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I've read lots and lots of posts on CD in many forums about people looking for a walkable town or city to move to, whether for retirement or not. (Walkable meaning the ability to live within walking distance of some services or amenities in a given location, not just restaurants and cute shops.) I'm wondering if retirees, in particular, find this important, and if so, what cities and towns they have found that fit this criteria (besides NYC and Boston, both of which are a long way from my price range, and probably the price range of most CD posters on the retirement forum ). And if walkability is not important to you now, what are your plans for managing your transportation needs as you grow older and have less ability/desire to drive.
I found out by a lot of on the ground searching that the idea of "walkable town" is kind of misleading. All towns are walkable, first of all. Second, unless you live on a street adjacent to downtown, you won't be walking the town from home (most likely). You will be getting in a car to get to the downtown, or to stores elsewhere.
e.g., Boston is not a "walkable town," it is a big city. It's the neighborhoods that are walkable, and of course there are not a lot of stores within neighborhoods, you have to drive to get to them.
If you live in Denver (LiveContent), LA (Escort), New York (Mathjak), you can get plugged in to a very good public transit or cab system that brings you to the exact area you want to walk. That, imo, is more valuable than moving to a town that is in some sense "walkable" but you still have to use a car to access most things. (Some of these towns are more suburban, so to get to a city for cultural amenities, you are driving, not accessing public transit to get there...unless it's a place like Boston that has the T to get you to some closeby suburban areas).
I live in a walkable town, but I seldom walk around town. I walk (in good weather) or drive (mostly) my dogs to the in-town college park where I can walk beautiful paths around ponds and access (without the dogs of course) the campus library and museum, greenhouse, pool, etc.
If I ever move again, it would be one or the other: great walkable neighborhood within a city with a closeby city park, or another college town with a campus. I don't need to walk to stores, etc from my house. If it's a final move, think age 80 (optimistically ) and what you'll most likely be able to do at that age. Hopefully everything, but if not, what do you want very close access to. (I don't need a hospital in my town, a half-hour away will do, but I do want and need a park.)
Didn't really care about the walkable town aspect of retirement myself. I'm not too worried about getting around as I get up in years. My parents are in their mid-80's and my dad can still drive all over the place (even drives 8 miles to Costco for a hot dog). Likewise, other relatives also are driving through their 80's, even part way across country (400 miles a day) and not making a big deal about it.
I understand many don't feel this way or have concerns though. My own observation is that there are a ton of small towns with great services within walking distance and many larger cities have good conveniences too for walkers. For example, if you want to walk to stuff and live at a moderate price you can live in an apartment/condo/house near Chagrin Blvd and Van Akin Blvd in Shaker Heights, Ohio, near Cleveland, and be within walking distance of pretty much anything you need. As a bonus, you'll also be a short public transportation ride from the great Cleveland Clinic. Likewise, you could get an apartment in Philadelphia near Grant Ave and the Roosevelt Blvd and have everything within less than a mile from your door. Out here in Northern California, an apartment in the smaller towns of Davis, Placerville, Vacaville or Auburn would give you similar conveniences.
I've read lots and lots of posts on CD in many forums about people looking for a walkable town or city to move to, whether for retirement or not. (Walkable meaning the ability to live within walking distance of some services or amenities in a given location, not just restaurants and cute shops.) I'm wondering if retirees, in particular, find this important, and if so, what cities and towns they have found that fit this criteria (besides NYC and Boston, both of which are a long way from my price range, and probably the price range of most CD posters on the retirement forum ). And if walkability is not important to you now, what are your plans for managing your transportation needs as you grow older and have less ability/desire to drive.
Of the big cities on the east coast of the United States, Philadelphia is probably the last of the "affordable" ones to live in - certainly much cheaper than New York, Boston, Washington, etc. I know of no other big city where you can still buy a decent house for under $100,000; or where - if you are a senior - public transportation is free.
Although I have a car, I could survive without one. Within 10 blocks of my house (a walking distance) are hospitals, Eye Institute, veterinary hospital, supermarkets, drug stores, liquor store, restaurants representing at least 20 cuisines (including Japanese, Mexican, Thai, Ethiopian, Greek, Vegetarian, Jewish Kosher, Morroccan, Vietnamese, Italian, etc.), a museum of archeology and anthropology, multi-screen movie theater, semi-professional live theater, city public health clinic (free 'flu shots), art league, 3 universities, and a thousand pizzerias (it seems) ... within 10 blocks of my house.
Last edited by Clark Park; 01-27-2013 at 04:54 PM..
Not important to us. We live out in the boondocks on a lakeshore. The closest village is nine miles away. It has three cafes, three liquor stores, five or six churches, a small flea market, a taxidermist, an over-priced gas station, the rural elementary/middle school, the high school, our rural post office and 167 souls. For any real shopping, including food, pharmacy, hardware/building supplies, doctors and hospital, etc., we have to drive 19-25 miles in the opposite direction.
What happens in the future happens and we'll likely move closer to civilization; or maybe not.
Location: We_tside PNW (Columbia Gorge) / CO / SA TX / Thailand
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Many small colllege towns are walkable. In other towns, often there is a senior transport option.
While I hope to drive till I'm 100, the following 'smaller' towns are on my bucket list for walkable (I don't go east).
Wenatchee, WA
Walla Walla, WA
Chico, CA
San Luis Obispo
Prescott, AZ
Ft Collins, CO
Colorado Springs
Las Cruces, NM
Ogden, UT
Bozeman, MT
Missoula, Mt
Spearfish, SD
So what IS walkable? (within a certain distance? on flat land? on sidewalks only?) What destinations are we talking about? (restaurant? grocery? hospital? window-shopping? train? park?) Need I be as fit as I am now, or more so? Are we talking from the viewpoint of an energetic teenager, a lazy teenager, an octogenarian? a person hauling a shopping basket?
It is also hard for me to envision walkable in the same sentence as new housing, which so many people claim to want. (Or to imagine new housing in the same sentence as tree-shaded streets.) Yes, some college towns are filled with little stores and cafe's but does a 60 year old want the same ambience as a 19 year-old?
It becomes hard to even discuss "walkable" when it is clear it means different things to different people.
Walkable is a personal thing. Walkable to me is 1-and-a-half miles in and 1-and-a-half miles back. To some, walkable might mean steps, just several. Walkable means sidewalks, not having to cross highways or walk past gas stations or underpasses. To me, walkability means destination walking. I want to walk to something, maybe it's coffee, maybe it's a river, maybe it's picking up a newspaper. Walkability is similar to pizza. Some folks like deep dish, some like thin crust. Define walkability.
Santa fe NM, Ann Arbor MI, Madison WI, Athens GA, Not only are these medium sized towns walkable they also have college campuses close by to attend free lectures and other activities to keep you mind occupied.
Many small colllege towns are walkable. In other towns, often there is a senior transport option.
While I hope to drive till I'm 100, the following 'smaller' towns are on my bucket list for walkable (I don't go east).
Wenatchee, WA
Walla Walla, WA
Chico, CA
San Luis Obispo
Prescott, AZ
Ft Collins, CO
Colorado Springs
Las Cruces, NM
Ogden, UT
Bozeman, MT
Missoula, Mt
Spearfish, SD
This is a very good list. I'm familiar with Walla Walla, Missoula, and Colorado Springs. All very liveable. Walla Walla is much smaller than the other two, but quite charming. I hear SLO is nice, but of course pricey.
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). And if walkability is not important to you now, what are your plans for managing your transportation needs as you grow older and have less ability/desire to drive.
) and what you'll most likely be able to do at that age. Hopefully everything, but if not, what do you want very close access to. (I don't need a hospital in my town, a half-hour away will do, but I do want and need a park.)
