Best Cities to Retire 2020 - Yes another opinionated list.

[ShokWaveRider]

Too many FLA places on the list.
We are filled up.

Funny how we FLA Residents are getting quite possessive about our adopted state. (Notice I am not saying we are actually Floridians even though we have been here over 14 years).

Personally I hope prices in the nicer areas remain relatively constant at somewhere around MCOL - HCOL levels. I think it keeps them somewhat clean, tidy and sane. Yes we have our areas of poorly maintained housing (Being polite here), yards full of trash and trucks up on blocks, but for the most part the more desirable areas are not near those areas, are well kept and the HOAs do a reasonable job. Those that live in NON HOA areas but in the vicinities of them, usually enjoy the benefits without the additional cost. Personally I like a well run HOA.

In our general area we have a lot of transplants and when asked why they chose the area it was for all the reasons I mention above. They do not want a LCOL area, that was not on the list. The ONLY thing that could be labelled LCOL is No State Income Tax, followed by reasonable RE Taxes, although I think out ~1.7% of assessed value is quite high.

What really appealed to those transplants mentioned above other than the 2 mentioned, were, in no particular order:

Weather
Access to clean beaches
Clean and safe neighborhoods
Pleasant walking environment within the community
Access to daily needs within close proximity. (Shopping, General Services Etc.)
Good Access to Healthcare (Decent Choice, ACA coverage, Medicare coverage Etc.)
Less than 10 miles to an accredited hospital
1 hour from a major city (for access to better choices of shopping etc. if needed)
Golf (This is a big one with the Golf crowd and includes an 11 - 12 month playing season)
Reasonable Traffic in and out of season (This seems quite high in our circles)

RE Prices were not really a priority, although there is a limit. Most are relatively affluent and have "House Money" that will buy a little more in FLA than where they came from.

Sensible Politics, even though Florida leans one way the actual politics experienced for the most part is pretty much center where it should be. For the most part people of both leanings are quite happy with Florida on the whole.

These are just our experiences within our general area and neighbors 99% of which are permanent or snowbird type transplants. The Snowbirds tend to make their main residence Florida for tax, car registration etc. purposes.

One additional Note is there are a lot of Native Floridians that move up from the South too, places like Miami & Miami beach, as they are fed up of the VHCOL in the areas that they came from.

 

[SnowBound]

Trucks up on blocks are always bad. I always prefer cars up on blocks. And yes I should go work on that car instead of posting stuff here.