The recent post about retiring in Sonoma, CA prompted me to start a new post about retiring to a small town. I live in Ukiah, CA, which, a while back, got some press as one of the best small towns in America. And even though we will leave here to retire to SW New Mexico, there is a part of me that doesn't want to go. Ukiah is simply a great small town.
It is about 2 hours north of San Francisco (farther than Sonoma) but you can easily run down for the weekend. The climate is incredible if you don't mind a lot of rain in December and January. Houses in decent neighborhoods have become affordable again, especially if you downsize your needs. It's cheaper than Sonoma County. Ukiah is less froo froo and more down to earth than Sonoma County-you don't have to fight tourists for parking in the downtown area, and if you want the trappings of yuppie-hood like great restaurants, you can always drive 40 minutes to Healdsburg for dinner.
Other pluses:
Very little traffic.
Great food shopping-5 grocery stores and an awesome natural foods coop.
Low gas bills-I hardly ever have to leave the valley so I only fill up every 2 weeks or so.
Good community college for taking courses.
Free concerts in the park during the summer.
Farmers markets May-Oct.
Wineries are less pretentious than down south.
Coast is only an hour away.
I'm sure there are other great small towns out there. We are moving because we want acreage and simply couldn't afford it here. But every February when the sun comes out and the days get into the 70's and the wildflowers bloom and the hills green up, it makes me pause and wish I had enough money to have both New Mexico and California!
Mango
It is about 2 hours north of San Francisco (farther than Sonoma) but you can easily run down for the weekend. The climate is incredible if you don't mind a lot of rain in December and January. Houses in decent neighborhoods have become affordable again, especially if you downsize your needs. It's cheaper than Sonoma County. Ukiah is less froo froo and more down to earth than Sonoma County-you don't have to fight tourists for parking in the downtown area, and if you want the trappings of yuppie-hood like great restaurants, you can always drive 40 minutes to Healdsburg for dinner.
Other pluses:
Very little traffic.
Great food shopping-5 grocery stores and an awesome natural foods coop.
Low gas bills-I hardly ever have to leave the valley so I only fill up every 2 weeks or so.
Good community college for taking courses.
Free concerts in the park during the summer.
Farmers markets May-Oct.
Wineries are less pretentious than down south.
Coast is only an hour away.
I'm sure there are other great small towns out there. We are moving because we want acreage and simply couldn't afford it here. But every February when the sun comes out and the days get into the 70's and the wildflowers bloom and the hills green up, it makes me pause and wish I had enough money to have both New Mexico and California!
Mango