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Vol VI Issue 53
July 19, 2011
Previous Issues
The Site of the First U.S. Gold Rush
and Nestled in the Appalachian Foothills, Appealing Dahlonega, Georgia
Boasts a Scenic Setting, Lots of Festivals, Conservative Values and a
Reasonable Cost of
Living
Cost of Living: Below the National Average
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Situated in the rolling foothills of the Appalachian
Mountains, seventy miles
north of Atlanta, pleasing Dahlonega (named after a
Cherokee word for "golden") got its start as a boom town during the Georgia Gold
Rush of the 1820s, as nearby mines attracted men with gold fever and an itch to get
rich. The prospecting lasted for about 20 years,
and by 1848 most of the gold was gone. The gold rush in a territory
called California, however, was just beginning. To keep
miners in Dahlonega, local legend has it that the
state's geologist stood on the courthouse steps,
pointed to the Appalachians, and exclaimed, "Thar's
gold in them thar hills!" The miners,
unimpressed, took their pick axes and mules and headed west
anyway, leaving young Dahlonega to fend for itself.
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And fend for itself it did, and quite well, too. It survived the
ravages of the Civil War, and in 1873, it became the site of
well-respected North
Georgia College and State University (NGCSU), one of just four senior military
colleges in the nation. And with the development of the Chattahoochee National
Forest to the north, it became a popular tourist destination.
Today,
this appealing hamlet (population 4,800) draws nature lovers, families, tourists and
military and non-military retirees (25% of residents are age 45 or
better). They come for the reasonable cost of living and outdoor
recreation but also find a low crime rate, genuine Southern hospitality,
amazing natural beauty and conservative values (75% of residents
identify as Republican and most attend church). The overall cost of living is roughly 10% below the
national average, although the median home price is $195,000,
higher than the national median. Dahlonega is
growing,
increasing its population by 20% during the last ten years, and
town leaders are happy with its budding appeal as a retirement
destination.
Most dwellings, everything from manufactured homes to custom
built residences, are on wooded lots. River Knoll is a 55+
town home community, and Achasta, for all ages, is a higher-end development with wooded lots
and tony single family homes for sale
(starting in mid- to high-$300,000s). Outside of gated communities,
comfortable single family residences in a country setting can be found
in the high-$100,000s, but inventory opens up in the low- to
mid-$200,000s.
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Georgia is considered tax friendly for retirees. Social Security
is exempt from taxation, as are military disability benefits, and
up to $30,000 in other retirement income is also exempt.
Residents age 62 or better may also receive further tax
adjustments.
The property tax rate is approximately .0085 of a home's fair market value
(the annual taxes on a $185,000 home are roughly $1,675).
Homeowners age 62 or older whose family income does not exceed $30,000 may
qualify for an exemption from state and county property taxes equal to the
amount by which the assessed value of the homestead exceeds the assessed value
for the preceding tax year. For people age 62 and older who earn
$10,000 or less per year, $10,000 of their property's value is exempt from state and
county taxes as well. There may be even more county exemptions.
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Dahlonega has a definite rural feeling, but its cute,
touristy public square has galleries, eateries, shops, bookstores
and the like. It is anchored by the historic Lumpkin County
Courthouse, built with gold in its walls and now the home of the Gold
Museum, which packs in more history than many museums twice its
size.
Some traditions never end, and even to this day, newlyweds walk
around the square three times for good luck and a successful
marriage. Many of
Dahlonega's restored downtown commercial buildings, dating from
the mid-19th century and early-20th century, are listed on the
National Register of Historic Places. During its gold
rush heyday, Dahlonega was also the site of a U.S. Mint that
produced gold coins, which, if happened upon today, are worth a
pretty penny.
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This is an interactive map.
Click on the arrows in the upper left hand
corner to move the map to the East, West, North or South, and
click on the +/- signs (more than once if necessary) to zoom
in and out.
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The downtown square is the site of several festivals,
including the annual Bear in the Square Mountain Festival, held every April to
commemorate the day a bear meandered into town (seems like a good idea for a
festival).
The Mountain Flower Fine Art Festival is a juried art competition each May.
The Gold Rush Days is an event that brings 200,000 visitors to town for a
weekend of gold panning, great food and music every October. The Georgia
Bluesfest is held in the nearby hills and features
BBQ cooking and bluegrass music.
The region around Dahlonega is also known for its wine
production. Six wineries are located just outside of town, and most of
them have a
tasting room in town. To celebrate the local wine culture, the
Georgia Wine Country Festival, held each June, lets attendees sample some
delicious vintages while enjoying hand-dipped chocolates, wagon rides and
music.
Residents seem to love this town, with its gentle pace, casual
ambiance and scenic setting. And for a town of just 4,800 people, there is plenty to do. Bird watching,
canoeing, hiking, fishing and camping in the serenity of the Appalachians are
all close at hand. The largest kangaroo population (300) in North
America is housed here at the Kangaroo Conservation Center (currently closed
to the public).
For theater buffs, local and touring performances take place at the community
Holly Theatre. The Crimson Moon is a tasty gourmet restaurant that
transforms into a music venue at night when the lineup includes acoustic
guitarists and fiddle players. Smith House boasts some of the South's
best country cooking, while the Corkscrew Cafe has a delightful Sunday brunch.
Several lodges and spas offer relaxing massages.
There are some great shops, including ArtCart and Appalachian
Quilts, and a large outlet mall is just south of town along State Route 400
(there is also a Wal-Mart). About an hour beyond that, the Atlanta metro area (nearly 6 million
people) shimmers with all of its world class amenities, including an
international airport.
Many senior services are provided by the Lumpkin County Senior
Center and include nutrition programs, transportation services, education
programs (legal, taxes, diabetes, blood pressure, etc.), a library lending
program, an energy assistance program, outreach services and referral
programs. Members also enjoy bible study groups, bingo, card games,
movie days, shopping jaunts and more. The Center is open Monday through
Friday.
The Lumpkin County Library is open Monday through Saturday and
has classes, book discussion groups, an interlibrary loan program, public
computers with Internet access and volunteer opportunities. When
not spending time at the library, NGCSU offers a good selection of continuing education classes
(and people age 62+ receive a 10% discount).
Chestatee Regional Hospital has 49 beds and is fully
accredited by the Joint Commission. It is a short-term facility and a part of
the Atlanta-based SunLink Health System. It meets national averages in
all areas and accepts Medicaid and Medicare patients. Atlanta has a
dozen hospitals and medical centers if more in-depth care is required.
Decatur, just east of Atlanta, has a VA hospital.
With its elevation
of 1,450 feet, Dahlonega winters can be chilly with temperatures in the 30s and 40s.
Summer temperatures are generally in the 70s, 80s and low 90s.
Precipitation averages about six inches a month, a bit of which is snow.
Ice storms can happen. The sun shines 225 days of the year.
On the comfort index, a combination of temperature and humidity, Dahlonega is
just below the national average. The chance of a tornado striking
is 92% above the national average. The water quality meets the
national average, and the air quality well exceeds it.
A Dahlonega retirement does have a few drawbacks. It is remote, and
there is no public transit system. There is not much in the way of
ethnic diversity, but snakes and mosquitoes are plentiful. Parts of town
are poor, and the poverty rate is above the national average. Tourists
and college students are a constant presence, although there are fewer
tourists in the winter and fewer college kids in the summer.
All that said, most retirees that live in Dahlonega think they have struck
retirement gold. The early prospectors may have left, but nearly
everyone else that has come has wanted to stay, enjoying comfortable small town living just down
the road from a first class American city.
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