Another "best places to retire list"

[Huston55]

One of My [-]#1[/-] top requirements for best place to live is proximity to [-]family and[/-] friends, and all the "best places to retire" lists never factor that in.

DW & I certainly agree with this, as modified; it was a key factor in us retiring "TO" California versus "FROM" California.

But, good year-round weather and lots of outdoor opportunities also factored big in our decision. For example, our "No Snow" criteria eliminates 40% of the Top 10, 20, 30, 40 or 50 locations on this list.

While I like reading articles about this and reviewing the lists to see if I agree (especially since we've been to so many of the places on this list; lived in 13 & visited another 66), I think these types of lists are just a good beginning point for one's own research.

 

[highlow65]

springfield mass on list and it is a drugged out sh** hole with no jobs

 

[Nemo2]

springfield mass on list and it is a drugged out sh** hole with no jobs

Surely there must be a downside too?

 

[Big_Hitter]

springfield mass on list and it is a drugged out sh** hole with no jobs

um...yeah it's number 140 something out of 200, plus retirees typically don't w*rk

 

[highlow65]

but it is nice to retire to a place with happy people who do work, at least those who want to. Lots of drugs and crime, not really the hood but a depressed area

 

[Souschef]

We are 43 in the Thousand Oaks - Ventura area. Actually we live east of Ventura- a little higher and inland, so we do not get the low coastal stratus. That is South Mountain-2000 feet high and the view from our porch

 

[Bamaman]

I especially like Tex-Mex and chicken fried steak--Texas' contribution to foods.

Even the social elite in Texas will slip off their boots and drink a beer with you. I especially like the people.

If you can find a native Texan, did you know they speak with a perfect Middle Tennessee southern accent--like Laura Bush? Look into their family tree, and their relatives did come from Tennessee and they still have distant relatives there.

But those property taxes do hurt. My best friend sold his house in North Dallas when the property taxes hit $50K per year--ouch. He now loves luxury apartment living and his beach house in Seaside, FL.

 

[ohyes]

We are in top 40.

The Little Rock area surprises me, but not our town.

 

[aja8888]

We used to be in #43 (Thousand Oaks) but downgraded to #166 (The Woodlands, TX).

 

[23window]

I live in 2 of the top 30 places (second and fist homes), 2 hours apart. Pretty happy with both.

 

[ShokWaveRider]

Our town is not listed but it is only 40 miles south of Jacksonville which is 5, all our numbers are lower with the exception of housing. Although it is subjective. There are comparable areas and not comparable. Anywhere near the ocean (1 - 2 miles) here is up there.

 

[Johnora]

#6 Really

I might be in the top ten, but I would stay where I am as our retirement home base regardless of what it said for a variety of reasons.

My Dad chased the best place to retire for two decades and is now living in #8, but that was his fourth best retirement place to live.

 

[Big_Hitter]

I might be in the top ten, but I would stay where I am as our retirement home base regardless of what it said for a variety of reasons.

My Dad chased the best place to retire for two decades and is now living in #8, but that was his fourth best retirement place to live.

yes we are number 6

 

[Big_Hitter]

the best part about #6 is that we don't have to worry about being shot and you can't swing a cat here without hitting a MD

 

[ABQ2015]

My city, Albuquerque, was #52. Overall I considered it a fair score - a city with nice enough weather and a reasonable cost of living. Many of our elderly have close family ties and are physically active. Unfortunately, Healthcare & Safety was not rated well and it is more important to me than Housing & Taxes. Although I suppose that if you have the financial resources, you can more easily deal with limited healthcare and take precautions against crime. I couldn't see the Quality of Life Scores.

 

[Johnora]

the best part about #6 is that we don't have to worry about being shot and you can't swing a cat here without hitting a MD

True and you get to experience all four seasons which is nice, most of the time.

 

[Big_Hitter]

True and you get to experience all four seasons which is nice, most of the time.

love the weather here - this is the best summer since I moved from Houston - today...may get a lil hot

 

[Dawg52]

Jackson, MS 34th? I live in central MS, but not there. I would never have thought of Jackson as a top 40 retirement destination. I see where it is ranked high with respect to healthcare and safety. My smallish town has pretty good healthcare, but people here do head to Jackson or Birmingham for specialized care.

I'm happy here. Lot's of good friends I see regularly and play golf with. Cost of living fairly cheap compared to other areas of the country. It is nice to have my coastal condo for an occasional escape.

 

[ShokWaveRider]

Better places to live tend to have higher housing costs. Personally I do not consider higher housing prices a complete deterrent. OK, SFO and NY,NY housing cost not withstanding. But Average RE pricing of between 500k & $750k for a 3bed 2bath 2car garage in a given area, I would consider an indication of a better than average location. In my experience it appears to have been the case anyway.


Also house pricing is subjective. $300k here is a cheap home. I realize that in some places $300k is a nice home in a nicer area. So as usual it is location, location, location.

 

[rbmrtn]

Jackson, MS 34th? I live in central MS, but not there. I would never have thought of Jackson as a top 40 retirement destination.

Me either.I grew up there, it's gone down a lot with crime and decay. More like a mini detroit. Plenty of places in MS for retirement but Jackson aint it.

 

[Big_Hitter]

Better places to live tend to have higher housing costs. Personally I do not consider higher housing prices a complete deterrent. OK, SFO and NY,NY housing cost not withstanding. But Average RE pricing of between 500k & $750k for a 3bed 2bath 2car garage in a given area, I would consider an indication of a better than average location. In my experience it appears to have been the case anyway.


Also house pricing is subjective. $300k here is a cheap home. I realize that in some places $300k is a nice home in a nicer area. So as usual it is location, location, location.

you can get a really kicka$$ place here for $750K

 

[Amethyst]

Texas is Communist?

I love it. One more example of why you shouldn't move to Texas - it's a red state, and I'm NOT talking about politics.

 

[Big_Hitter]

Texas is Communist?

no, just Austin

 

[MRG]

At 112 they list KC KS-MO. Anyone who thinks that these cities are similar to each other(other than weather) has been to neither.

When we moved to the area we lived in one of them, hated it! Multiple moves in that state proved to us it was not for us. Moving 25 miles across the border that fixed how much we despised living in the other state. YMMV

 

[CaliKid]

We all have such unique desires that I think these rankings are sort of meaningless in many ways. However, I occasionally see a city I had not considered so it causes me to investigate. Also, I look for consistency. If a city is consistently at the top of these rankings or consistently at the bottom it probably means something. I prefer being able to input the things that are important to me and seeing what cities are good for me. There is one quiz on the web that does that. I can't recall the name. Wheretolive.com or something like that. Ok, now time for me to turn my day dreaming off and get back to work....