Many seniors {may find|should find} Louisiana, with its {unique|completely unique|distinctive} culture, {friendly|safe} people, {mild|delicate|slight} climate, low cost {of|with|involving|associated with} living, and wide {range of|selection of} recreational opportunities, to be {an attractive|a stylish} place to retire. {According to|Consistent with|As per} America's Best Places {to|to help} Retire, Natchitoches, in {west|rest of the world} central Louisiana, has {been|ended up|recently been} ranked by U. {S|Ohydrates}. {News|Info|Current information} and World Report {as one of the|among the} 10 most affordable cities {in the country|near your vicinity|in the united states|in the united kingdom} to retire. And {as|since} reported in Top Retirements, Louisiana {is one of the|is among the most} most active states in marketing itself {as a|for a|being a} retirement destination, designating {several|a few|a lot of|various} official retirement communities {throughout the|in the|through the entire} state. The median price {of a|on the|of an} home in Louisiana {is around|is just about} $96, 000, well {below|following} the national average. And although Louisiana {has a|contains a|carries a} state income tax {and|together with} sales tax, in {addition|add-on} to property taxes, {the overall|the complete} tax burden in {the state|the state of hawaii} is still quite {low|small}. The Tax Foundation {ranked|sitting} Louisiana 42nd among the states {in terms of|with regard to} the overall state {and|together with} local tax burden {for|with regard to} 2008. Louisiana state {income tax|tax} Louisiana {has a|contains a|carries a} state individual {income tax|tax} with rates starting at 2% {on the|relating to the|in the|over the|to the} first $12, 500 {of|with|involving|associated with} taxable income, up {to|to help} 6% on taxable {income|earnings} over $25, 000 {for|with regard to} single taxpayers and {married|wedded} taxpayers filing separately. {For|With regard to} married taxpayers filing {jointly|with each other|collectively}, the rates are {the same|the identical} but the income {brackets|mounting brackets} are doubled. Social {security|safety measures|protection} and military, civil {service|product|company|assistance}, state and local {government|federal} pensions are exempt from Louisiana state {income tax|tax}. {If you are|If you're} 65 {or|and|and also|or even} older, {the first|the main} $6, 000 of private pensions {you receive|the user gets} are tax exempt. Married taxpayers filing {jointly|with each other|collectively} can claim an exemption {for up to|for about} $12, 000, if {both of you|you and him|the two of you} receive private pension {income|earnings}. This exemption also {includes|comes with} out-of-state government pensions.