NYTimes Article: What to Consider When Looking for the Right Place to Retire

[ggbutcher]

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/14/your-money/Finding-the-Right-Place-to-Retire.html

And a link to the Bankrate.com article cited:

10 Best States For Retirement | Bankrate.com

Colorado is #2, which makes me very happy, sitting in the middle of the state...

 

[aja8888]

Interestingly, the majority of the places on the Bank Rate list are in cold climates. Bring your long johns and your chainsaw!

 

[ggbutcher]

Now, Colorado is cold, but no so much as the more northern states on the list. Most snowfall in Colorado Springs is melted/reticulated within a week, and the dry air makes 30F bearable, 'specially if the sun is out. We get an occasional Oklahoma-style wind (yesterday was a good example), but it doesn't persist for many days. I have a 1.7mile/40min walk to work, and I'll do it down to 25F.

A person's perspective to cold is relative. Years ago, I was walking to the back parking lot at Offutt AFB, Omaha NE (anyone else have a mental picture of that?), talking with a master sergeant, slipping and sliding on the iced stairs. He told me his career had taken him from Minot AFB to Ellsworth to Grand Forks to Malmstrom, then they said, "Want a southern assignment?", and they sent him to Offutt...

 

[aja8888]

I lived in Denver for a while and it's not too bad. Was in CT for years. This February, I had a business trip to Minot area (North Dakota). It was -28 F when I got there and stayed well below zero the whole week I was there. Now I live in south Texas and have become adapted to warm weather.

 

[haha]

With apologies to anyone who likes these lists, how is it that someone can live 40-60 years in this world and not know where HE should retire. I've never lived in any of these states, but I have been to all of them for greater or lesser times, and it is my opinion that these could not in any way be considered ideal places to live by most people, save perhaps Colorado.

I guess for someone who operates solely from checklists it might be OK, but it is very hard to include on the list what often turn out to be the most important aspects of any place, as in the case of the woman with allergies.

Does personal experience no longer carry weight?

Ha

 

[Ed_The_Gypsy]

Peace, mon ami. There are tenderfeet here.

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Ed_The_Gypsy]

BTW, I understand totally about lass w/ allergies.

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2

 

[ggbutcher]

With apologies to anyone who likes these lists, how is it that someone can live 40-60 years in this world and not know where HE should retire. I've never lived in any of these states, but I have been to all of them for greater or lesser times, and it is my opinion that these could not in any way be considered ideal places to live by most people, save perhaps Colorado.

I guess for someone who operates solely from checklists it might be OK, but it is very hard to include on the list what often turn out to be the most important aspects of any place, as in the case of the woman with allergies.

Does personal experience no longer carry weight?

Ha

Ha, I agree with your perspective on checklists. My Air Force PME included a book that essentially presented such lists as examples of what good leaders should do. It always impressed me as an attempted "leadership cookbook", e.g., 'do these things and you'll be a good leader, don't worry to much about why they're important.' I met the author years later and tried to engage him on that perspective, but he didn't get it.

I chose Colorado as my 'retirement assignment' for some of the same practical considerations enumerated in the bankrate article, but my choices were constrained by the small number of Air Force bases, vice all 50 states. I'd encourage folks to use such a list as a starting point, dig behind the rankings and figure out which aspects are important to you.

That, and the personal stories can be very insightful, e.g., being allergic to the environment of your carefully selected location. That's one aspect of Colorado not addressed; it's fairly dusty here, and the allergens abound. The high altitude can also exacerbate respiratory problems...

 

[jerome len]

Safe......lower taxes......lower living expenses......not crowded.....all help put these States in the top ten......not for people that like crowds and excitement.....good choices for people retiring from high tax States. As an Example the magazine "where to retire" illustrates that Salt Lake City is 28% cheaper than L.A......but I still like California better....although I don't live in either State buy know both. It boils down to choice and looking at safe and cheap places make sense to me IF you are thinking of moving......and don't mind cold weather.

 

[daylatedollarshort]

We've been looking at the pleasant weather chart -

kelly norton: The Pleasant Places to Live

 

[haha]

And now you see once again why the Bay Area, central California coast and coastal Southern California costs so much more than other places in the US. It is worth it to many people who can afford it.

Ha.

 

[kcowan]

And now you see once again why the Bay Area, central California coast and coastal Southern California costs so much more than other places in the US. It is worth it to many people who can afford it.

Ha.

We were surprised by how pleasant San Diego was. We also like Newport Beach and Santa Barbara.

But yes it comes at a high price...so we bought in Mexico. We can swim in the ocean all year round but we have to vacate in the summer. And we can afford two places for the price of one in SoCal.

 

[DoWright]

We were surprised by how pleasant San Diego was. We also like Newport Beach and Santa Barbara.

But yes it comes at a high price...so we bought in Mexico. We can swim in the ocean all year round but we have to vacate in the summer. And we can afford two places for the price of one in SoCal.

Southern California has the weather, but my wife and I have been thinking about relocating because it's too crowded; we'd like to live where there are fewer people, but still have nice weather.

We've been thinking about heading north (WA or OR)... we took an exploratory trip to WA (north and west of Seattle) and were surprised how pricey things are up there. I'm presuming that the Bay Area retirees are relocating there and pushing the prices up...

 

[haha]

Southern California has the weather, but my wife and I have been thinking about relocating because it's too crowded; we'd like to live where there are fewer people, but still have nice weather.

We've been thinking about heading north (WA or OR)... we took an exploratory trip to WA (north and west of Seattle) and were surprised how pricey things are up there. I'm presuming that the Bay Area retirees are relocating there and pushing the prices up...

No; unless you are looking specifically at retirement situations, Seattle is expensive because it is land constrained and has a large amount of highly paid workers migrating in, from US and the world. If it weren't so hard to get adequate H1-b visas, it would be quite a bit more expensive.

Seattle is a lot less expensive than San Francisco and the more attractive communities on the west side of LA. But don't imagine that you get West LA or San Francisco weather in Seattle. You don't.

Ha

 

[DoWright]

No; unless you are looking specifically at retirement situations, Seattle is expensive because it is land constrained and has a large amount of highly paid workers migrating in, from US and the world. If it weren't so hard to get adequate H1-b visas, it would be quite a bit more expensive.

Seattle is a lot less expensive than San Francisco and the more attractive communities on the west side of LA. But don't imagine that you get West LA or San Francisco weather in Seattle. You don't.

Ha

Agreed, Seattle is expensive for all the reasons that you mentioned... But as I mentioned, I was looking north and west of Seattle; quite a ways away... It was far enough that it wasn't convenient for commuters to get to Seattle, and it was still pricey...

And yes, the weather is certainly different than CA...

David

 

[clifp]

I can see the appeal of the mountain state, CO, WY, MT, and even ID. They are beautiful states without a doubt. Of course I've never to been to any of them in the winter for good reason. The only state I haven't been to is Mississippi, bu then it never appears on great retirement lists. But the plains states of the Dakotas, Nebraska or Iowa, ugh no. They are frigid in the winter, and hot in the summer, and just aren't pretty states. Also the oil boom is making most of them much less affordable than they were a few years ago.

The seem like much better place to save for retirement, with high wages, low unemployment, low taxes, and still fairly low cost of living. Plus there isn't a lot else to do so no reason not to work overtime and save even more..

 

[kcowan]

We've been thinking about heading north (WA or OR)... we took an exploratory trip to WA (north and west of Seattle) and were surprised how pricey things are up there. I'm presuming that the Bay Area retirees are relocating there and pushing the prices up...

I think the exodus has slowed to a trickle now, but yes that did push up prices in WA and OR. It is still possible to buy outside of the major centers (but then so is it in CA).

 

[unclemick]

:laugh

Born on the Washington side of the river from Portland, UW Seattle grad, 30 yrs in the Space Program - Seattle, Denver, Baltimore, Long Island, Huntsville, New Orleans.

In Seattle the space 'reugees' complained about Huntsville and New Orleans. Ten years later when transfers took me to Huntsville and later New Orleans they complained about miserable Seattle and couldn't wait to get back to the South.

Also in Denver I remember all those folks who claimed they couldn't wait to leave Kansas and Nebraska to 'come to the moutains' ala John Denver.

heh heh heh - Now post Katrina having met and married a Missouri farm raised NWM grad retired after 35 yrs in Kansas City - you get one only one guess where I like retirement.

Now there are annual trips to the Gulf Coast in winter and Minnesota in summer. But for obvious reasons Kansas City is better than sliced bread.

 

[Janet H]

We've been thinking about heading north (WA or OR)... we took an exploratory trip to WA (north and west of Seattle) and were surprised how pricey things are up there. I'm presuming that the Bay Area retirees are relocating there and pushing the prices up...

It rains endlessly here in WA state; we have bugs, snakes, vermin, overly caffeinated folks at every turn, dust storms and various natural disasters. Spread the word

 

[M Paquette]

It rains endlessly here in WA state; we have bugs, snakes, vermin, overly caffeinated folks at every turn, dust storms and various natural disasters. Spread the word

Don't forget the current infestation of octopus paxarbolis, promoted by the rainfall.

 

[Koolau]

We've been looking at the pleasant weather chart -

kelly norton: The Pleasant Places to Live

Surprised that the KN PPtL left out Alaska and Hawaii - unless I missed it.

A wild guess is that many places in Alaska would have more pleasant days than the places listed at the bottom of the list. I don't think I could take the long winter nights (or the cold) of winters in Alaska, but I have heard very good things about summers there (all relative, of course). The most glaring omission is Hawaii. I didn't see why it was omitted (could I have missed it?). I pretty much guarantee (by all standards most folks would choose) the weather in most parts of HI are "more pleasant" than even most of the places in CA. The major complaint I have heard about HI weather (other than the VOG) is it can be "boring". Winter coat weather is the occasional low 60's (upper 50's at night) and a blazing tropical heat is 91 in the shade (and we've got palm trees to spare.)

Looking at the places I lived on the frozen tundra of the midwest, I see why I wanted to leave. Of course, I didn't need the map to tell me that. YMMV

 

[W2R]

Surprised that the KN PPtL left out Alaska and Hawaii - unless I missed it.

A wild guess is that many places in Alaska would have more pleasant days than the places listed at the bottom of the list. I don't think I could take the long winter nights (or the cold) of winters in Alaska, but I have heard very good things about summers there (all relative, of course). The most glaring omission is Hawaii. I didn't see why it was omitted (could I have missed it?). I pretty much guarantee (by all standards most folks would choose) the weather in most parts of HI are "more pleasant" than even most of the places in CA. The major complaint I have heard about HI weather (other than the VOG) is it can be "boring". Winter coat weather is the occasional low 60's (upper 50's at night) and a blazing tropical heat is 91 in the shade (and we've got palm trees to spare.)

Looking at the places I lived on the frozen tundra of the midwest, I see why I wanted to leave. Of course, I didn't need the map to tell me that. YMMV

The article seems to assume that Hawaii and Alaska have dropped off the face of the earth. Also, it seems to assume that since the author loves southern California weather, surely everybody would love southern California weather. Some people actually don't (what a shock). I lived in the San Diego metro area for six years and absolutely HATED the weather there. For me, the weather, especially the terribly low humidity, was one of several great reasons to leave San Diego. I love the weather in New Orleans, which is an opinion that I know few people share with me, but I do. The weather in Hawaii is great too.

Different strokes for different folks doesn't seem to be the attitude projected in that article, that's for sure.

 

[HFWR]

I've never lived anywhere with low humidity, but I know I'm not crazy about high humidity...

 

[aja8888]

It rains endlessly here in WA state; we have bugs, snakes, vermin, overly caffeinated folks at every turn, dust storms and various natural disasters. Spread the word

Hey, that sounds like Texas...if you replace the overly caffeinated folks with cowboys, pretty ladies and oilfield workers, you got it.

 

[EastWest Gal]

Moved from Silicon Valley to central PA 15 years ago. Weather in the South Bay and the peninsula is absolutely outstanding. I was too busy working to enjoy it much. However, since early May, I've experienced the best weather ever here. We get rain (no drought folks) but it's in the 50s at night and 75-80 in the day most days and it hasn't been to humid.

I'm not a fan of our summer heat and humidity. But here we have a pool and hot tub. And a basement home theater to escape the heat. These are my retirement toys.

I am looking forward to enjoying the beauty of next winter's snow, rather than risking my life driving to work in it!