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Washington state west of the Cascades. If you stay away from Seattle and it's suburbs housing gets more affordable. There are "rain shadows" where it does not rain as much as other areas. Cliff Mass Weather Blog: The Spada Lake Anomaly
Hello, this is my first post but have been reading this forum with interest since I am closing in on retirement in a year or so.
I am a native Iowan who lived there 31 years before moving to Southern California in 1988 to seek new career opportunities, and subsequently lived in Kentucky, New Jersey, and finally back to California in 2006 where we have been ever since.
Now with retirement so close, and trying to decide where to spend our retirement years, we are having a house built in West Des Moines, Iowa and will soon be moving back there. Why go back to the cold weather when we are already in Southern California's paradise weather? Many reasons, including four seasons, very little crime, friendly people, affordable housing, great health care, a sense of community and a slower pace of life.
We considered many other places including staying in California, Arizona, Texas, Florida, the Carolina's, the Northwest, etc. We could have moved anywhere, but we chose Iowa and the Des Moines area in particular, in part because the city (and state) ranks among the best in the U.S. for retirement in several reports.
Maybe we will feel differently 5, 10 or 20 years from now, but for now we are Iowa bound for retirement and looking forward to it.
Hawaii is about 30% more expensive than San Francisco, it is VERY expensive and with retirement you need to think about healthcare which is crap in Hawaii.
What is your housing budget? If you can afford Hawaii, go for it. If you live comfortably in Iowa on $75,000 a year, you'd need $122,000 a year to have the same lifestyle in Hawaii.
Texas, Florida, Coastal Georgia, and Coastal South Carolina are all good choices.
Honolulu is expensive. I was in Hilo last month, which is reasonable. City Data has the basic details. Houses average about $250k. Utilities costs are very low. Many houses don't have or need either A/C or heat. If you must eat food imported from the mainland, costs will be high. Most people eat differently and eat local foods. Hilo has very decent hospitals but in keeping with the relatively small population, none are big tertiary care facilities. Hilo is not a rich resort area and there are very reasonably priced restaurants and services. I have a retired relative who lives there and he gets by on a very low social security check.
Looking for ideas…My wife and I are in our mid-50’s and are on track to retire in about 5 years. We have lived our whole lives in northwest Iowa where we have long cold winters. It is our desire to move someplace that has warm weather year-round. Walking/biking trails are a necessity. Shopping and restaurant choices are desirable. We currently have a second home on a lake, so living on or near water would be an option. The only other criteria – my wife is completely horrified of snakes, and I hate them, so would prefer to avoid areas where they exist.
Move to Sioux Falls and escape during the winter. Sell your home on Okoboji if you need to. I just moved back to Sioux Falls after being in CA for 35 years. It's working out great....loe the cost of living and amenities and I can be gone during the winter however much I want.
Hello, this is my first post but have been reading this forum with interest since I am closing in on retirement in a year or so.
I am a native Iowan who lived there 31 years before moving to Southern California in 1988 to seek new career opportunities, and subsequently lived in Kentucky, New Jersey, and finally back to California in 2006 where we have been ever since.
Now with retirement so close, and trying to decide where to spend our retirement years, we are having a house built in West Des Moines, Iowa and will soon be moving back there. Why go back to the cold weather when we are already in Southern California's paradise weather? Many reasons, including four seasons, very little crime, friendly people, affordable housing, great health care, a sense of community and a slower pace of life.
We considered many other places including staying in California, Arizona, Texas, Florida, the Carolina's, the Northwest, etc. We could have moved anywhere, but we chose Iowa and the Des Moines area in particular, in part because the city (and state) ranks among the best in the U.S. for retirement in several reports.
Maybe we will feel differently 5, 10 or 20 years from now, but for now we are Iowa bound for retirement and looking forward to it.
I did virtually the same thing. Lived in CA for 35 years. Near San Francisco. Moved to Sioux Falls, which is very similar to Des Moines. I am saving about 30k a year which I can use to travel, etc. if I want to. The quality of life here is multiple times better than it was in the San Franciso Bay Area. Just got back from Vegas again yesterday. Will be in Alaska this summer etc...gone for 4 weeks to Thailand this winter.
I totally get why you are doing it. I'm doing the same thing. The new, very nice apartment I am in here would be four times what I"m paying if I lived in the Bay Area. And it wouldn't be a new one.
You are probably experiencing a very low cost of living in comparison to most places that will fit your list. Have you looked in the Arkansas area, maybe close to one of the lakes? I would recommend the high desert here in NM but not if you want to be close to water. There will be snakes of one sort or another in most places.
Seattle: Cascadia subduction earthquake, once every 300 years on average, and presently overdue. One of the biggest earthquakes in the world. Far bigger than any earthquake in California. No city has been known to ever survive it, because no cities existed there 300 years ago.
Iowa: Very high radon levels.
Las Vegas: Very hot and lots of crime.
Arkansas: Retired consumers pay more tax than in most places.
Almost any place you can think of, has lots of good reasons not to move there.
Seattle: Cascadia subduction earthquake, once every 300 years on average, and presently overdue. One of the biggest earthquakes in the world. Far bigger than any earthquake in California. No city has been known to ever survive it, because no cities existed there 300 years ago.
Iowa: Very high radon levels.
Las Vegas: Very hot and lots of crime.
Arkansas: Retired consumers pay more tax than in most places.
Almost any place you can think of, has lots of good reasons not to move there.
The regions I would most avoid in a move are tornado states. Warm weather in the South/Midwest = tornados
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. Robyn
