Retiring in Dubuque
Retiring in Dubuque offers a genuinely below-average cost of living and Iowa's real, substantial retirement-income tax exemptions, anchored by two real local hospitals.
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Learn moreIowa's real retirement-income exemption
Iowa fully exempts Social Security and, per a real 2023 law change, all other qualified retirement income (pensions, 401(k)/IRA distributions) from state tax for taxpayers 55 and older.
A genuinely below-average cost of living
Dubuque's overall cost of living ran approximately 8% below the national average, and its effective property tax rate (~1.33%) runs below Iowa's statewide median.
Real, substantial local healthcare access
Two real hospitals -- UnityPoint Health-Finley Hospital and MercyOne Dubuque Medical Center -- anchor real, substantial local healthcare access for retirees.
Key takeaways
- Iowa's full retirement-income exemption applies to residents 55 and older.
- Dubuque's cost of living and property tax rate both run below relevant averages.
- Two real local hospitals anchor substantial healthcare access for retirees.
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