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Just a FYI: Something that helped me a lot in my search for a place to move to was Sperling. You can compare cost of living, etc. on this site between cities, etc. I compared where I am now to the places I thought I would like to move to and that helped me a lot to make my decision.
Gee, I never thought NC would end up on this kind of list. I guess alot of things have changed there in the last few years. Still, it's just another list and we already have too many of those already.
Gee, I never thought NC would end up on this kind of list. I guess alot of things have changed there in the last few years. Still, it's just another list and we already have too many of those already.
Yep, every time one of those lists appears, most of us question its validity. But they are sometimes interesting, and I confess I always look at them out of curiosity.
For starters, I think most people relocating for retirement are going to avoid the entire northern tier of the country because of the rather severe winters. If you take the border between Missouri and Iowa and extend that line in both directions, I'll bet very few retirees will be relocating north of that line. Perhaps many who already live north of that line will elect to stay there, but that's a different matter entirely.
The high cost of living areas are also well known: New York, DC and environs, all of urban California are probably the worst, but one would have to add many other large metro areas too. I keep reading that the COL in Boston is right up there with the worst, for example.
State taxation is a major component of cost of living, of course. Again, the worst culprits are well known and must include California. But on Kiplinger's 2015 list, I note that Nebraska, Minnesota, and Oregon are also characterized as "least friendly" tax-wise for retirees. Who would have guessed (other than those who live there)?
Location: Approximately 50 miles from Missoula MT/38 yrs full time after 4 yrs part time
2,308 posts, read 4,122,972 times
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If you were to assign a "%" to (5) factors that you would take into consideration when researching, visiting, and finally selecting an area within a state, (or a specific city or metro-area within a region),...what would those percentages be:..................................
...Allow me to continue (or increase) my participation in my hobbies & interests:....................30%
...Overall Weather Conditions that I find acceptable throughout the year................................25%
Example: Summer months with avg high temps not over 90F &
avg Humidities not over 70%.........Winter months with avg Low temps
approx 20F and light snow fall.
...Total overall "Taxes" that are approx (within 10%) of where I had been living......................10%
...A modest "home" on at least 3 acres, just outside the city limits of a town of approx 5 to 10
thousand people (with 'adequate' medical services and within a 45 minute drive
of a city of 75K to 90K pop with 'highly rated' medical services.)..........................25%
...A 'Cost-of-Living' within 10% of where I had been living............................................ .........10%
Obviously the 'subjective summary' stated above represents what I would consider "ideal" for me!
and would be subject to some degree of adjustment.
If you were to assign a "%" to (5) factors that you would take into consideration when researching, visiting, and finally selecting an area within a state, (or a specific city or metro-area within a region),...what would those percentages be:..................................
...Allow me to continue (or increase) my participation in my hobbies & interests:....................30%
...Overall Weather Conditions that I find acceptable throughout the year................................25%
Example: Summer months with avg high temps not over 90F &
avg Humidities not over 70%.........Winter months with avg Low temps
approx 20F and light snow fall.
...Total overall "Taxes" that are approx (within 10%) of where I had been living......................10%
...A modest "home" on at least 3 acres, just outside the city limits of a town of approx 5 to 10
thousand people (with 'adequate' medical services and within a 45 minute drive
of a city of 75K to 90K pop with 'highly rated' medical services.)..........................25%
...A 'Cost-of-Living' within 10% of where I had been living............................................ .........10%
Obviously the 'subjective summary' stated above represents what I would consider "ideal" for me!
and would be subject to some degree of adjustment.
Comments and constructive thoughts are welcome.
My wants, needs, and compromises keep getting tweaked every few months as I get closer to a decision, but currently, I would say this is where I stand:
...Overall climate much more tolerable than where I am now (upstate NY)...................30%
Even an improvement of 2 to 3 growing zones warmer is something I'd consider "more tolerable"
...Tax base that isn't choking me dry the way NY is................................................ .........30%
...Small home on large lot (approx 1-3 acres); not isolated but not smothered.............25%
...Proximity to medical services, shopping & infrastructure.................................... ........10%
You never know when an emergency might equate to "GET OUT OF DODGE!"
...Opportunity to enjoy surrounding areas within 3 hours of home..................................5%
LOL.....even writing that just now, I was thinking how any one of those could be a deal breaker. God I hope I'm not still on the fence about this in five years!
Gee, I never thought NC would end up on this kind of list. I guess alot of things have changed there in the last few years. Still, it's just another list and we already have too many of those already.
Sooner or later every state in the Union ends up on any list you can imagine for retirees. They have to publish every year, lol.
I always thought I'd move out of MN but, after living in the country with family for 2 years and now, getting into the one senior building in town (it's a VERY small town), I am loving it. People are so friendly and because my grandparents lived here for many years & then two brothers bought the farm when they decided they were too old, everyone knows them. The church my mom went to (and where she and my grandparents are buried) is 2 miles from the farm, so I don't have to go into a long explanation of my background.
who would guess I would like this? I'm usually a loner but these folks are bringing me around, although they do respect my privacy. I may get tired of it but I don't think so. Due to my income, I pay 335 a month, which includes utilities and cable, for a one bedroom apt. And it's a nice apt. The manager is the daughter of two of my clients before I had to finally quit. I was doing housework here, way different from the community organizing I did before I was laid off, and her folks and I got along terrifically, which was a great relief to the daughters.So I am treated well. Also, so many people knew my mom. I may change my mind in the winter but for now I am here to stay. So, so different from living in a large city.
Good grief, after doing some comparisons here, I should move to Tennessee.
Maybe next time?
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Comparisons
