Small Town Ambiance and Lake Recreation Bring Retirees to Paris, Tennessee

Cost of Living:  Below the National Average

Retirees are attracted to tranquil Paris, Tennessee (population 9,800) for a variety of reasons.  This small southern town is located in Henry County in the northwestern portion of the state and just 15 miles from the sprawling (140,000 acres) recreation area Land Between the Lakes, which as the name implies, is situated between two large, shimmering bodies of water, man-made Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley.  Here residents enjoy water skiing, picnicing, camping, fishing, sailing, canoeing and motor boating while surrounded by lush, wooded geography.  Paris' cost-of-living is below the national average, and the town has a healthy downtown and an active senior population.  In fact, 22% of the residents are aged 45 to 64 and another 22% are aged 65 or above.

Paris real estate is very affordable and consists primarily of single-family homes within city limits and homes and new condominiums on Kentucky Lake.  In town, 2 and 3 bedroom homes, some located within newer subdivisions, can be found for under $100,000, but inventory opens up in the $125,000 range.  In an historic neighborhood, $181,000 will buy a beautiful, completely restored 1941 Greek Revival, Neo Classical, 2,400 square foot home on a 1/2 acre large lot with mature trees.   $250,000 will fetch a lovely, brick, 3 bedroom, 3 bath home with 3,000 square feet, a great room, a formal dining room, a finished basement, a gazebo and a sun room.  

On Kentucky Lake, where many seniors opt to live, real estate is more expensive but still not completely out of reach.  Pleasant Place is a new condominium development at Buchanan Resort and Marina and offers a community boat dock, a beach, tennis courts, a restaurant and a clubhouse.   Two bedroom, two bath units with 1,150 square feet start at around $170,000.  Lots along the Lake start at around $35,000, but the average price seems to be roughly $85,000 for land with a view of the water and $150,000 for lots that actually touch water.    Small (650 square feet), rather ramshackle homes slightly back from the Lake can be found for around $60,000, but most houses start at closer to $250,000 and rise significantly in price from there.   

Outside of town, individual manufactured homes on 10 acres can be found for $87,000.  Paris also has five manufactured home communities, including Lone Oak Village Mobile Home Park (731-642-1930) and McClains Mobile Home Park (731-642-9050).  

For homes within town limits, property is taxed at $36.50 per $1,000 assessed value, and homes are assessed at 25% of market value.  The tax on a $135,000 house within town is $1,231 per year.   On homes outside of city limits but within the county, property is taxed at $24.40 per $1,000 assessed value, and homes are assessed at 25% of home value.  The tax on a $135,000 house in the county but not within the city limits is $823 per year.

The median apartment rent in Paris is $350, but we were unable to find any apartments for rent at this writing.

Paris dates from 1823 and was named after France's capital as a tribute to the Marquis de Lafayette, the young French aristocrat who fought with the Colonists against the British during the American Revolutionary War and who visited Tennessee in the early 1800s (the town also boasts a 65 foot tall replica of the Eiffel Tower).   During the Civil War, Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest began an offensive against Union forces at nearby Paris Landing, which today is known as Paris Landing State Park, now another large recreation area.  In 1944, Lake Kentucky was created and is the largest man-made lake in the United States.   It continues to be a popular draw for vacationers and retirees alike.

The Henry County Medical Center in Paris is comprised of a 142-bed acute care hospital, the 174-bed Henry County Nursing Home, the Henry County Home Health and Hospice and the county Emergency Medical Service, giving Paris retirees access to excellent health care, particularly for a city of its size.   A wide range of specialties, including internal medicine, general surgery, orthopedics, ophthalmology, psychiatry, gastroenterology, cardiology, pulmonology, oncology and emergency services, are provided.  The Medical Center is accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation for Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) and is a recipient of the Tennessee Quality Award.

Active downtown Paris centers on the faithfully refurbished, historic Henry County Courthouse, the second oldest working courthouse in the country.  Around the downtown square are restored, small department stores, restaurants, banks and antique shops that successfully compete with the large chain stores in town, including Wal-Mart, thanks to the local Downtown Merchants' Association.  This group wields quite a bit of clout and urges storeowners to return their storefronts to their original, late nineteenth-century appearance, creating an inviting downtown where people gather, shop, dine and enjoy the small-town ambiance.   For anyone seeking more shopping opportunities or theater or blues clubs or country music venues, Memphis is 130 miles to the southwest and Nashville is 110 miles to the east.

The Charles R. Conger Senior Citizens Center (731-644-3193) is located on Jones Bend Road and offers social and recreation classes for those 55 and above.  Paris is home to one Catholic church and more than 100 Protestant churches, but it does not have a synagogue.   The churches provide an opportunity for volunteering, but Paris' seniors also volunteer through civic clubs, garden clubs and the Arts Council.  No public transportation is available, so seniors will need private transportation to get around town.

One of Paris' claims to fame, since much of life here revolves around water, is its hosting of the annual, weeklong festival known as the "World's Largest Fish Fry," in which 100,000 people from all over the region come to consume large quantities of bass and crappie, watch parades and attend car shows while vendors sell all kinds of wares.

This region of the country has four distinct seasons.  January temperatures average in the 30s and low 40s, and July temperatures average in the 80s, with humidity averaging in the 70% range.  Paris receives roughly 50-55 inches of rain per year and about 10 inches of snow.  The sun shines 60% of the time.   The area is also prone to tornadoes.

This is a small town in a rural state, which may be a drawback for some people.  It is not an affluent destination and has a below-average per capita income rating, but Paris does not suffer from the blight that affects many small towns.  Single, senior women should note, too, that roughly 45% of the population is male, and 55% is female, which could lead to dating challenges.  Single, senior men may like the odds.  The crime rate in Paris is also slightly higher than the national average; most of this is attributable to thefts and burglaries.

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