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A thread title caught my attention in the Urban Planning forum. It was about suburban poverty which got me interested in poverty rates around the country. Do you think it's helpful in choosing a retirement area or at least something to keep in mind, especially if living for years in a low poverty area and moving to or near an area with a much higher poverty rate?
I don't know about this specifically but I have come to the realization that many of the states touted as being best COL for retirement; i.e. no taxes, low COL etc. are also often the states with high poverty and few services. No taxes? No services either. Not a problem if you are well off enough to live in the ritzier neighborhoods of the best one or two cities of the state.
I guess then it doesn't make as much a difference.
But if you live in no tax, low COL type place with say a higher crime rate due to poverty, you aren't as likely to have as much a police force etc.
I don't know about this specifically but I have come to the realization that many of the states touted as being best COL for retirement; i.e. no taxes, low COL etc. are also often the states with high poverty and few services. No taxes? No services either. Not a problem if you are well off enough to live in the ritzier neighborhoods of the best one or two cities of the state.
I guess then it doesn't make as much a difference.
But if you live in no tax, low COL type place with say a higher crime rate due to poverty, you aren't as likely to have as much a police force etc.
Why would any senior citizen consider re-locating in retirement to a high crime rate area?
I insisted on a low COL , but certainly scratched any area off my list that had a high crime rate.
I fail to see the correlation between low COL and high crime rates.
Be careful making judgments based upon maps like these in that the quality of life in many areas is not well measured by income.
There are areas with better than average income that have many residents that are stressed and not comfortable, and there are areas where many in a low income area are living a satisfying existence.
You have to spend a little time in a place to really know.
This is a good thread for all of us considering a move. We are in the process of looking at DE and FL and thought it might be a good idea to stop in a county office when visiting to check on charges for services (in addition to talking with residents). We are going from a high tax state (MD) but we do have decent services provided with property taxes. I guess we will just have to weigh all options.
Be careful making judgments based upon maps like these in that the quality of life in many areas is not well measured by income.
There are areas with better than average income that have many residents that are stressed and not comfortable, and there are areas where many in a low income area are living a satisfying existence.
You have to spend a little time in a place to really know.
Also, cities with a large proportion of college students appear poorer than they are.
Boulder popped out as one example of the student population dragging down the average. Durango was another.
This is a good thread for all of us considering a move. We are in the process of looking at DE and FL and thought it might be a good idea to stop in a county office when visiting to check on charges for services (in addition to talking with residents). We are going from a high tax state (MD) but we do have decent services provided with property taxes. I guess we will just have to weigh all options.
Yessssssssssssssssssssss, you do. Avoiding high poverty levels when transplanting can be very important as in of critical importance. Remember much of senior services and support are based on state and local revenues and somebody has to pay the bills. Especially when you become elderly and need senior centers, meals on wheels and other simple support services if needed. Somebody has to pay the bills. Maryland is robbing Peter to pay Paul and even with considerable wealth transfer Paul still wants more. If more of the Peters start to move out Paul could be hurting.
May I ask what types of services to seniors you were looking at? I'm curious because I'll have to consider these things in the near future. Thank you.
I can guess at some of them. Do all states provide free assistance to seniors concerning purchasing Medicare plans? How about dial-a-ride or some other sort of car or van service when you are too old to drive or if you are alone and need transportation to and from a medical procedure? Some kind of van service to the grocery store.
Meals on Wheels--low cost meals delivered to seniors who are unable to cook for themselves.
Free services like someone calling you every day for a wellness check. This is valuable for anyone who lives alone and is in poor health or just lonely. There are also free visits for shut ins so that they have someone to talk to.
Help with fuel costs in you live in a freezing cold climate and can't afford it. Help with prescription costs for people who can't afford it.
Even if you think you will never need these things, you never can tell. Also, I like knowing that people in my town who need these services can get them. I'd hate to think of an elderly person suffering from the cold in their home because they can't afford the high heating bill. I'd hate to think of an elderly person practically starving because there's no meals on wheels or other food delivery service.
The services are not just for the poor--I know a 74 year old middle income woman who gets many of these services because she has gone blind from glaucoma. She has high medical bills due to her health issues. If you're rich, then you can ignore it, but these are things that the average person needs to consider.
(Note: let's not get into a hateful argument that the elderly person brought the problem upon themselves because they didn't save/went to Starbucks/didn't invest well, etc. Hard luck is just that--and it's often caused by medical problems that cause huge expenditures.)
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