Where can we retire to?

[Accidental Retiree]

Pleasanton, CA may be worth a look for you. It's in NorCal, with good schools, a great climate, proximity to Livermore's wineries and plenty of other Bay Area attractions without being right in the middle of everything.

 

[rodi]

You mention school being important. Different districts have different quirks and programs you can exploit to send your child to the best in the district. My son will be attending a high school ranked 88th in the nation and 12th in the state because I learned the system and used the magnet options. It's diverse but academically rigorous. We were able to live in our less expensive home and still seems him to San Diego international studies HS. Most of my sons classmates live in the school neighborhood in and around Balboa park. Housing in this neighborhood varies from 200k condos to 5 million dollar historic mansions.

 

[surferLife]

Your post sounds like I wrote it. We are not Asian, and plan on homeschooling, but have many of the same desires as you. No idea where to retire, so I'm anxious to follow this thread and see what happens for you. Please keep it updated as your situation changes. We have not been to Oregon either, but want somewhere where we can do some small-scale gardening/farming, and with good sun, in addition to all your other desires. We have thought much about San Diego, but don't think we can afford the housing/land for what we want. Perhaps if we lived out further it'd be possible.


Sent from my iPad using Early Retirement Forum

 

[RobLJ]

Boulder or that area would fit, save for the no harsh winters. Although Colorado is usually a dry cold.
We're retiring to Reno; DW is already there, but the diversity and schools probably would disqualify it. Not too far of a drive to San Francisco (well, I live in Houston and had a cabin in Colorado, so I'm used to driving a lot.)
We also considered Portland and the Mount Olympia peninsula outside Seattle.

 

[Bamaman]

Your checklist,

• good climate (warm with no harsh winters)
• outdoor activities and access to nature (ocean, lakes, parks, mountains, trees),
• good public schools
• diverse demographics (we are Asian)
• good food
• low crime
• good healthcare facilities
• good universities in the area
• an urban feel
• Low income and RE taxes would be nice but not necessary

Sounds like a prescription for Heartland, Texas--on the southwest side of Houston.
It's a place where college professors and medical doctors abound. And it's so diverse that the public high schools' top 20% would be valedictorian at normal schools--high achieving families.
Food in Houston is really good--Tex Mex and Chicken Fried Steak.
You've got the U.S. #5 largest city at your back door, and the Gulf is close by.
The city's medical facilities and universities are second to none.
Houston housing is incredibly low priced--especially compared to NYC. The standard of living is also incredibly high.

 

[REWahoo]

The standard of living is also incredibly high.

And so is the heat, humidity and traffic congestion...

 

[Cricky]

[/LIST]
Sounds like a prescription for Heartland, Texas--on the southwest side of Houston.

Isn't Heartland outside Dallas, not Houston? I understand the locals--in both cities--think there's a big difference. I haven't spent much time in either city but Houston seems more vibrant.

 

[REWahoo]

Isn't Heartland outside Dallas, not Houston?

+1

It is just east of Dallas. Bamaman may have been referring to Sugar Land (SW of Houston) instead.

 

[Cricky]

It is just east of Dallas. Bamaman may have been referring to Sugar Land (SW of Houston) instead.

Thanks, I'm sure that's it. And I don't want to sound like I'm holding Bamaman to a high standard of knowledge of TX suburbs; he knows a lot more than I do, his description intrigued me, so off to Wikipedia. Lord knows the actual Texans don't often point us towards interesting parts of Texas.

 

[REWahoo]

TLord knows the actual Texans don't often point us towards interesting parts of Texas.

I have no idea why you'd say something like that...

 

[Bamaman]

I got thinking about it, and thanks for correcting me. It's Sugarland. My cousin moved there for the incredible schools, and bought a second house in another school district close by for an investment and so his son could play football for "a winner"--and get a college football scholarship.

His oldest son placed about 80% in his high school class in Sugarland, but only got 1/2 academic scholarship due to his not being in the 90% of grades. He went on to university and is a 4.0 senior student majoring in electrical engineering.

The place is apparently a very healthful place to live. My cousin has a great business as an engineer specializing in mold and asbestos abatement.

 

[Brat]

..

The place is apparently a very healthful place to live. My cousin has a great business as an engineer specializing in mold and asbestos abatement.

Really?

 

[Davis65]

Since work is not an issue, I'll throw in two wild cards: Toronto and Vancouver.

Both score very high on diversity, education, restaurants, health care, urbanity, safety.

Vancouver has better weather (mild winters and summers), scenery, access to nature, and is on the ocean. It is a very Asian city, and good access to travel in Asia.

Toronto has more diverse diversity, better cultural facilities, a lake, and slightly cheaper real estate, but less access to nature activities. But better travel connections to Europe. The winters are usually not harsh - the last two being cruel exceptions.

 

[pullmyfinger]

Why don't you just move to the suburbs and keep what is very likely the best job you will ever have?? It sounds like you are trying to fix a hangnail with a chainsaw.

Ha

That's what I was thinking too. If the job is ok, why not ride it out a while longer but live in the suburbs?

 

[Walt34]

Lord knows the actual Texans don't often point us towards interesting parts of Texas.

I have no idea why you'd say something like that...

Oh, I seem to remember someone trying to discourage new arrivals in Texas....

OK...

Texas is infested with scorpions, rattlesnakes, fire ants, crazy raspberry ants, cockroaches on steroids, killer bees, mosquitoes, ticks, chiggers, tarantulas, brown recluse spiders, love bugs, swarming crickets, copperheads, cottonmouths, rabid skunks, wild hogs, alligators, oppressive heat & humidity, bleak desolate scenery, dirty beaches, polluted air, dust storms, drought, wildfires, water shortages, recurring floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, rednecks, huge piles of flaming mulch, spontaneously combusting playgrounds, roads hot as flowing lava, the stench of natural and unnatural gasses, amoebic meningitis lurking in area lakes, recurring ebola virus outbreaks, flesh eating bacteria, staggering homeowner insurance rates, unbelievably high property taxes, mandatory death sentences for DUI convictions, polygamous religious sects, and, lest we forget, doesn't look kindly towards Yankees (per Orchidflower).

The towns mentioned are all located behind the Pine Curtain. You'll need to show your passport at the border crossing, but if you weigh 250 or more, wear well-worn bib overalls and a DeKalb Feed gimmie cap, you might be able to pass through without getting checked.

 

[NW-Bound]

Oh, I seem to remember someone trying to discourage new arrivals in Texas....

People relocating to Texas would be cheating themselves if they don't check out Terlingua.

 

[Lisa99]

You left out sharks and alligators!

 

[RE2Boys]

I lived in Huntsville Alabama for 20 years very much enjoyed it, even though it was generally on the conservative side for my taste. It grew tremendously with the space program (home of NASA Marshall Space Flight Center) and more recently with the move of much of the Army's engineering and development activities on Redstone Arsenal. Has become quite a melting pot of Old South with influx of people from all over the US.

• good climate (warm with no harsh winters). Gets hot in summer but more livable than Washington DC....humidity lower.
• outdoor activities and access to nature (ocean, lakes, parks, mountains, trees), yep, did a lot of hiking/backpacking in area and in Tennessee
• good public schools. Depends on area of town you live. SE section and Madison schools were some of tops in state, some other not so
• diverse demographics (we are Asian)
• good food, guess this a matter of taste, I had my favorite Chinese, loved Southern barb-b-que (smoked, seasoned, pulled pork for Yankees). But they don't know the joys of good fresh Kielbasa or horseradish.
• low crime
• good healthcare facilities,
• good universities in the area, Univ of ALabama at Huntsville
• an urban feel
• Low income and RE taxes would be nice but not necessary. Believe state tax rate is essentially 5% after deductions, XTREMELY low RE taxes.
• Cost of housing is very reasonable

 

[Brat]

Retiring in the PNW:

There is a quirky town in WA called Blaine right on the border. Personally I think Bellingham, just to the south, is a wonderful town.

As we 'wonder' around on this subject my thoughts focus on access to family, if they are a distance away then you want to locate convenient to an airport that offers decent (relatively inexpensive) service. Folks who live in Blaine and Bellingham have the option of flying out of Vancouver. I have some experience flying out of the Kitsap Peninsula, 'spensive and infrequent service.

The major airports in the NW are Seattle, Portland, Boise and Spokane (in that order).

Around Seattle I recommend Bainbridge Island, although there is no ferry service in the wee small hours making early flights out of SEA a challenge. Gig Harbor across the Tacoma Narrows Bridge is a cute town, decent drive to SEA.

Portland is Portland, Clark County across the Columbia is usually a quicker trip to PDX than say driving from our Silicon Valley.

Boise has grown a lot since is spent time there, others are better sources.

Seattle and Portland have world class health care and Veteran's Admin hospitals. In both metro areas schools vary although the Bainbridge Island School District is consistently top notch.

 

[aja8888]

Retiring in the PNW:

There is a quirky town in WA called Blaine right on the border. Personally I think Bellingham, just to the south, is a wonderful town.

As we 'wonder' around on this subject my thoughts focus on access to family, if they are a distance away then you want to locate convenient to an airport that offers decent (relatively inexpensive) service. Folks who live in Blaine and Bellingham have the option of flying out of Vancouver. I have some experience flying out of the Kitsap Peninsula, 'spensive and infrequent service.

The major airports in the NW are Seattle, Portland, Boise and Spokane (in that order).

Around Seattle I recommend Bainbridge Island, although there is no ferry service in the wee small hours making early flights out of SEA a challenge. Gig Harbor across the Tacoma Narrows Bridge is a cute town, decent drive to SEA.

Portland is Portland, Clark County across the Columbia is usually a quicker trip to PDX than say driving from our Silicon Valley.

Boise has grown a lot since is spent time there, others are better sources.

Seattle and Portland have world class health care and Veteran's Admin hospitals. In both metro areas schools vary although the Bainbridge Island School District is consistently top notch.

You didn't mention that lovely golf course the Open was just played on!

 

[Brat]

I am not a golfer but DH is. We watched it under construction. First that course costs a lot to play, second it is very difficult. Why pay so much for torture?

My husband's favorite course in the area is Gold Mountain, Bremerton's municipal course. Golf Courses Washington, Gold Mountain Golf Club, Bremerton, WA

FWIW teenagers rate Bainbridge Island as BORING! Sports are a big thing as there are few other diversions - except for parties where they raid their parent's liquor cabinets.

 

[aja8888]

I am not a golfer but DH is. We watched it under construction. First that course costs a lot to play, second it is very difficult. Why pay so much for torture?

My husband's favorite course in the area is Gold Mountain, Bremerton's municipal course. Golf Courses Washington, Gold Mountain Golf Club, Bremerton, WA

FWIW teenagers rate Bainbridge Island as BORING! Sports are a big thing as there are few other diversions - except for parties where they raid their parent's liquor cabinets.

When I worked for ARCO in the 80's I used to frequent the refinery in Bellingham for project work. What a great town and lovely area that is!

 

[Steelart99]

I lived in Huntsville Alabama for 20 years very much enjoyed it, even though it was generally on the conservative side for my taste. It grew tremendously with the space program (home of NASA Marshall Space Flight Center) and more recently with the move of much of the Army's engineering and development activities on Redstone Arsenal. Has become quite a melting pot of Old South with influx of people from all over the US.

• good climate (warm with no harsh winters). Gets hot in summer but more livable than Washington DC....humidity lower.
• outdoor activities and access to nature (ocean, lakes, parks, mountains, trees), yep, did a lot of hiking/backpacking in area and in Tennessee
• good public schools. Depends on area of town you live. SE section and Madison schools were some of tops in state, some other not so
• diverse demographics (we are Asian)
• good food, guess this a matter of taste, I had my favorite Chinese, loved Southern barb-b-que (smoked, seasoned, pulled pork for Yankees). But they don't know the joys of good fresh Kielbasa or horseradish.
• low crime
• good healthcare facilities,
• good universities in the area, Univ of ALabama at Huntsville
• an urban feel
• Low income and RE taxes would be nice but not necessary. Believe state tax rate is essentially 5% after deductions, XTREMELY low RE taxes.
• Cost of housing is very reasonable

I was born and raised for much of my life in Huntsville. Point of interest is that Huntsville has the highest average IQ in the nation; obviously driven initially by the Space Program. Lots of people will NOT believe how different Huntsville is from their perception of what all southern cities 'must' be like.

 

[Eileen]

This may sound like a strange question, but would Huntsville also just be an interesting place to visit, then, as a travel place, if you just like to see new places ...? It sounds interesting ...I was thinking of possibly relocating when I retire, but I am not sure. I would probably just rather travel a bit and see what is out there..... not even thinking of moving necessarily, just seeing interesting places.

 

[FIREd]

I had some good years in Huntsville myself. I would not mind moving back to the area - and we might have to if we are unable to sell our house there! We have been trying to unload that house for a while but the local real estate market sucks at the moment. My wife would not be so pleased because her mom lives there . The demographics are surprisingly diverse. My neighbors were all furiners, Chinese, Korean, Yankees, and I am from Europe. The food scene reflects that diversity. Healthcare, education, employment opportunities (especially for engineers) are pretty good. Taxes are low. The politics are what you would expect in the south, though Huntsville proper is probably more purple than red.

The most interesting place to visit in Huntsville is probably the US Space and Rocket center.