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We do love Kentucky and it consistently is in the top 10 for least expensive states with regard to overall cost of living - sometimes it is #1 (first quarter of 2011).
It is such a beautiful state with many rivers, streams, waterfalls, ponds, rolling hills, amazing rock formations, vistas of endless forests. The area we live in is full of gorgeous, well kept homes, horse farms, historic barns (huge!), black rail horse fences and lovely people.
The winters are cold but not much snow - we usually shovel 2 or 3 inches of snow twice a winter. The spring and fall are glorious. We enjoy the heat although there are lots of days with moderate temperatures.
Kentucky is full of history - lots of late 18th century towns. Trains and river barges are interesting historic features that continue today. Love going to the city of Louisville (we are about 25 minutes away) - a very interesting and history-filled city. Lots of great hospitals, historic districts, waking neighborhoods, wonderful independent restaurant scene. The arts are alive and well in Kentucky. The state parks are plentiful and beautiful. Hiking, biking, boating, kyaking, regattas, steamboats (the Ohio River is a large beautiful river).
Pride of ownership in Kentucky is the highest I have ever seen and we have traveled throughout the U.S.....people take care of their homes and land even out in the hinterlands of KY.....love it here.
People who have never been to Kentucky often bad mouth it but those who have been here usually love it.....it is a glorious place to live.
We do love Kentucky and it consistently is in the top 10 for least expensive states with regard to overall cost of living - sometimes it is #1 (first quarter of 2011).
It is such a beautiful state with many rivers, streams, waterfalls, ponds, rolling hills, amazing rock formations, vistas of endless forests. The area we live in is full of gorgeous, well kept homes, horse farms, historic barns (huge!), black rail horse fences and lovely people.
The winters are cold but not much snow - we usually shovel 2 or 3 inches of snow twice a winter. The spring and fall are glorious. We enjoy the heat although there are lots of days with moderate temperatures.
Kentucky is full of history - lots of late 18th century towns. Trains and river barges are interesting historic features that continue today. Love going to the city of Louisville (we are about 25 minutes away) - a very interesting and history-filled city. Lots of great hospitals, historic districts, waking neighborhoods, wonderful independent restaurant scene. The arts are alive and well in Kentucky. The state parks are plentiful and beautiful. Hiking, biking, boating, kyaking, regattas, steamboats (the Ohio River is a large beautiful river).
Pride of ownership in Kentucky is the highest I have ever seen and we have traveled throughout the U.S.....people take care of their homes and land even out in the hinterlands of KY.....love it here.
People who have never been to Kentucky often bad mouth it but those who have been here usually love it.....it is a glorious place to live.
I would be interested in the wonderful arts and crafts traditions of the state and the concentration of artists in Berea.
On another note, I may be wrong but I imagine Kentucky to be made up mostly of people who have lived there all their lives, many generations going back. If that's true, how welcoming are Kentuckians to outsiders, especially Northerners or Californians?
1. Niceness of the area, aesthetically: Depends on the person. We like the gently rolling hills and all the corn interspersed with wooded areas. Plenty of lakes and streams. Some think it's too flat and dislike all the agriculture.
2. Driveability (traffic factor, distance factor): Everything you could want within a 10 minute drive or less. Traffic is not bad except during rush hour. There are a lot of morons that don't under stand how a freeway is supposed to work. On the down side flying is expensive.
3. Ease in access to basics: supermarket, library, P.O., stores, entertainment: There are 2 large (local) grocery stores within a half mile, library about 3 miles, PO 5 miles, restaurants, movie theaters, civic center, playhouse, bars, lakes, etc. at most 15 miles on the freeway or interstate.
4. Quality of medical facilities and senior living options: Excellent and close 10 blocks or so - two hospital annexes, and 4 clinics. Eye surgeons, dentists, etc within 2 miles or less. Senior living options are good, but limited.
5. Affordable (all things considered, all kinds of taxes) for retirees of modest income, say $50K or under/year. Slightly above average, but not too bad.
6. Climate: Sucks half the year. Summers are normally hot and very humid. This year it was so bad I couldn't breathe so I only went out when I had to. Winters can be horrendous. Two years ago we had so much snow I hired a blade (for the first time) to clear my drive. I had no where left to put it. Last year was relatively mild, so it's crap shoot.
7. Business opportunity/employment: If you have a career that will land you a job in an insurance company this is the place to be. The third largest insurance city in the world.
If I was a young couple just starting out would I move here? In a heartbeat. As a retiree (with Mrs. Tek about to) - no. The odds of us staying here in retirement are slim to none. I detest winter and the humid summers are getting to be too much. If I have to choose it will be humidity over freezing my rear off.
... If we were to stick to 5 simple questions, based on your living there (current or recently) how would you rate your recommendation for where to grow old? (Please don't list where not to.)
1. Niceness of the area, aesthetically
2. Driveability (traffic factor, distance factor)
3. Ease in access to basics: supermarket, library, P.O., stores, entertainment
4. Quality of medical facilities and senior living options
5. Affordable (all things considered, all kinds of taxes) for retirees of modest income, say $50K or under/year
Looking forward to responses.
I don't know about rating. So much of what's "good" about a place is subjective.
For San Diego (specifically, North County Inland):
1. Our neighborhood is 25-30 years old, so it has had time to acquire some character. The complex I live in is around 15 years old. It's kept up pretty well. Too much green lawn ... when DH was on the board he managed to get some of that transferred to ecological ground cover, but there's still too much green lawn. San Diego in general is aesthetically nice. I even like the older, grittier areas, because they have their own character. There are very few areas where I wouldn't feel safe being out alone at night.
2. Eminently driveable. San Diego commuters whinge about the "rush hour traffic" ... they don't know how good they have it!!! During non-rush-hour, mostly everything is under a half-hour drive away. We're 15 minutes from the beach.
3. Supermarket, P.O., stores ... all within walkable distance. Entertainment, hmmm ... we're not interested in paying theater prices for movies. We don't care for nightclubs. We don't seem to want to go to plays or concerts. We pretty much entertain ourselves. We have several casual restaurants not far away. When we want a fancy restaurant ... it's at most a half-hour drive away.
4. We've been on my employer-offered HMO/PPO, so we only know about our care provider. Quite good. The other big care providers here are also well thought of. Senior living options ... I don't know much about them, yet. Maybe one of my retirement 'jobs' will be to volunteer at them in order to check them out.
5. Ah, here's the rub. We (just the two of us) own a small condo. Paid off the mortgage earlier this year. So we have only HOA fees left to pay. And so far, our property tax increases are limited by Prop 13. For someone moving into San Diego, the housing costs will probably be appallingly steep. Utility payments will almost certainly be lower here due to good weather. Apparently, car insurance is lower here than in other places. And all the discussion about taxes in various places seems to get down to being about even overall, though taxes are applied to different things.
6. (Just can't escape it ... 5 is not enough criteria). I am *done* with brutal winter weather, having grown up in Chicago. And our friends live here. I can't imagine moving away from here when we retire (except in dire straits, to move to the UK for health care reasons).
Excellent point, Boompa. It's nice to know that we live in a neighborhood in which neighbors help neighbors and that includes transportation. But unfortunately, that's no longer the norm.
The odds of us staying here in retirement are slim to none. I detest winter and the humid summers are getting to be too much. If I have to choose it will be humidity over freezing my rear off.
Completely agree, the humidity is tiring and the humid summers are getting worse, maybe its just age.
There are a number of quite elderly here and we have a death every several months, one just a week ago, but it hasn't significantly changed things. By the time it might, I could have very well reached room temperature so I'm not going to let it worry me.
I would be interested in the wonderful arts and crafts traditions of the state and the concentration of artists in Berea.
On another note, I may be wrong but I imagine Kentucky to be made up mostly of people who have lived there all their lives, many generations going back. If that's true, how welcoming are Kentuckians to outsiders, especially Northerners or Californians?
There are so many misconceptions about Kentucky. I was born and lived all but the last 3 years of my life in So. California. My best friend is from So. California and lives down the street from me. I frequently meet people that live here that are originally from California or other states. Kentuckians are from all over the world. Yes, there are many native Kentuckians and the ones I've met and very welcoming - some of them are my good friends.
Kentucky has highly rated medical and dental schools with students that come here from all over the United States - many of them stay in Kentucky or return at some point because they fall in love with the beauty, low cost of living and friendly people.
Do keep in mind that we do live in the most affluent area in Kentucky so our experience may not have been the same had we moved to a poor mining town in the Appalacians. However, we have traveled extensively through much of Kentucky and have always been treated well....people are very, very friendly here.
There are artist colonies throughout Kentucky - Berea is a very charming College town with lots of artists, studios and art events.
The Kentucky Guild of Artists and Craftsmen in Berea:
We have a symphony orchestra but there is a musician's strike going on right now and they are in negotiation - it is a wonderful orchestra
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