Retiring to a rural setting or small town

[Fermion]

Wife's sister's condo was broken into and lots of stuff stolen while she was away on a trip. This is in a big city (Seattle).

Crime is kind of everywhere. You are not safer in a city.

[rodi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fermion Wife's sister's condo was broken into and lots of stuff stolen while she was away on a trip. This is in a big city (Seattle). Crime is kind of everywhere. You are not safer in a city.

I agree that you're not safer in a city. Heck - even the chic neighborhood adjacent to mine (La Jolla) has crime, homelessness, and panhandling... I always assumed it was because it was a target rich environment. I would imagine there's less crime the fewer people that are around you.

[brucethebroker]

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Originally Posted by marko Enticing, but if I had a 2 hour drive to a good hospital three years ago I wouldn't be posting here today.

Great point. We were only an hour away, and it was nearly too far for me. Had an emergency one Sunday and DW drove me to ER. "We will have to call in the helicopter, as we don't have any specialists on call on Sunday.", said ER Doc. Took nearly 45 min. to get to the regional hospital with wait and airtime. Close call.....

[hankster]

DW and I have spent most of our lives in small towns (<1000 people) or in a rural setting miles from the nearest town.

We bought a home for our retirement in a development near a large lake with abundant outdoor recreation opportunities. Most of the homes are either recreational/vacation homes or the northern component of snowbird retirees' who either RV south or own homes in warm climates. There are a few full time residents.

There are two small food stores within 5 miles. It is 25 miles to the county seat which has a decent clinic, hospital, two grocery stores, building supply and other basic services. A 60 mile drive puts us in a city of 250,000 +.

Health issues will almost certainly require us to move closer in one day, but for now we can't think of a more enjoyable environment in which to spend the early part of our retirement. Bonus: The kids and grand kids are all less than an hour away.

[Hyperborea]

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Originally Posted by deadshort52 A number of years back a family from the above mentioned metropolis bought a five acre piece of land built a house and moved here. They showed up with their kids with several face piercings (it looked like they fell into a tackle box), multi colored hair and strange clothes. Quite honestly they were weird. When we would meet on the road and chat for a moment the guy would often bring up how he felt out of place here. I really didn't have the heart to say it would be best to lose the round blue sunglasses and the trench coat so people don't think you are strange then they might talk to you.

That's the biggest worry about smaller town/village/rural living is the need for conformity. Everybody needs to be the same within a small allowable range of divergence - the same race, religion, sports team, beer, politics, hobby, clothing, vehicle - with some of those allowed to vary a small amount but not too many of them and not too much. I have thought about smaller locations for finally settling down into but those would have to be large enough to have variety. Possibly a university nearby to bump that diversity a little more.

[jjquantz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hyperborea That's the biggest worry about smaller town/village/rural living is the need for conformity. Everybody needs to be the same within a small allowable range of divergence - the same race, religion, sports team, beer, politics, hobby, clothing, vehicle - with some of those allowed to vary a small amount but not too many of them and not too much. I have thought about smaller locations for finally settling down into but those would have to be large enough to have variety. Possibly a university nearby to bump that diversity a little more.

This is consistent with my upbringing in a small community and 5 years teaching in a town of 5600. Even the fact that we took our kids to an art museum multiple times a year was looked upon as a bit "odd". Add to that our pipe organ, the harpsichord, the observatory in the backyard, etc. I played golf with some folks and we attended church, but our social life was very limited, mostly involving other people who had moved into town from outside. The only people we stay in touch with from that time are a couple of fellow "outsiders", none of whom remained in the town very long.

I may have mentioned this before, it turns out that there was a town betting pool on how long we would stay. We did stay longer than the latest wagered date, but it wasn't for lack of trying. So much for the community being welcoming when they bet on how fast they can drive people out.

[W2R]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hyperborea Quote: Originally Posted by deadshort52 A number of years back a family from the above mentioned metropolis bought a five acre piece of land built a house and moved here. They showed up with their kids with several face piercings (it looked like they fell into a tackle box), multi colored hair and strange clothes. Quite honestly they were weird. When we would meet on the road and chat for a moment the guy would often bring up how he felt out of place here. I really didn't have the heart to say it would be best to lose the round blue sunglasses and the trench coat so people don't think you are strange then they might talk to you. That's the biggest worry about smaller town/village/rural living is the need for conformity. Everybody needs to be the same within a small allowable range of divergence - the same race, religion, sports team, beer, politics, hobby, clothing, vehicle - with some of those allowed to vary a small amount but not too many of them and not too much. I have thought about smaller locations for finally settling down into but those would have to be large enough to have variety. Possibly a university nearby to bump that diversity a little more.

It's possible that most people might feel a little out of place wearing well worn bib overalls in the downtown area of a big city, too. I imagine that we city people don't think of that because to us, wearing bib overalls would be unthinkable while the round blue sunglasses might seem fairly normal.

Overall, it's probably less work to retire to someplace where we feel like we already fit in, more or less.

[MRG]

We spent 10 years outside a town of 243 people. There were way more cows then people. It was very nice and folks were friendly but it was interesting.

The people were mostly from several families and many were related in some way. It struck me odd at first, many people went by their initials. We met CB, CL, and CD the first week. I guess their last names didn't identify them too much, many were named for a great-great ancestor, their initials were as unique as they could get.

[jjquantz]

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Originally Posted by W2R ... Overall, it's probably less work to retire to someplace where we feel like we already fit in, more or less.

+1

For some people this can be harder than for others! I just want to live someplace that has:

No traffic
great opera
cheap golf
dark skies for astronomy
Fantastic 18th century music performances
Art Museums
Inexpensive housing
Easy to walk
Access to nature
A high quality university library
Warm winters
quiet neighbors

So maybe I spend summers in a town of 3000 and winter in a large European city? It's more likely that I wouldn't fit in either place rather than fit in both.

[kcowan]

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Originally Posted by rodi As is the walkability factor. Fortunately, our location offers many close by "wilderness" opportunities with ocean, mountain, and desert settings all very close by.

We live in a town of 45000. Across the road is Starbucks and Home Depot but if we head north we are into mountains and streams. We only live there 5 months each year but it is special.

In the winter, we live in a community of 250,000 but most of it is walkable. Although we have two cars, we often walk and then take a taxi home. Our home is 25 meters up. We get the views and the breezes.

[W2R]

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Originally Posted by jjquantz +1 For some people this can be harder than for others! I just want to live someplace that has: No traffic great opera cheap golf dark skies for astronomy Fantastic 18th century music performances Art Museums Inexpensive housing Easy to walk Access to nature A high quality university library Warm winters quiet neighbors So maybe I spend summers in a town of 3000 and winter in a large European city? It's more likely that I wouldn't fit in either place rather than fit in both.

Most places might meet some, but not all, of your criteria. For example, I color coded the above for New Orleans: (Green means yes, at least in some neighborhoods, and red means nope).

Basically we have opera and music performances, but this is not Vienna. So, it depends on exactly how great and fantastic they need to be, and how frequent. Some people listen to CD's most of the time, or enjoy lesser live performances, and then fly to Europe if and when they feel they need to hear the best of the best in person.

Frank drives about an hour south of town with his telescopes to find relatively dark skies on the shores of Lake Borgne.

Traffic here is much lighter than Houston traffic, but it can be a mess if anything is going on. Like, say, Mardi Gras.

Personally? I think possibly you'd be better off finding a place that genuinely feels like home, and then figuring out "workarounds" for whatever it lacks. No place is perfect, as you have pointed out.

[grasshopper]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jjquantz This is consistent with my upbringing in a small community and 5 years teaching in a town of 5600. Even the fact that we took our kids to an art museum multiple times a year was looked upon as a bit "odd". Add to that our pipe organ, the harpsichord, the observatory in the backyard, etc. I played golf with some folks and we attended church, but our social life was very limited, mostly involving other people who had moved into town from outside. The only people we stay in touch with from that time are a couple of fellow "outsiders", none of whom remained in the town very long. I may have mentioned this before, it turns out that there was a town betting pool on how long we would stay. We did stay longer than the latest wagered date, but it wasn't for lack of trying. So much for the community being welcoming when they bet on how fast they can drive people out.

Gee, I thought everyone had an observatory in the backyard.

website_photo.jpg

[jjquantz]

Quote:

Originally Posted by W2R Most places might meet some, but not all, of your criteria. For example, I color coded the above for New Orleans: (Green means yes, at least in some neighborhoods, and red means nope). Basically we have opera and music performances, but this is not Vienna. So, it depends on exactly how great and fantastic they need to be, and how frequent. Some people listen to CD's most of the time, or enjoy lesser live performances, and then fly to Europe if and when they feel they need to hear the best of the best in person. Frank drives about an hour south of town with his telescopes to find relatively dark skies on the shores of Lake Borgne. Traffic here is much lighter than Houston traffic, but it can be a mess if anything is going on. Like, say, Mardi Gras. Personally? I think possibly you'd be better off finding a place that genuinely feels like home, and then figuring out "workarounds" for whatever it lacks. No place is perfect, as you have pointed out.

This is it! How do you find a place that feels like home? I think that I'll start a new thread.

I think that we had a few days during our five years in New Orleans where it began to feel like home.

[Dreamer]

I was born and lived most of my childhood in Waynesburg PA. I have lived in Morgantown WV for going on 31 years. They are 27 miles from each other. PA does not tax any type of retirement income or retirement accounts. WV does tax just about all retirement. It gives you a break on a portion of your SS and $2000.00 off of a Civil Service pension. I keep thinking it would be smart to move back to PA, but just can't do it yet. Waynesburg has a population of approx 4000 and Morgantown has a population of approx 30,700. I really have no desire to live in that small of a place again.

[calico1597]

I grew up in a small farming community in Illinois. No matter what you did it was a good 20 miles. I would never go back to that scenario. I'm not a big city gal, but I want to be within a couple miles of going to a grocery store, mall, and movies. As far as raising farm animals and a garden for food, no thanks. Been there, done that, never again.

[jjquantz]

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Originally Posted by grasshopper Gee, I thought everyone had an observatory in the backyard. Attachment 25492

Only the cool kids.

[Hermit]

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Originally Posted by NW-Bound On an RV trek, we made a day trip to Leadville, CO, and spent 1/2 day there at the museum and the fish hatchery. Leadville has the claim of being the highest incorporated town in the US, at 10,200 ft (3109 m). We did not feel any effect, but were not doing anything strenuous like hiking either.

Sorry, I just have to straighten this out...
According to Wiki, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alma,_Colorado Alma, CO is the highest incorporated "town". Leadville is the highest incorporated "city".

I went through Alam today and saw the sign. Looks like there is room for "highest" at multiple locations.

[Huston55]

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Originally Posted by Huston55 Wow, what an interesting little town. It's similar to my little home town in Northern Texas. But, we're not as cold and don't have to worry about alien abductions.

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Originally Posted by Nodak The general population density of the state is about 9 persons per square mile. Cavalier is about 20 miles from Minnesota and 20 from Canada.

Again, similar to my home town, where the county population density is ~4 people/square mile. The adjacent county has a population density of 1/square mile. But, they have lots of cattle.

[NW-Bound]

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Originally Posted by Hermit Sorry, I just have to straighten this out... According to Wiki, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alma,_Colorado Alma, CO is the highest incorporated "town". Leadville is the highest incorporated "city". I went through Alam today and saw the sign. Looks like there is room for "highest" at multiple locations.

Thanks for pointing out the distinction between a "city" and a "township". I am going to look up the formal definitions to learn more.

To the eyes of this urban dweller, calling Leadville (pop. 2600) a city is a great exaggeration. And from the Web, Alma (not Alam, pop. 267) looks more like a hamlet.

PS. Between a city and a township, the scale is a relative one. For a state that has a total population of 5 million relative to 10 million of Los Angeles County, a town does not have to be very populated. Yet, Colorado is crowded compared to North Dakota with a population of 700,000. Alaska's population is also around 700,000, but look how large it is. Of course, much of it is not traversable, or has seen a human foot print, so it is hard to compare.

[braumeister]

I think you're still a bit confused, NW.
A town is not the same thing as a township.