Struggling with Finding Retirement City (Sacramento, Davis: condo, high crime, mortgage)

[TonyaJa]

Hi, I am looking for advice from pre-retirees and current in particular (or anyone who would like to help me). I am so weary of full-time work and living in Portland, Oregon. My brother passed in September and I'm quite alone. He told me, "You're smart, Tonya. You'll figure it all out", but it's overwhelming trying to pinpoint a place to work towards moving to, because I read about something that clicks with me, then I come here or other sites and most of what I read is negativity; it's racist, high crime, not diverse, the people are mean, high cost of living. That said, I know every place or any place I land has potential flaws and tradeoffs.

An online acquaintance recommended Sacramento and I've also been researching Davis (very expensive). I grew up in Calif. and had told myself I'd never go back but see below, moving back east would be expensive.

I had dreams once of living back east and got advice about towns in Maine, but the cost (even with PODS) would be exorbitant to move that far. I don't know, even with the smallish inheritance I'll receive soon, if that would be enough combined with my savings to put a down payment on a house or condo...anywhere. If a manufactured home, then I gather in addition to a mortgage there is space rent. I have full social security now so working part-time would work for awhile.

My ideal would be something village-y where you can walk around and actually breathe, history, nice people, small shops, a real community but there would need to be a larger town or city nearby because of my medical history.

I need to be near a cancer center or good medical facility
I want to do theater and music again
You know, some culture
A city that cares about it's citizens; tired of cold weather and very poor infrastructure

If you have ideas or live someplace like this, maybe message me if you don't want to advertise it here. I really appreciate your input because I have received excellent comments in a few other forums. Tonya

[colobound65]

You might check out the Palm Springs area. Lots of retirees there and no snow.

Also I’ve heard good things on the Villages in Florida

[TonyaJa]

I should add that a conservative-leaning, or very conservative town or city is not for me.


I am probably going to stick to a different city in Oregon or possibly California.


I've researched Eureka but the same issue keeps cropping up as it did when I was considering Astoria, Oregon: Isolation from or scarce medical facilities, inability to find a PCP. That's frightening.



Thanks.

[AnythingOutdoors]

Tonya, I'm sorry for your loss. That's hard. Unless absolutely necessary, you should avoid making major life changes for about the next 2 years or so while you're going through major grieving.

Portland is an artsy city, lots of opportunities for people at all levels to get involved in music and theater.

Housing, and median rent, is more expensive in Sacramento vs. Portland, so moving there would make you financially worse off.

Can you maybe expand on what you find lacking in Portland? You imply that Portland maybe doesn't care about its residents, what exactly do you mean?

[1AngryTaxPayer]

What's wrong with where you are now. Most of CA is just if not more expensive.

[evening sun]

Chico, it's fairly small, has a decent hospital, & several live theaters & an orchestra. Or one of the outlying small satellite towns near it.

[TonyaJa]

Originally Posted by AnythingOutdoors

Tonya, I'm sorry for your loss. That's hard. Unless absolutely necessary, you should avoid making major life changes for about the next 2 years or so while you're going through major grieving.

Portland is an artsy city, lots of opportunities for people at all levels to get involved in music and theater.

Housing, and median rent, is more expensive in Sacramento vs. Portland, so moving there would make you financially worse off.

Can you maybe expand on what you find lacking in Portland? You imply that Portland maybe doesn't care about its residents, what exactly do you mean?

Thanks for your kind reply. This is the third time I've lived in Portland over years and my brother had always let me stay with him due to job losses. Just this third time around, I've been laid off twice from jobs, the job before my current at the height of Covid and was unemployed for two years. So I've developed a hatred for this place which he understood. We also talked about where I might go from here but of course, it's up to me to intuit, research and make a decision.

I lived in Seattle after I left Ashland in '95 for almost seven years but after visiting there 2 or 3 years ago it was almost unrecognizable to me.

This is a fear-based city now and unfortunately due to the city's government and infrastructure, homelessness is rampant, as is crime (voters put in place laws to decriminalize drug use) and as far as I can see by reading and listening, little to nothing is done to support the public. Criminals are often let out of jail without being prosecuted. I personally work in Chinatown/Oldtown, one of the worst neighborhoods in downtown and all of Portland. Riding the light rail train is dangerous but I have to do it M-F as I live in a far NE neighborhood. And after seven years back here, I've had it.

I really just want to transition to another, smaller area.

[TonyaJa]

Originally Posted by evening sun

Chico, it's fairly small, has a decent hospital, & several live theaters & an orchestra. Or one of the outlying small satellite towns near it.

I know Chico - I was a music major there '85 - '87 and was a church soloist in Paradise on occasion.
Returning there's not an option for me, but in even considering California I probably should say "never say never".

[evening sun]

Originally Posted by TonyaJa

I know Chico - I was a music major there '85 - '87 and was a church soloist in Paradise on occasion.
Returning there's not an option for me, but in even considering California I probably should say "never say never".

Are you ruling out much of Norcal, or just Chico?

[gemstone1]

Eugene