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Here is one area I looked at that seemed to have a mixture of a relatively low cost of living and good demographics: The Raleigh area. I looked at homes in Cary NC and found you could buy a house for $200,000 that was similar to the houses in my hometown of Rockville MD that would cost over $500,000. Plus the Raleigh area had a very high percentage of people who had college degrees. I don't want to be a snob but I have found that the towns with a high percentage of college graduates and people who worked in jobs that required advanced training or education had a better selection of shopping, great places to eat, cultural opportunities, libraries and good parks and schools, etc. The places that were cheap did not have any of these things.
Any ideas other than Raleigh?
Thanks for sharing your information about Raleigh.
I hear your dilemma, and I can relate to it. I would be very very unhappy in those hundreds of small cities and towns where the cost of living and housing prices are low.
Honestly, even Raleigh wouldn't do it for me ... because I enjoy going to concerts performed by first rate world class symphony orchestras (I'm going next week to see the Philadelphia Philharmonic Ochestra at the Kimmel Center of Performing Arts), first rate art museums, a huge plethora of interesting and exotic restaurants, a thriving night life (I like piano bars and jazz clubs), art and foreign film festivals, ethnic street fairs and festivals, the ballet, professional live theater of Broadway caliber, programs and lectures that only a top notch university would offer, a hospital and medical center that is rated in the ten or so in US News & World Report, parades, fireworks, great parks, historic districts, notable architecture, and so on.
Less than ten big cities fill these criteria for me - Chicago, New York, LA, Boston, Washington, Atlanta, perhaps San Francisco, Seattle and Miami. These places are NOT cheap to live in. Only Philly is still affordable and offers this big city boy the lifestyle he craves.
The issue that we are struggling with is that the location that might be great or ideal at age 55-60 will likely be very far from ideal when you are age 80+. What do you do when you get very old and the nearest family member is 1500 miles away??
This critical question is what I've been asking over and over on CD....for myself and others. Boy it would be wretched to be far, far away from family members at the end-stage of life (unless you didn't like your family to begin with). Many have the resources to move back (or be moved back), while many do not. Our adult kids and growing grandkids have very busy lives and little time off (with which they want to vacation, understandably, not visit us old geezers 1500 mi away.) The cost of air travel and hotels if needed is not cheap. If I had the resources and wanted to spend time in say FLA or CA, I would get a time share there and continue living close to family.
Honestly, even Raleigh wouldn't do it for me ... because I enjoy going to concerts performed by first rate world class symphony orchestras (I'm going next week to see the Philadelphia Philharmonic Ochestra at the Kimmel Center of Performing Arts), first rate art museums, a huge plethora of interesting and exotic restaurants, a thriving night life (I like piano bars and jazz clubs), art and foreign film festivals, ethnic street fairs and festivals, the ballet, professional live theater of Broadway caliber, programs and lectures that only a top notch university would offer, a hospital and medical center that is rated in the ten or so in US News & World Report, parades, fireworks, great parks, historic districts, notable architecture, and so on.
Less than ten big cities fill these criteria for me - Chicago, New York, LA, Boston, Washington, Atlanta, perhaps San Francisco, Seattle and Miami. These places are NOT cheap to live in. Only Philly is still affordable and offers this big city boy the lifestyle he craves.
I'm with you. I live within short driving or train distance to NYC, Boston, and Hartford. In the summer, the Berkshires abound with high quality arts (Tanglewood where I have heard Yo Yo Ma and James Taylor and countless other notable musicians, Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival, Williamstown Theater, Williams College Art Museum and the Clark Art Institute and Museum). I can trip to Boston for the Isabella Stewart Art Museum, or into NYC to the Met Opera. Some of the finest int'l poets and novelists speak on the college campuses. I do enjoy fine fiddlefests as well, and miss those from my years in Missouri (where I also heard the likes of Frederica von Stade in concert).
I guess my point is twofold: we probably want to stay close enough in retirement to the kinds of cultural events we have always loved, and also that these kinds of culture, even the high-brow, can be found in many places in the U.S., not just the cities we would immediately expect to find them in. Destination vacations are also possible, such as fine music and literary festivals in the most unlikely places (Blue Hill, Maine?).
Location: On the "Left Coast", somewhere in "the Land of Fruits & Nuts"
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Originally Posted by Clark Park
Thanks for sharing your information about Raleigh.
I hear your dilemma, and I can relate to it. I would be very very unhappy in those hundreds of small cities and towns where the cost of living and housing prices are low.
Honestly, even Raleigh wouldn't do it for me ... because I enjoy going to concerts performed by first rate world class symphony orchestras (I'm going next week to see the Philadelphia Philharmonic Ochestra at the Kimmel Center of Performing Arts), first rate art museums, a huge plethora of interesting and exotic restaurants, a thriving night life (I like piano bars and jazz clubs), art and foreign film festivals, ethnic street fairs and festivals, the ballet, professional live theater of Broadway caliber, programs and lectures that only a top notch university would offer, a hospital and medical center that is rated in the ten or so in US News & World Report, parades, fireworks, great parks, historic districts, notable architecture, and so on.
Less than ten big cities fill these criteria for me - Chicago, New York, LA, Boston, Washington, Atlanta, perhaps San Francisco, Seattle and Miami. These places are NOT cheap to live in. Only Philly is still affordable and offers this big city boy the lifestyle he craves.
So basically what you're saying is, you want all the world-class urban upsides.... with absolutely no compromises and none of the big city downsides. Oh, and you especially want it to be cheap (kinda like a Lexus on a Kia budget)?!
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
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Originally Posted by newenglandgirl
I'm with you. ....high quality arts ......we probably want to stay close enough in retirement to the kinds of cultural events we have always loved, and also that these kinds of culture, even the high-brow, can be found in many places in the U.S., not just the cities we would immediately expect to find them in. Destination vacations are also possible, such as fine music and literary festivals in the most unlikely places (Blue Hill, Maine?).
Similarly, why I enjoy Portland, OR in the summer... Chamber Music NW. Portland Baroque (I prefer small groups, as that is what I did in competition for many yrs (in another life...).
To get on the 'Volunteer / usher" list takes serious efforts, fortunately I have 'connections' with the symphony and a couple other bvenues that allow free entry on occasion.
I do enjoy getting 'carded' when using my Student ID Makes me feel young again.
Less than ten big cities fill these criteria for me - Chicago, New York, LA, Boston, Washington, Atlanta, perhaps San Francisco, Seattle and Miami. These places are NOT cheap to live in. Only Philly is still affordable and offers this big city boy the lifestyle he craves.
Chicago, Atlanta, Seattle, Miami and Chicago ... they may not be affordable for you, but they are and would be for a whole lot of people. I sense you're standards or expectatons are at the high-end price-wise. Not everyone has to live an expensive lifestyle. Most often, it's a choice.
i really like Charlottesville, VA, a vibrant university town and as I'd mentioned, a great senior center with all kinds of things to do besides bingo. While the homes may be pricey, here is a condo that I could see living in in older age:
Property taxes are under $1400/year (don't know what the condo fee is).
When looking, do a satellite view and you can see the surrounding streets and buildings/homes.
The only thing that would deter me is the summer heat ~ will not live south of the Mason Dixon line.
This looks really nice. About the only negative I see is the bath tubs that are showers. Stepping in and out of those tubs are an accident waiting to happen for me. I want one of those walk-in ones.
So basically what you're saying is, you want all the world-class urban upsides.... with absolutely no compromises and none of the big city downsides. Oh, and you especially want it to be cheap (kinda like a Lexus on a Kia budget)?!
On the contrary. The amenities - cultural, gastronomical, educational, historical, social, medical, etc. - of living in a very big city does come with a LOT of downsides. I am willing to make compromises and pay the price (within reason) to persue the urbane lifestyle that I enjoy.
My point was simply to state that some cities are more expensive than other cities. I believe NYC, Washington, San Francisco, and LA are too pricey for me. Philly is surprisingly inexpensive to live in for a big city.
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Makes me feel young again.
