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How many months qualify as winter in Alaska?
Florida man attempts to mock other states for lack of seasons
Best Places to Retire in Each State
- Thread starter ShokWaveRider
- Start date
Florida man attempts to mock other states for lack of seasons
How many months qualify as winter in Alaska?
The same as the rest of the northern hemisphere...
Dec 21 to Mar 21
But we usually don't return until late April... breakup is pretty messy.
Dtail
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Florida man attempts to mock other states for lack of seasons
Haha.
I am a man from Florida, not the Florida man.
The ones when you can't see the sun.
So the Pacific NW has a longer winter than AK... who knew
unclemick
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
The spot DW lived in trumped all other criteria. I can rationalize all the others. 
The two places they picked in Kansas are ok - relatives and friends live in each. Nice places to visit.
Heh heh heh -
Employment dictated location during working years. ER was serendipitous - poverty and Katrina. 
Markola
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
In general, they picked college towns.
W2R
Moderator Emeritus
We are just 5 miles from the suburb they think is the best place to retire in Louisiana. It's the next suburb over. Our suburb is a little more expensive but quite a bit more upscale (we think), and more convenient, urban, and closer in.I'm a hour from the best place to retire in CA.
But I've been there and I like here better -
We are very happy here and plan to stay.
Yeah! When Frank said he changed his mind and planned to stay here instead of moving to Missouri, it suddenly made this suburb of New Orleans seem infinitely more appealing.
Qs Laptop
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
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OK, I see your point. Compared to other cities in Minnesota, yes, Minneapolis is not going to have the very best air quality. But poor air quality?! Hardly.
Minneapolis has lots of bike lanes, in fact, I really think they've overdone it, especially on the busier streets. It's super annoying for the months October through April when virtually no one uses these lanes but there they are taking up about 25% of the road and causing unnecessary traffic build up.
As for taxes just about anywhere in Minnesota is higher than most other states. There are very few city specific taxes. I think Minneapolis has a hotel/motel tax and maybe a tax on rental cars. I know Hennepin county has a stadium tax of 0.015% (not a typo, it is that small.)
Of the locations in New England (the area I'm most familiar with), the picks all looked reasonable, if not necessarily my first choices. Burlington, VT; Portland, ME; and Portsmouth, NH are all pretty neat small cities with easy access to great rural areas for outdoorsy stuff. Providence, RI (the runner up in RI) is larger and unbelievably improved over my college days there (thanks, Buddy.) Westerly is a lovely beach town. The MA towns are in the Western part of the state, away from the congestion and expense of Greater Boston. Although I lived in Central CT through high school, I really don't know much about it any more so can't comment.
If I were to move from my current location on the MA South Shore, any of the locations I mentioned above would be fine. Elsewhere in MA would be the best for me state tax-wise while I'm alive. They'd get me on the estate tax, though.
If I were to move from my current location on the MA South Shore, any of the locations I mentioned above would be fine. Elsewhere in MA would be the best for me state tax-wise while I'm alive. They'd get me on the estate tax, though.
CaliforniaBlues
Confused about dryer sheets
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I've lived in both Kaneohe and Honolulu too for many years. Both are great places to live but I would rather live in town right now vs Kaneohe also. That might change in 20 years when I get older.
Well, we just retired in NH and we did not choose Durham, Portsmouth or Manchester.
All those cities are in the southern tier of the state meaning more populated and expensive.
We chose the central part of the state in a vacation area. Other than it is noisy and crowded with out of staters (mainly from Massachusetts) in the peak season, it works well for us. We were able to find a very affordable new construction home in a community that is like a 55+ - a rarity not only in this area and this state but all of New England. Plus our only child lives 40 minutes from here in a college town. We have lakes and mountains and all the conveniences here like stores and restaurants and basic medical, yet it is just outside the small city of Laconia and has the city services. There are movie theaters and local theatre and arts, fairs and other events, etc.
Now if this COVID thing would go away so we can enjoy them again.
Under 2 hours to Boston. More specialized medical
an hour away in Concord (some Dartmouth affiliated and Dartmouth itself is 90 minutes from here).
A favorite state of mine for vacations , Vermont, is nearby as is Maine. Regional airport is in Manchester if we ever fly again but can go to Boston for that also. And we can drive back to NY and Connecticut someday to visit our old friends.
Crime is low. And we love the 4 seasons.
All those cities are in the southern tier of the state meaning more populated and expensive.
We chose the central part of the state in a vacation area. Other than it is noisy and crowded with out of staters (mainly from Massachusetts) in the peak season, it works well for us. We were able to find a very affordable new construction home in a community that is like a 55+ - a rarity not only in this area and this state but all of New England. Plus our only child lives 40 minutes from here in a college town. We have lakes and mountains and all the conveniences here like stores and restaurants and basic medical, yet it is just outside the small city of Laconia and has the city services. There are movie theaters and local theatre and arts, fairs and other events, etc.
Now if this COVID thing would go away so we can enjoy them again.
Under 2 hours to Boston. More specialized medical
an hour away in Concord (some Dartmouth affiliated and Dartmouth itself is 90 minutes from here).
A favorite state of mine for vacations , Vermont, is nearby as is Maine. Regional airport is in Manchester if we ever fly again but can go to Boston for that also. And we can drive back to NY and Connecticut someday to visit our old friends.
Crime is low. And we love the 4 seasons.
The southwestern part of the state where we live is entirely different from the other areas you mentioned and I agree with.
We love it here and still love the 4 seasons as well.
Beautiful this past weekend
Bamaman
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
I'm a middle of the road guy.
I like living in the middle of the U.S. in a mid size city that's about 50 miles from a big city. Such a city has sufficient culture, healthcare and decent restaurants.
And I like the nearest big city to be 2 to 3 hours from other large cities.
I would prefer to live on a lake or major river.
It's especially nice to be relatively close to the mountains.
And I've found that kind of place that's got a low COL and especially low property taxes.
I like living in the middle of the U.S. in a mid size city that's about 50 miles from a big city. Such a city has sufficient culture, healthcare and decent restaurants.
And I like the nearest big city to be 2 to 3 hours from other large cities.
I would prefer to live on a lake or major river.
It's especially nice to be relatively close to the mountains.
And I've found that kind of place that's got a low COL and especially low property taxes.
Alton, Il
I don't know where they got their air quality report, the industries that may have been a problem closed years ago. When I lived in Alton, I often left my door unlocked. Ok, i did have my wheels "lifted" while parked on the street one night, but **** happens. It's actually a nice place to base your self if you want to travel East, West, North or South.
ArmchairMillionaire23
Recycles dryer sheets
We're looking to retire in a town of no more than 20,000 people. It would be a tenfold increase from where we live now.
Apparently, NYC is getting less expensive COL due to COVID. It has an amazing restaurant Tao (for special occasions; $$$)! Their Subway system is very large. You can walk almost everywhere. If you like sports, they have, what feels like, 300 teams. Safest city in NYC.
Santee92071
Confused about dryer sheets
Where to retire
I am now retired and have been for a long time. I realize that
Where to retire
is difficult to know in advance because so many things change.
However, here is the benefit of my opinion.
I used to think Florida, Panama, Caribbean,Costa Rica etc. all possibilities until I
checked them out thoroughly.
If you move to a tropical location be prepared to deal with the mosquitoes,
bugs, and third world amenities - not many. Also, healthcare is not as good
as other places.
Often one considers moving for financial reasons because it is claimed
one can live like a King on $2000. month. Not true for an American.
You must pay a big premium unless you plan to considerably lower your
lifestyle and type of foods you eat. In other words you still get what you pay
for.
These days I opt for where I get the most services - many of them free -
and Southern California still tops the list. For wealthy people, you cant
do better than Coronado. Everyone else should visit San Diego to explore
and see all the many services available for free, and all the beaches are
free. We have mountains, lakes, ocean - what more can you want?
Unfortunately it is not recommended you cross the border into Mexico
which has been more or less taken over by cartels and unsafe.
We have a moderate climate in the 70's (this year has been an exception)
few bugs and if you live up high and avoid downtown areas, mosquitoes
are minimal. People are very friendly and helpful in most neighborhoods.
Hope this helps. Yes, it can be expensive but places like Colorado Springs have increased enormously. Better to live in a small house here than
a large one in Florida!
Hope you find this helpful.
I am now retired and have been for a long time. I realize that
Where to retire
is difficult to know in advance because so many things change.
However, here is the benefit of my opinion.
I used to think Florida, Panama, Caribbean,Costa Rica etc. all possibilities until I
checked them out thoroughly.
If you move to a tropical location be prepared to deal with the mosquitoes,
bugs, and third world amenities - not many. Also, healthcare is not as good
as other places.
Often one considers moving for financial reasons because it is claimed
one can live like a King on $2000. month. Not true for an American.
You must pay a big premium unless you plan to considerably lower your
lifestyle and type of foods you eat. In other words you still get what you pay
for.
These days I opt for where I get the most services - many of them free -
and Southern California still tops the list. For wealthy people, you cant
do better than Coronado. Everyone else should visit San Diego to explore
and see all the many services available for free, and all the beaches are
free. We have mountains, lakes, ocean - what more can you want?
Unfortunately it is not recommended you cross the border into Mexico
which has been more or less taken over by cartels and unsafe.
We have a moderate climate in the 70's (this year has been an exception)
few bugs and if you live up high and avoid downtown areas, mosquitoes
are minimal. People are very friendly and helpful in most neighborhoods.
Hope this helps. Yes, it can be expensive but places like Colorado Springs have increased enormously. Better to live in a small house here than
a large one in Florida!
Hope you find this helpful.
Born2BRetd
Recycles dryer sheets
Hey! We have enough people! San Diego is a bad, bad place. Do not move here.
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I think San Diego would be a great place, if only the weather didn't suck so much.
Born2BRetd
Recycles dryer sheets
Yes, the weather is dreadful. It spoils you and makes you unable to live anywhere else. Oh, no, it's dropped below 70, time to get the sweaters out!
Celebrities are making it "trendy/cool" to leave California (might be more LA than San Diego). One celebrity said they will save between $200-$400k per year in taxes moving from California to Nevada (Las Vegas). He said if he put that savings, est. $300k/year, in investment and earned 6%/year he would make around $800-900k in +/-15 years.
Those numbers are all based off memory. They are not 100%, if someone else wants to do the exact math.
All that typing is to say that moving to a state with 0% income tax is helpful.
Wait wait wait, income tax might not be important if retired!
Last edited:
Koolau
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
I enjoyed my visits to San Diego. That's probably where I would want to live in Cali. However, there are just too many issues in Cali. right now to make it viable TO ME. Not true for everyone so YMMV.
The idea that Californians are leaving in droves has so far been mostly anecdotal and not supported by real data. The IRS publishes migration data for taxpayers at the state and county level here: https://www.irs.gov/statistics/soi-tax-stats-migration-data This seems to be the best data we have, since it covers most of the population and accounts for dependents.
They've only got data from tax returns processed through the 2018 tax year, but for that year California ranks 47th out of 51 (including DC) for outflow rates, with only the people of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Ohio and Michigan more likely to stay put. In raw numbers, more Californians do leave than Floridians (2nd most left state) or Texans (3rd most left state), but when you normalize for population, it turns out that the places people are most likely to leave are D.C, Alaska, Hawaii, Wyoming and North Dakota.
I think it's going to be very interesting to see the data in a couple of years, once the 2020 returns are processed, to find out how Covid and work-from-home trends really affected migration patterns.
@Shokwaverider- I was looking at The Villages as well, but crossed them off my list a few weeks ago. Not sure if you've seen all the resident outburst about the apartments that are coming, but I have no desire to live next to an apartment building. I just saw this yesterday: https://www.foxbusiness.com/real-estate/florida-age-restricted-the-villages-younger-residents
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