Is anyone aware a of a survey, test, quiz, etc. that is worthwhile to do to help you decide on where you would be happy relocating to ? After pouring through Where to Retire magazines and websites of retirement & over 55 developments, it gets overwhelming on the choices out there. Most of the ones I’ve seen are skewed by the organization that is supporting it.
Where to relocate ???
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Lewis Clark
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Once you choose a region, this web site can help you evaluate how walkable a specific address is, if walkability is an important criteria.
https://www.walkscore.com/
https://www.walkscore.com/
MRG
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We looked at that garbage for 10 years, nada. Remember they're trying to sell something because it needs "selling". Maybe it needs selling because it's not in your best interests to buy? But the salespeople get what they need. Find a new area and think outside the box. What do you want to do? What's the climate like? Activities? See yourself in the mountains or the beach?
rk911
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and you'll need to live there like locals for a while. a buddy and his wife moved out of state based on a vacation visit. they were back in 18-months. vacationing and living there are two different things.
Sunset
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OP - We have the same problem, too many choices, after all the entire world is available.
I have found some of those articles basically lie to paint a nice picture.
I have found some of those articles basically lie to paint a nice picture.
I was doing my research back in the 90's before the internet was a useful source for most things. I used the latest edition of almanacs and encyclopedias to gather all the technical data I was looking for and rank order places. e.g. Population size, crime stats, cost of living, economic factors, weather, etc etc.
Those sources are pretty neutral. They just spew out the data. The World Almanac and Book of Facts isn't trying to paint a particular picture like the Chamber of Commerce of Denver or Pittsburgh, or whatever magazine came up with a list to give it's reader's ideas.
About a year before moving I take a trip to the town I had decided on just to make sure there wasn't some unimagined deal killer
Those sources are pretty neutral. They just spew out the data. The World Almanac and Book of Facts isn't trying to paint a particular picture like the Chamber of Commerce of Denver or Pittsburgh, or whatever magazine came up with a list to give it's reader's ideas.
About a year before moving I take a trip to the town I had decided on just to make sure there wasn't some unimagined deal killer
DW and I had always considered a retirement move from the Silicon Valley area to the central coast of California (San Luis Obispo, Arroyo Grande, Pismo Beach) up until about 5 years. On our last few vacation trips there, reality set in.
Sure, there was the nice weather and all along the coast, but we started noticing a lot of retail and restaurant businesses closing, many that had been there for 10+ years. In addition, we observed our options for medical services were quite limited in the local (30 minute) area. Not many choices for chiropractors and dentists, as examples.
We also came to the realization that our vacation spot would work against us living there full time. Tourism is likely the biggest industry in the area, so that means lots of people on vacation, particularly during the good weather months (so, most of the year).
Of course, much of this planning was with idea that our only child would never leave California, having never traveled out of state. Maybe Silicon Valley. Maybe the northern Central Valley. Maybe the San Diego area. So when our only child surprised us by moving to the Austin, TX area 3 1/2 years ago, our retirement move was decided for us. My DW and I are mostly home-bodies, so we could live most anywhere that didn't have a lot of snow (DW hates it).
Our move was more about our kid wanting us to come to Texas than it was us wanting to move there. But then 5 years ago central Texas wasn't even on our retirement radar.
Sure, there was the nice weather and all along the coast, but we started noticing a lot of retail and restaurant businesses closing, many that had been there for 10+ years. In addition, we observed our options for medical services were quite limited in the local (30 minute) area. Not many choices for chiropractors and dentists, as examples.
We also came to the realization that our vacation spot would work against us living there full time. Tourism is likely the biggest industry in the area, so that means lots of people on vacation, particularly during the good weather months (so, most of the year).
Of course, much of this planning was with idea that our only child would never leave California, having never traveled out of state. Maybe Silicon Valley. Maybe the northern Central Valley. Maybe the San Diego area. So when our only child surprised us by moving to the Austin, TX area 3 1/2 years ago, our retirement move was decided for us. My DW and I are mostly home-bodies, so we could live most anywhere that didn't have a lot of snow (DW hates it).
Our move was more about our kid wanting us to come to Texas than it was us wanting to move there. But then 5 years ago central Texas wasn't even on our retirement radar.
Montecfo
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We have lived in some nice and interesting places, the locations of which were dictated by my career. So no real choice, but reality was always great.
When you have the world to choose from, it is a lot harder. We have visited a lot of places but no place we wanted to move to. We will move when we find such a place.
Where our son locates will likely play a role.
When you have the world to choose from, it is a lot harder. We have visited a lot of places but no place we wanted to move to. We will move when we find such a place.
Where our son locates will likely play a role.
Who so?
For the record, neither our kid nor us live within Austin city limits. We're 30 minutes from downtown. If we wanted to live in Austin itself, we could have just moved to San Jose, CA.
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Relocate? We chose this spot 30 years ago and we still love it. Now we have the time to enjoy it even more.
davebarnes
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One man's well-written thoughts.
https://humbledollar.com/2020/02/rule-the-roost/
"I AM AGE 57 and I’m planning to move, so you might imagine I’d be interested in the best states to retire. On that score, there’s plenty of advice available.
...
While I think being close to friends and family is paramount, I do have secondary criteria.
...
That’s why I like drawing up rules and then reviewing them right at the moment when I make the decision."
https://humbledollar.com/2020/02/rule-the-roost/
"I AM AGE 57 and I’m planning to move, so you might imagine I’d be interested in the best states to retire. On that score, there’s plenty of advice available.
...
While I think being close to friends and family is paramount, I do have secondary criteria.
...
That’s why I like drawing up rules and then reviewing them right at the moment when I make the decision."
ivinsfan
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Don't look at the where to retire magazines. They are soft porn for people with work stress. Instead think about what is most important to you. Is it weather, taxes, cost of living, being close to family?
Take the list and start from there..everyone has a different story of where they chose to retire and more then few will tell you where they started wasn't where they finished.
Take the list and start from there..everyone has a different story of where they chose to retire and more then few will tell you where they started wasn't where they finished.
VanWinkle
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Qs Laptop
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Sperling's Best Places has a quiz that might be useful. I say "might" because it's not very comprehensive but does give some ideas. Take it several times and change one of two parameters each time.
https://www.bestplaces.net/fybp/
You have to register in order to take it. Don't worry, they don't send many emails.
Another resource is City Data forum. Not a quiz for you to take but a discussion forum about communities.
https://www.city-data.com/forum/
https://www.bestplaces.net/fybp/
You have to register in order to take it. Don't worry, they don't send many emails.
Another resource is City Data forum. Not a quiz for you to take but a discussion forum about communities.
https://www.city-data.com/forum/
Big_Hitter
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last time I was in Houston half the people I met relocated from Cali
Which Roger
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We on this forum are probably as qualified as anyone to come up with a good survey. I'll start:
- What kind of weather do you like (warm year-round, experience all 4 seasons, hate heat and humidity, hate cold weather, etc)
- Are you healthy? How important is access to medical care?
- How much does cost of living matter?
- Do you like urban living? Rural living? Something in between? How important is access a wide variety of restaurants, shopping, etc?
- What about access to the great outdoors? What forms of recreation are important to you?
- What about diversity? Do you prefer to live with other retired types, or be surrounded by kids, working people, etc.
- Where are your friends and family located, and how important is it for you to be near them (or escape them)?
etc etc
- What kind of weather do you like (warm year-round, experience all 4 seasons, hate heat and humidity, hate cold weather, etc)
- Are you healthy? How important is access to medical care?
- How much does cost of living matter?
- Do you like urban living? Rural living? Something in between? How important is access a wide variety of restaurants, shopping, etc?
- What about access to the great outdoors? What forms of recreation are important to you?
- What about diversity? Do you prefer to live with other retired types, or be surrounded by kids, working people, etc.
- Where are your friends and family located, and how important is it for you to be near them (or escape them)?
etc etc
Big_Hitter
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
good advice - plus Idaho is full lol
Andre1969
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I often come across those "25 best / worst states to retire" articles in money magazines. Or, sometimes an amateur hack with a website will take it upon themselves to attempt to mimic those articles, with their own spin.
One that I thought was particularly cute, that complained about Maryland, made a comment about getting stuck in traffic on your way to the beach and having to be worried about tornadoes or a freak winter snowstorm! Right on, because peak beach season just happens to coincide with tornado season, and blizzard season
They also tend to pick on Maryland because of its high crime rate. For instance, with homicides, I think we're around 8.0-8.5 per 100k of population, which usually puts us in the top five states. Makes Maryland sound scary, right? Well, the solution there is simple. Stay out of the bad neighborhoods in Baltimore, and to a lesser degree the southern parts of Prince George's County that are closer in to DC, and you'll get to experience a land with a homicide rate roughly on par with the best of Europe.
Also, when figuring the tax burden on retirees, many of these articles, to rank the states, use property taxes assuming you're living in the state capital. Which is fine, IF you're planning to live in the state capital! Annapolis, MD, has plenty of multi-million $ homes in its zipcode, and those no doubt sway the property tax bill compared to say, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. So, if you're weighing the advantages of living in Annapolis versus Harrisburg, it's a meaningful comparison. BUT, there's a lot more to a state, than its capital city.
One that I thought was particularly cute, that complained about Maryland, made a comment about getting stuck in traffic on your way to the beach and having to be worried about tornadoes or a freak winter snowstorm! Right on, because peak beach season just happens to coincide with tornado season, and blizzard season
They also tend to pick on Maryland because of its high crime rate. For instance, with homicides, I think we're around 8.0-8.5 per 100k of population, which usually puts us in the top five states. Makes Maryland sound scary, right? Well, the solution there is simple. Stay out of the bad neighborhoods in Baltimore, and to a lesser degree the southern parts of Prince George's County that are closer in to DC, and you'll get to experience a land with a homicide rate roughly on par with the best of Europe.
Also, when figuring the tax burden on retirees, many of these articles, to rank the states, use property taxes assuming you're living in the state capital. Which is fine, IF you're planning to live in the state capital! Annapolis, MD, has plenty of multi-million $ homes in its zipcode, and those no doubt sway the property tax bill compared to say, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. So, if you're weighing the advantages of living in Annapolis versus Harrisburg, it's a meaningful comparison. BUT, there's a lot more to a state, than its capital city.
Though not yet retired, our goal is to winter somewhere, so we built criteria that looked like this:
Warm - This rules out almost everywhere since we are only concerned about Jan-March temperatures. We also, for the moment, only want to look in the states.
College or University nearby - A great way to take in a play, see a good bar band, or watch a game.
Water - We disagree on this one. I think a great golf course pool suffices. My wife would like to see a big body of water.
Hockey - Yes. We're from Minnesota
Seasonal Golf Memberships OR excellent social golf program - I'm already a member of a course up here. I don't want to be a member of two courses, but I do want the socialization that membership provides.
Hiking and Biking (The hiking one really hurts southern Florida's intrigue for me)
Not super crowded - I have friends in Ft Myers that never venture from their communities because of the insane traffic.
Price - Though not a huge concern, it's still on the list.
I'm missing a bunch, as it's not in front of me, but with WARM and not crowded being really important to the list, we narrowed it down to about 10 cities. This year, we have an extended trip to Tucson. It matched every criteria except water. Though it's a hair colder than Phoenix, it bordered on acceptable. They even have hockey (going to 4 games in March)!
The point of my post is that Tucson is barely listed in any of those "where to retire" articles. The only reason why I even looked at the city was because it popped up on my hockey criteria.
Warm - This rules out almost everywhere since we are only concerned about Jan-March temperatures. We also, for the moment, only want to look in the states.
College or University nearby - A great way to take in a play, see a good bar band, or watch a game.
Water - We disagree on this one. I think a great golf course pool suffices. My wife would like to see a big body of water.
Hockey - Yes. We're from Minnesota
Seasonal Golf Memberships OR excellent social golf program - I'm already a member of a course up here. I don't want to be a member of two courses, but I do want the socialization that membership provides.
Hiking and Biking (The hiking one really hurts southern Florida's intrigue for me)
Not super crowded - I have friends in Ft Myers that never venture from their communities because of the insane traffic.
Price - Though not a huge concern, it's still on the list.
I'm missing a bunch, as it's not in front of me, but with WARM and not crowded being really important to the list, we narrowed it down to about 10 cities. This year, we have an extended trip to Tucson. It matched every criteria except water. Though it's a hair colder than Phoenix, it bordered on acceptable. They even have hockey (going to 4 games in March)!
The point of my post is that Tucson is barely listed in any of those "where to retire" articles. The only reason why I even looked at the city was because it popped up on my hockey criteria.
We live in a big motorhome and follow the weather usually staying in an area for several months. I usually watch the local news on a website called ON news to see what part of town I want to stay in before we go. Crime and traffic patterns are easy to spot.
There are always bubbles in cities that have walking/bike trails, less traffic, and great parks. This is our 20th year on the road and can’t say there is any one place that is the best. The central west coast is the best in summer and the southwest is the best in winter.
Good luck
There are always bubbles in cities that have walking/bike trails, less traffic, and great parks. This is our 20th year on the road and can’t say there is any one place that is the best. The central west coast is the best in summer and the southwest is the best in winter.
Good luck
COcheesehead
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We made a list of what was important to us.
Staying in Colorado
Milder winters - as little snow as possible
Access to an airport with direct flights
Hospitals
Good restaurants
Lots and lots of outdoor recreation nearby and regionally
Good house pricing
Less traffic and big city hustle bustle
Art and music scene
College town, this is a big wild card. It changes the vibrancy of the town and stabilizes the local economy.
We considered out of state options in New Mexico, Arizona, California, but we always hit a major negative or two or three that knocked those out of contention.
We then visited out top two places for about five days each.
We took it further and engaged a realtor in our top choice and spent a day with him to get even more local knowledge. That was really helpful. We then used him as a buyer’s broker when we eventually bought a house. So it was worth his time.
We’ve been here now for about a year and it has only gotten better. We feel we made a good decision.
Staying in Colorado
Milder winters - as little snow as possible
Access to an airport with direct flights
Hospitals
Good restaurants
Lots and lots of outdoor recreation nearby and regionally
Good house pricing
Less traffic and big city hustle bustle
Art and music scene
College town, this is a big wild card. It changes the vibrancy of the town and stabilizes the local economy.
We considered out of state options in New Mexico, Arizona, California, but we always hit a major negative or two or three that knocked those out of contention.
We then visited out top two places for about five days each.
We took it further and engaged a realtor in our top choice and spent a day with him to get even more local knowledge. That was really helpful. We then used him as a buyer’s broker when we eventually bought a house. So it was worth his time.
We’ve been here now for about a year and it has only gotten better. We feel we made a good decision.
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