Early Retirement & Financial Independence Community - View Single Post - Best Places To Live in Retirement? Our View

11-02-2004, 09:55 AM

My current abode
Location: Maui Hawaii
Length of Stay: 3 years
Cost Of Housing: Ridiculous (400K for a 900sqft shack.)
Weather: Outstanding. Hotter at sea level, for a cooler climate go higher on the mountain.
Cost Of Living: High
Health Care: Not very good.
Recreation: Outstanding: year round surfing, cycling, hiking, fishing, windsurfing, kayaking, ...
City Life: Minimal. access to Hawaiian cultural activities and music.
Taxes Very low property taxes. 8.5% income tax, 7.25% cap gains, 4% value added tax (like a sales tax).
Ease of Travel Difficult, unless you bounce between the Asia and the west coast.

Other places:

Location: Seattle Washington
Length of Stay: 4 years
Cost Of Housing: Moderate to High
Weather: Temperate climate. It never gets very hot or cold. Summers are beautiful. Winters are typically cloudy with many days of light rain.
Cost Of Living: Moderate
Health Care: Good
Recreation: Very good: boating and fishing on the Puget Sound of Lake Washington. Seattle is nessled between the Cascades and Olympic mountain. Good skiing, fishing, hiking, ect.
City Life: Plentiful. museums, universities, restaurants, theatre, live music.
Taxes Low. reasonable property taxes. 0% income tax, 4% sales tax.
Ease of Travel Good: Major airport, easy to drive around the Northwest.

Location: Boston
Length of Stay: 10 years
Cost Of Housing: High
Weather: Cold winters, snow, hot summers, beautiful spring and fall.
Cost Of Living: High
Health Care: Excellent
Recreation: Good: boating and fishing in the ocean or cape cod bay. Easy to get out of the city into rural areas. 2 hours from the White Moutains (New Hamshire), or Green Mountains (Vermont). Good cycling and hiking nearby.
City Life: Plentiful. museums, universities, restaurants, theatre, music
Taxes High
Ease of Travel Good: Major airport, easy to drive around the New England, excellent public transportation in Boston and Cambridge.

Location: Long Island New York.
Length of Stay:
Cost Of Housing: High
Weather: Cold winters, snow, hot summers, beautiful spring and fall.
Cost Of Living: High
Health Care: Good
Recreation: OK: boating and fishing in the ocean.
Difficult to get off the Island.
City Life: Need to go to NYC where it's outstanding. museums, universities, restaurants, theatre, music
Taxes Very High
Ease of TravelMajor airport, but it's difficult to drive off the island. I feel very trapped there. You need to go through NYC to get off of LI. The traffic is horrendous. Excellent public transportation to NYC and in NYC.

Location: Atlanta GA
Length of Stay:
Cost Of Housing: moderate
Weather: mild winters, hot summers, nice spring and fall.
Cost Of Living: moderate
Health Care: ?
Recreation: Some. fishing in local lakes, hiking. Too far from the ocean for my tastes.
City Life: Good
Taxes moderate
Ease of TravelMajor airport, easy to drive around the South East.

11-02-2004, 09:55 AM	#6
johnblake Guest Posts: n/a	My current abode Location: Maui Hawaii Length of Stay: 3 years Cost Of Housing: Ridiculous (400K for a 900sqft shack.) Weather: Outstanding. Hotter at sea level, for a cooler climate go higher on the mountain. Cost Of Living: High Health Care: Not very good. Recreation: Outstanding: year round surfing, cycling, hiking, fishing, windsurfing, kayaking, ... City Life: Minimal. access to Hawaiian cultural activities and music. Taxes Very low property taxes. 8.5% income tax, 7.25% cap gains, 4% value added tax (like a sales tax). Ease of Travel Difficult, unless you bounce between the Asia and the west coast. Other places: Location: Seattle Washington Length of Stay: 4 years Cost Of Housing: Moderate to High Weather: Temperate climate. It never gets very hot or cold. Summers are beautiful. Winters are typically cloudy with many days of light rain. Cost Of Living: Moderate Health Care: Good Recreation: Very good: boating and fishing on the Puget Sound of Lake Washington. Seattle is nessled between the Cascades and Olympic mountain. Good skiing, fishing, hiking, ect. City Life: Plentiful. museums, universities, restaurants, theatre, live music. Taxes Low. reasonable property taxes. 0% income tax, 4% sales tax. Ease of Travel Good: Major airport, easy to drive around the Northwest. Location: Boston Length of Stay: 10 years Cost Of Housing: High Weather: Cold winters, snow, hot summers, beautiful spring and fall. Cost Of Living: High Health Care: Excellent Recreation: Good: boating and fishing in the ocean or cape cod bay. Easy to get out of the city into rural areas. 2 hours from the White Moutains (New Hamshire), or Green Mountains (Vermont). Good cycling and hiking nearby. City Life: Plentiful. museums, universities, restaurants, theatre, music Taxes High Ease of Travel Good: Major airport, easy to drive around the New England, excellent public transportation in Boston and Cambridge. Location: Long Island New York. Length of Stay: Cost Of Housing: High Weather: Cold winters, snow, hot summers, beautiful spring and fall. Cost Of Living: High Health Care: Good Recreation: OK: boating and fishing in the ocean. Difficult to get off the Island. City Life: Need to go to NYC where it's outstanding. museums, universities, restaurants, theatre, music Taxes Very High Ease of TravelMajor airport, but it's difficult to drive off the island. I feel very trapped there. You need to go through NYC to get off of LI. The traffic is horrendous. Excellent public transportation to NYC and in NYC. Location: Atlanta GA Length of Stay: Cost Of Housing: moderate Weather: mild winters, hot summers, nice spring and fall. Cost Of Living: moderate Health Care: ? Recreation: Some. fishing in local lakes, hiking. Too far from the ocean for my tastes. City Life: Good Taxes moderate Ease of TravelMajor airport, easy to drive around the South East.