Pick My Retirement City!!!

[Shabby]

As I edge closer to my ER, I think after 10 years here in Seattle, perhaps a new location is in order. All opinions are welcome and encouraged.

Thanks in advance!

Scenario:
1. Late 40's couple due to ER in 2 years - no kids
2. Lived in upstate NY, OH, South FL, San Fran and WA so far
3. Retirement house will be purchased for $600k or less
4. Household income should be $130k
5. Most likely will work part time

Requirements:
1. Within a 10-40 minute drive to a city with sports teams, restaurants, performing arts, and concerts
2. Weather not extreme in the winter
3. Trees and forests near

Ideal:
1. Fairly conservative
2. Within 40 minute drive to an ocean or large body of water
3. Cute, quaint towns are nice
4. House has .5 acres or bigger lot
5. Near wineries or where wine grapes can be grown

 

[Amethyst]

Before or after taxes?

Amethyst

4. Household income should be $130k

 

[Midpack]

I wouldn't presume to suggest for someone else, especially with a short list of criteria. Here are some good resources to start your search, evidently you've already found the first.

Find Your Spot | Find Your Spot

Best Places to Live | Compare cost of living, crime, cities, schools and more. Sperling's BestPlaces

City-Data.com - Stats about all US cities - real estate, relocation info, crime, house prices, cost of living, races, home value estimator, recent sales, income, photos, schools, maps, weather, neighborhoods, and more

And then maybe.

Neighborhood Search for Home Buyers and Real Estate Investment - NeighborhoodScout

Find Apartments for Rent and Rentals - Get Your Walk Score

Happy hunting!

 

[steelyman]

Galena, IL is pretty nice.

But! There's that winter problem

 

[Shabby]

Before or after taxes?

Before taxes

 

[Shabby]

Here are some good resources to start your search

I have done a lot of these type and have a list together, but first hand knowledge is invaluable. I will share my list later, but don't want to sway people's opinions yet.

 

[Life_is_Good]

Eugene Oregon seems to fit the bill for every requirement except:

1. Fairly conservative

Most people around here tend to be a little more to the left of center. That said, you could sit on a large plot of land and be as conservative as you want - lol.

Another positive.... no state sales tax.
A negative... a hefty dose of rain during the winters.

 

[daylatedollarshort]

Here is one chart to help in your search - most pleasant weather.

kelly norton: The Pleasant Places to Live

Santa Rosa - Petaluma area fits some but not all of your criteria.

 

[Chuckanut]

Hot Springs, Arkansas. A very nice city and only 45 minutes from the state capital and all the big city stuff. You will have to give up the ocean, but then you will be living in a very nice town.

 

[MichaelB]

Central Chile near Valparaiso meets much of the criteria. Upstate NY might also, depending on what "extreme weather" means.

 

[DFA]

Blarney Ireland; Cork Ireland area.

 

[Shabby]

Blarney Ireland; Cork Ireland area.

I absolutely love Ireland and a town outside of Dublin fits almost all of the criteria. Problem is it is hard for an American to be able to go there and stay. Plus, the flights to see my friends and family might be tough.

 

[W2R]

San Diego, California. I would never move back there myself, but then my I have different criteria for selecting the perfect retirement location.

 

[FIREd]

Many places in the south might fit the bill (except perhaps for the wine thing). Perhaps somewhere around Houston, Atlanta, or Charlotte, NC.

 

[skyvue]

San Diego, California. I would never move back there myself, but then my I have different criteria for selecting the perfect retirement location.

Best place to live in America in my opinion. Of course I am placing heavy emphasis on climate. Not too hot is just as important as not too cold to me. Just north of San Diego in a place like Encinitas, Cardiff or Solana Beach seem like some decently affordable areas as long as you don't feel the need to live within a 1/4 mile of the Pacific.

 

[Chuckanut]

Many places in the south might fit the bill (except perhaps for the wine thing).

I remember reading that every state now has at least one winery. As for as the south goes, it looks like the vino lovers will not lack for interesting apellations.

Southern Wineries (AL, AR, FL, GA, KY, LA, MS, NC, SC, TN)

 

[Options]

No one can tell another what their retirement city is. I believe it's best to do much research into all of the variable affecting their desired retirement location. Moving is expensive, especially as one gets older. On the other hand, my mother is 80 and I've lost track of how many times she's moved in the past 20 years. She always seems to end up fine. Perhaps her high degree of flexibility regarding location is the key.

Having lived in one large metropolis or another all of my adult life, I am targeting a smaller (although not too small) city for my next stop. The PNW is looking very attractive to me these days.

 

[Fishingmn]

Ok - let's narrow it down:

- Near ocean or large body of water. Depends on definition but great lakes are too extreme weather so sticking with oceans leaves you on outside edges of country.
- Conservative eliminates west coast
- Not extreme weather leaves you with NC - Texas coast
- Major town with pro sports within 10-40 miles AND ocean w/i 40 miles eliminates NC/SC/GA/AL
- Everywhere could have grapes I suppose but none of the remaining areas are well known for wineries

But if you take that out it leaves w/i 40 miles of Houston, New Orleans or a major city in Florida (Miami, Tampa, Orlando, Jacksonville).

 

[RetireAge50]

You just described your current location except the conservative part. Just move outside of King County and you are good to go.

 

[nash031]

San Diego, California. I would never move back there myself, but then my I have different criteria for selecting the perfect retirement location.

Well, he's not going to get a .5 acre lot for $600k in San Diego proper... but... if you look in places like Alpine, El Cajon, Escondido near San Diego, you can meet most if not all criteria.

Near San Diego, Temecula may be your ideal. Hot in the summer, but mountains nearby and a growing viticulture.

DW and I live in Coronado, just across the bay from downtown San Diego and love it. Dining, arts, and sports scenes (MLB, NFL, College along with year-round endurance sports) are all excellent. Weather cannot be beaten. We hope to retire here with a similar budget.

As for fairly conservative, San Diego is about as conservative as California gets.

 

[W2R]

Well, he's not going to get a .5 acre lot for $600k in San Diego proper... but... if you look in places like Alpine, El Cajon, Escondido near San Diego, you can meet most if not all criteria.

Good point. I missed the part about the .5 acre lot, and having moved away in 1984 my housing price info is a little outdated for that area, so thanks.

 

[Options]

...

As for fairly conservative, San Diego is about as conservative as California gets.

This is totally false. The stretch in the middle of the state from Los Angeles to Sacramento is as conservative (redneck is the impolite term frequently used) as any city in the Deep South. Try taking a trip up the 99 freeway and stop off at any of the towns there. San Diego is vastly more liberal by comparison.

 

[W2R]

This is totally false. The stretch in the middle of the state from Los Angeles to Sacramento is as conservative (redneck is the impolite term frequently used) as any city in the Deep South. Try taking a trip up the 99 freeway and stop off at any of the towns there. San Diego is vastly more liberal by comparison.

How about Orange County? Back in the 1960's it had quite a reputation for being conservative. Is there any place there that might meet the OP's criteria? You and others (nearly anybody in the world, actually) are probably more familiar with Orange County than I am.

 

[Kimo]

I live in Hawaii and while it doesn't it doesn't conform to all of your needs, it does handle most of the....especially the weather

 

[nash031]

This is totally false. The stretch in the middle of the state from Los Angeles to Sacramento is as conservative (redneck is the impolite term frequently used) as any city in the Deep South. Try taking a trip up the 99 freeway and stop off at any of the towns there. San Diego is vastly more liberal by comparison.

Well, sure, but the central farm land, while VERY conservative, is not a 40 minute drive from the ocean, and lacks most every other quality he wanted in a retirement area, thus I wasn't considering it. I should've qualified my statement with "San Diego is about as conservative as California gets on the coast (or that meets his criteria)." Orange County is in there as well, but misses on a lot (most?) of his other criteria.

I'm very much a fiscal conservative and more of a social indifferent, I don't find San Diego difficult to deal with in that regard. Coronado, specifically, tends to lean even more conservative than San Diego proper (which is nice). Certainly some San Diego areas like Hillcrest and the Park areas tend to be as much of the proverbial "land of fruits and nuts" as anywhere in CA.