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Vol VI Issue 63
August 30, 2011
Previous Issues
Kerrville, Nestled in the
Colorful Texas Hill Country, Beckons with it Appealing River
Culture, Casual Way of Life and Friendly Residents
Cost of Living: Below the National Average
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Unassuming Kerrville (population 23,000) is tucked in
the lush, rolling Texas Hill Country, about 65 miles
north west of San Antonio. On the fertile banks of
the Guadalupe River, it is a growing but casual place
that exudes Texas friendliness and matter of factness.
A major in the Texas Revolution, John Kerr, platted the
new town in 1856 and for years it thrived as a cattle
ranching, goat ranching and lumber producing
hub. These days it attracts professionals
and families, but it has also caught on as a popular
retirement spot, with nearly half of its citizens age 45
or better. It has an ethnically diverse
population, and
it is conservative. This is, after all,
Texas. The cost of living is roughly 8% below the
national average, and the crime rate is below the
national average, too.
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Kerrville's median home price is $175,000, and older, very
comfortable two to three bedroom, two bath single family homes
with updated kitchens and great Hill Country views can be found in
this price range (newer construction tends to sell for more and
large homes in the $300,000s and $400,000s make up much of the
newer real estate). Condos and town homes are
available, too, and apartments are plentiful (the average
two-bedroom rent is about $775 per month). Bad
neighborhoods are hard to find. Most are tidy and well-kept.
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Texas is considered friendly toward retirees when it comes to
taxes. There is no state income tax, so all forms of retirement
income escape taxation, and there is no inheritance or estate tax.
Homeowners receive a $15,000 homestead exemption from property taxes, and
people age 65 or better receive an additional $10,000 exemption from school
taxes (and $3,000 from other taxes). Still, property taxes are on the
high side. For example, the annual taxes on a $175,000 home are
approximately $2,500. And the state imposes a 6.25% sales tax (food and
prescription drugs are exempt).
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With the wide, gentle Guadalupe rolling through
the middle of town, Kerrville is sprinkled with pretty parks and
plenty of wildlife. Hills are all around, and tall cypress
trees line the river, which is a popular recreation venue for
people of all ages. In fact, many consider the river the
best reason to live in Kerrville. During summer, young
and old float down the water on inner tubes, enjoying lazy days
and sunny skies. Canoeists, kayakers and fishermen (and
women) can also be found along the river, and when it comes to
bird watching, Kerrville boasts several rare and endangered
species, including the golden-cheeked warbler, the
black-capped vireo, the green kingfisher and the zone-tailed
hawk.
Residents also enjoy six golf
courses, and 500-acre river park Kerrville-Schreiner Park offers
swimming and RV camping. Downtown's Louis Hays Park is a
great spot to picnic, and nearby spring-fed lakes are perfect for
fishing and boating. In the spring, colorful wildflowers,
mostly Indian paintbrush and bluebonnet, bloom in abundance across
open meadows and empty fields.
The Kerrville Folk Festival, the
Texas State Arts and Crafts Fair, the Kerrville Wine and Music
Festival, the Kerrville Annual Wine Tasting, the Down by the
Riverside Fall Festival, Mardi Gras on Main, Kerr County Market
Days and summer Saturday night rodeos are just a few of the events
that keep residents busy when they are not on the river. The
Holiday Lighted Parade each Christmas is a particular delight.
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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 Kerr Arts and Cultural Center, with 600 member artists, is
also a town highlight and has four exhibition halls as well as classes and
education programs. Playhouse 2000 is a local theater group and produces
six shows a year in the Cailloux Theater, which is also home to the Symphony
of the Hills and the Hill Country Youth Orchestra. The Hill Country Arts
Foundation offers theater events along the river and under the stars, and the
Museum of Western Art features depictions of the American cowboy in all his
glory.
Schreiner University, a small liberal arts college, supports
lifelong learning through its Center for Innovative Learning (CIL) which
presents non-traditional classes and workshops. These include its
Monday Night Fiction series, which is patterned after the literary salons of
days past, the Texas Writers' Conference, which sometimes includes a poetry
slam, and the Texas Heritage Music Day, which demonstrates learning through
songs and stories. The CIL is not geared specifically for people
age 55+, but baby boomers and retirees are in attendance at most
events. The somewhat unfortunately named Butt-Holdsworth Memorial
Library is undergoing renovation but has books, book sales and Internet
workstations for the public.
Steak houses, BBQ joints , family-style buffets, fast food
chains, burger diners and pizza take-out places are the norm when it comes to
dining out, with cuisines including everything from Tex-Mex, Asian and Mexican
to Italian and seafood (and a few restaurants offer scenic views of the
river). Most shopping retailers are locally owned, but there
is a mall and a Lowe's, a J.C. Penny's, a Home Depot and a Wal-Mart
Supercenter. Organic grocers are not in good supply, but a
farmers' market is held throughout the summer. Kerrville sits just west
of Interstate 10, which leads to San Antonio (population 2.2 million), so many
more shopping and dining opportunities are an easy hour away.
Newly opened in 2008, Peterson Regional Medical Center is a
general medical and surgical hospital and has 98 beds. It is accredited
by the Joint Commission, and 89% of patients would recommend it to a friend or
family member, which is well above both the state and national
averages. Medicare but not Medicaid patients are accepted. Kerrville
is also home to a VA Medical Center.
The popular Dietert Senior Center is open Monday through
Friday and has more than 50 educational and recreational activities and
events. A nominal fee is required for most of these, but a $35 a
year membership allows for discounted fees and saves money for people who
participate in many activities. A cloggers' club, a quilters's co-op,
line dancing classes, square dancing classes, yoga and tai chi classes, a
congregate noon meal ($3) and local and international trips are just a few of
the offerings.
South central Texas is hot in the summer, but thanks to its elevation,
1,640 feet above sea level, Kerrville temperatures are a bit cooler than in
neighboring San Antonio. Still, summers bring lots of humidity and
temperatures into the 90s. Winters are cool and often dry with
temperatures in the 30s, 40s and 50s (and occasional sub-zero nights).
The area receives 1 to 5 inches of rain per month (May and October are the
wettest months) and every now and then a dusting of snow. On the comfort
index, a combination of temperature and humidity, Kerrville comes in below the
national average. The sun shines 225 days of the year. Both the air
quality and water quality are above national averages. The risk of a
tornado, which might be expected to be above the national average, is actually
below the national average.
Kerrville, of course, has a few drawbacks. There is no public
transportation, and the Guadalupe River has been known to flood (the last
floods were in 2002, 2005 and 2007, but damage was minimal).
And Texas, including Kerrville, has its share of snakes and
fire ants.
Yet despite these issues, Kerrville, with with its good
natured sensibility, Texas hospitality and relaxed ambiance, is hard to
resist. After all, when the wildflowers bloom and the river
calls, what can a retiree do but smile and go?
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