U.S. News & World Report released its picks in its October issue for the best affordable places to retire.

Most of the choices aren't conventional retirement havens. Emily Brandon, the business reporter who put the project together, says that the key factors in this year's choices were reasonable median home prices and an affordable cost of living. Beyond that, the locales were chosen because they have good resources for healthcare and recreational activities. Lots of these places are college towns with lots of things to do, including sports. Sports are big, Brandon says.

Another consideration was availability of jobs and a low unemployment rate. People we surveyed said they want and need to work, Brandon says.

Here are the magazine's top choices listed alphabetically:

- Ann Arbor, Mich.
- Asheville, N.C.
- Aurora, Colo,
- Columbia, S.C.
- Columbus, Ohio
- Eugene, Ore.
- Fort Worth, Texas
- Jacksonville, Fla.
- Kansas City, Mo.
- Tucson, Ariz.

    Source: U.S. News & World Report (09/29/2009)

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