it doesn't have any huge cities, it does have some medium-sized cities that are full of life and offer residents pretty much anything you could want. The cost of living is also 17% lower than most other places in the U.S.

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Only 3.1 million people live in the state, of whom 542,500 are 65 or older. However, it's not perfect, as the sales tax is 6.5%, and the income tax isn't low.