Where did you retire?

[Montecfo]

I just looked 110K and that is 109997 to many people for me. Lol It is the largest town in MT. They drive like they are crazy.

yes and TERRIBLE traffic!

 

[daylatedollarshort]

We retired in the Bay Area and stayed here. I grew up in the Midwest in an area with lots of forests, lakes and outdoor activities but didn't like the winters. We moved south for less extreme winters but ended up in a prairie city with few trees, parks and no scenery. The next move we did our research better and found a place that matched what we wanted more for parks, scenery, lakes, beaches, arts and culture and weather, and have been happy with our choice. It has been a fun place to be retired.

 

[MRG]

Retired in Missouri, but moved to Florida.

+1
Retired in downtown KCMO and moved to CO.

 

[timo2]

Retired in Colorado. Promptly moved to ABQ area in New Mexico. During my work career DW and I moved between Colorado, Nevada, Idaho, Montana, Texas, Arizona, South & North Dakota, Yukon, Alaska, Wyoming, California. Our deal was that DW would get to pick the retirement spot. DW went to grade school in NM. So here we are. So far so good. We were here two years before the pandemic.

 

[Out of Steam]

Born, raised and worked in Houston "but" by the time I was in my 40's, I knew I didn't want to live there once I retired... There's a lot of reasons why, but crowds, taxes and crime were near the top of my list.

We knew 10 years before we retired that we wouldn't stay in suburban DC beyond our working years. Crime wasn't a significant issue, but cost of living and overall quality of life were.

 

[Car-Guy]

^^^^^
The quality of living in Houston has fallen off about as fast as the population has grown. When I was born there in the early 50's, the population of the greater Houston metro area was about 700k... Now it's about 7m... Or said another way, it's population has grown by ~10 times in just ~70 years... The problems grew about the same rate, maybe faster. And folks wonder why I don't want to see anyone else move to Texas.

Now I will admit, it was a great place to work for top dollar and benefits... And it still is.... But that is a heck of a price to pay! And that's about the only good thing I can say about the city these days.

 

[Out of Steam]

It is just prettier here in Nova in both our opinions (both Texans) and we love the mild four-season climate, rolling hills and, yes, the sign ordinances!

Yes, I miss sign ordinances. The commercial strips in our Virginia region are pretty depressing without them.

More generally, many of the DC suburbs are very attractive. But the nicer ones are stunningly expensive unless they are 40-50 miles out.

 

[Teacher Terry]

I have lived in 5 states and moved to Reno for a job 24 years ago. I love the mild 4 seasons and would never leave. People are moving in like crazy which has increased our COL.

 

[Montecfo]

Yes, I miss sign ordinances. The commercial strips in our Virginia region are pretty depressing without them.

More generally, many of the DC suburbs are very attractive. But the nicer ones are stunningly expensive unless they are 40-50 miles out.

Out of Steam where did you guys retire to?

 

[Out of Steam]

Out of Steam where did you guys retire to?

Suburban Richmond. I had lived here in the 1980s.

 

[Montecfo]

Suburban Richmond. I had lived here in the 1980s.

Nice area! Sent you a PM.

 

[rk911]

...They drive like they are crazy.

i guess you've never spent time in the Bay Area of California. we've been here since May 15th settling my late BIL's affairs. our welcome to the Golden State was a motorcyclist splitting the lanes...riding between the lanes...on the 101 with traffic moving at or above the posted limit. and it's 'sposed to be legal! nobody stops at stop signs, we see red light runners every day (not on the yellow...on the red). speed limits? ha! i thought chicago drivers were nuts but these folks are textbook nuts. on the positive side they are generally very polite. they'll make room for you when changing lanes or at entrance ramps.

 

[street]

^ that would be to much for me. Lol I just could not live in a city, I would feel closed in and to many people.

 

[ShokWaveRider]

And that's about the only good thing I can say about the city these days.

I flew in and out of Houston for my W$%#k both when I lived in SoCAL and then when I was in NE. Fla. Spent about 1 week in every 4 for 5 years there.

Now come on, you must admit, the Sushi in Houston is/was to die for. That is the ONLY thing I miss, and would never live there, never in a month of Sundays. In fact before I Early Retired and had just moved Florida (Anticipating my early retirement), my company offered me a very lucrative (One of your points) move there. I replied very quickly, "It is never going to happen". So I continued commuting till I retired.

 

[W2R]

I liked Houston back in the 1990's, to the point where I was hoping for a job offer there. The job turned out to be in New Orleans which is how I got here.

Sounds like Houston has changed! Maybe I lucked out.

When I was w*rking, I had to fly to Houston every month or two to meet with various oil company folks. Liked the people, but hated having to travel for work. Luckily I found a motel that I liked and at my request our administrative assistant would put me there every time. So, I didn't really see much of Houston; I saw the motel room and the meeting room.

 

[arbeadub]

Red Lodge

Noooooo! Lol! I'm a half day from there thank God! Lol

The best summer of my life was spent in Mt. The Fourth of July 1976 was in Red Lodge, went to a rodeo watched the fireworks, had 2 inches of snow fall at the campground, backpacked to Hell Roaring Plateau. Spent the rest of the summer in Helena. Good Good Times.

 

[RobbieB]

Retired in place here in the central valley of CA where I've been for 35 years. Know it, like it and the mortgage is long paid off.

 

[F.I.R.E User]

The best summer of my life was spent in Mt. The Fourth of July 1976 was in Red Lodge, went to a rodeo watched the fireworks, had 2 inches of snow fall at the campground, backpacked to Hell Roaring Plateau. Spent the rest of the summer in Helena. Good Good Times.

Montana probably had the lowest population back in 1976 I suppose.

 

[intent]

We bought our "retirement home" back in 2011 while still working - in CO, about 30 minutes west of Colorado Springs. We're early in our retirement and will probably stay here, but DW has worsening osteoarthritis so we might need to eventually look for someplace with a warmer climate, flatter terrain, and less dramatic seasonal changes. But for anyone without mobility issues, who loves the outdoors, and doesn't mind some snow in the winter this area is tough to beat.

 

[mh]

We wanted to move to Springfield, Missouri. We liked how low key and peaceful it seems in that out-of-the-way Ozarks town. People seemed so friendly and civilized, and seem to share our old-time American values. Our dream of that town was sort of similar to Mayberry RFD, although in reality it is probably not like that. But that's what we were thinking at the time and that appeals to us. Also there are no hurricanes there and there appears to be less violent crime there, than in New Orleans.

While New Orleans is not expensive, we loved that Springfield is even less expensive, especially for housing. However, now we both have paid off homes so the cost of housing no longer seems like such a burden. Also, moving is expensive too, and we didn't have to pay for a move.

My sister lives on Springfield and is a prof. At the university there. I don’t see the Mayberry RFD semblance, but it is a nice enough LCOL place with a university and a couple regional hospitals. It has a decent airport also. Weather is not too bad either

 

[Nick12]

^^^^^
The quality of living in Houston has fallen off about as fast as the population has grown. When I was born there in the early 50's, the population of the greater Houston metro area was about 700k... Now it's about 7m... Or said another way, it's population has grown by ~10 times in just ~70 years... The problems grew about the same rate, maybe faster. And folks wonder why I don't want to see anyone else move to Texas.

Now I will admit, it was a great place to work for top dollar and benefits... And it still is.... But that is a heck of a price to pay! And that's about the only good thing I can say about the city these days.

CA continues to price out many residents. A lot of them including my family members friends have moved from Southern CA to cheaper COL TX. There are so many from CA that have moved to the Austin TX area that Austin residents are now known as Austinfornians.

 

[lordjust]

My last J*b was here in southern Switzerland, on the northern Italian border. My wife and I loved it so much that upon retirement we decided to stay here. We applied and received permanent residency six years ago. The Swiss franc is about 30% overvalued against the major world currencies, so that keeps us on our toes with respect to spending and financial planning. Traveling to other countries is more affordable, however.

-BB

How are winters ? I am interested in Italy/Greece or nearby.

 

[Vacation4us]

We retired in Nov 2020 moved from our temporary apartment in Castro Valley, East Bay to our paid off home in So Cal. Lake Forest, Ca is still nice compared to the yuck up North.

We talk about buying a home outside of Ca but haven’t found where yet. DH says he wants 100 acres.

We spent last week in the Keys. The humidity was too much for us unless we were in the water and the bugs loved us. Still itching like crazy. Florida is a no go for us.

This week we are In Branson, Missouri. Flew into Springfield, drive back to Nixa to see DH sister each day. I am actually very impressed with the area. It’s not as humid as I thought it would be. It sooo green with open space and the people seem quite friendly. I am just loving all the back roads that are tree lined. We set off 3 hours worth of fireworks in SIL backyard which was really fun as fireworks have been illegal in Ca since I was a teen. I don’t know if we would live here but it has been eye opening to the possibilities of finding paradise some place outside of Ca.

 

[MikeWillRetire]

i guess you've never spent time in the Bay Area of California. we've been here since May 15th settling my late BIL's affairs. our welcome to the Golden State was a motorcyclist splitting the lanes...riding between the lanes...on the 101 with traffic moving at or above the posted limit. and it's 'sposed to be legal! nobody stops at stop signs, we see red light runners every day (not on the yellow...on the red). speed limits? ha! i thought chicago drivers were nuts but these folks are textbook nuts. on the positive side they are generally very polite. they'll make room for you when changing lanes or at entrance ramps.

I visited California for the first time in my life several years ago, and I was also impressed with how Californians made room for you when changing lanes on the highway. It's very different from the drivers on the DC beltway.

 

[Aerides]

There are so many from CA that have moved to the Austin TX area that Austin residents are now known as Austinfornians.

Odd. I searched Google for that term and it doesn't find it used anywhere, except for here, by you.