News, 5 Best and Worst States for Retirees (50+, Canada, communities)
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I managed to have a career where I traveled over much of the US, and I took advantage of that to figure out what areas appealed to me and which did not. Of course every area has plus and minus features, and what you might think is a plus, I might think is a minus - and we are both right.
What to me would make sense (well, I *am* an engineer) would be a spreadsheet loaded with 1-10 scores for taxes, services, etc - although again when it comes to "climate/weather" we don't all like the same things - so weather would break down into "cold" "hot" "sunny" "cloudy" and if you don't like cold, for example, you would give it a "0" weighting factor - anyway allow the user to input weighting factors for each attribute, then do an RMS average (an n-dimensional hyperspace where "sucks" is at the origin, and it gets better the further your vector goes from the origin). Then sort from best to worst.
I'm ignoring negative attributes, you would need to do a separate negative spreadsheet to rate tornado frequency, days over 100F, days under 0F, etc. To include this you would have a positive sheet, a negative sheet, and each area's score would be positive minus negative.
You guys still with me?
It's a complicated question, so simplistic answers like "5 best, 5 worst" tend to be over-simplifications.
Shouldn't rat-race states like CT, NJ and MA be in the worst five? I'd rather deal with snow for 3 months of the year than continue to be exposed to the rat-race, even passively as a retiree. Retirement should be about relaxing and pursuing rewarding interests first and foremost.
I don't know about NJ, but MA and CT are not rat race states. Both states have cities, and if you live in or near a city you'll be in the rat race. I've spent my entire life in either CT or MA and never yet have lived in a city. Rural or small town, that's all. Most of MA is forest! The western part is mostly rural and the extreme western part, which borders on NY state, is very low in population. The extreme western part of the state gains population in summer due to NYers and Bostonians who go there to enjoy summer theater and classical music performances; the rest of the time, it's sparsely populated.
Both CT and MA are nice retirement states if you can find a place that's affordable. Unfortunately the two states have so much to offer in terms of culture and natural beauty that the prices have gone way up. If you've hung onto a moderately priced house for years, you can still live in that house--just don't go trying to find a retirement community that's affordably priced! The developers are greedier than ever and are only building for multi millionaires.
I don't like these kinds of lists, either. I would like to think that most people have the good sense to know what's best for themselves and don't need to rely on some "list". I mean, who would read something like that and move away to some random place based on that? The people I know (including us) knew where they wanted to be long before they ever retired.
The problem with all of these lists is that we all have our individual "musts" and "wants."
For example, many retirees choose to live near their grandchildren. That alone might be the determining factor. Also, for those with low future incomes, e.g. an income mostly from just SS, picking a low COL place and moving away from a high COL place may over ride their other wants.
The advantage of reading these lists and reading in general on C-D is that you might learn something new that might influence your decision.
For example, I never knew details about the prevailing culture in the bible belt. After reading numerous posts here, I realized that no matter how affordable those places might be, I would never fit in.
So the message is make up your own list. Figure out what will work best for you. There is a lot more to life than just finding the lowest possible taxes and lowest possible cost of living.
The problem with all of these lists is that we all have our individual "musts" and "wants."
For example, many retirees choose to live near their grandchildren. That alone might be the determining factor. Also, for those with low future incomes, e.g. an income mostly from just SS, picking a low COL place and moving away from a high COL place may over ride their other wants.
The advantage of reading these lists and reading in general on C-D is that you might learn something new that might influence your decision.
For example, I never knew details about the prevailing culture in the bible belt. After reading numerous posts here, I realized that no matter how affordable those places might be, I would never fit in.
So the message is make up your own list. Figure out what will work best for you. There is a lot more to life than just finding the lowest possible taxes and lowest possible cost of living.
Yes, I agree. We all have different tastes and needs. It's not just about COL. But if you read the different threads you tend to find out where you might fit and and where you wouldn't fit in. However, even by reading, you don't know everything. You really find out by testing the waters.
I tested a little bit and found that I really don't want to move to the south. The summer heat and humidity when I visited just about knocked me over. The proliferation of junk food "restaurants" in the area that I almost moved to were a major turn off and the only real restaurants were apparently for the elite.
Then I found out that planes come over and spray for mosquitoes just about every week in the long summer--pesticides in the air? No thanks. I understand why they have to do it but still, I don't want that.
Then there's the religion issue and, from what I hear on CD, people ask you what church you attend? Not for me.
So, even with the higher COL, I'm a New Englander born and bred. That's where I feel most at home--any of the six New England states suits me. I hate our winters but I like the people, the emphasis on education. I love mountains, meadows, ocean, I enjoy really good art museums, and I've never lived anywhere else--it may be a love-hate relationship at times, but I'm stuck here. This is home.
I don't quite understand this concern that I keep seeing about being asked what church you go to, if you move to the South. We lived in South Carolina for four years back in the early 80s and during the time we were there, we got asked maybe 2 or 3 times. My wife would just say that she was a Latter Day Saint and that was that; nothing further.
We have now been in Tennessee for three weeks and during that time (and all the visits we made prior to moving here) not one person we have talked to mentioned religion whatsoever. And if they do, we'll just tell them what we did in South Carolina and go on our way; no big deal.
I don't quite understand this concern that I keep seeing about being asked what church you go to, if you move to the South. We lived in South Carolina for four years back in the early 80s and during the time we were there, we got asked maybe 2 or 3 times. My wife would just say that she was a Latter Day Saint and that was that; nothing further.
We have now been in Tennessee for three weeks and during that time (and all the visits we made prior to moving here) not one person we have talked to mentioned religion whatsoever. And if they do, we'll just tell them what we did in South Carolina and go on our way; no big deal.
I never had any problems either. When I would move into a town, occasionally I would have a pastor come to my door. We would talk for a few minutes and they would leave. Occasionally, i would offer lemonade or iced tea. On occasion, we would become friends.
... Then there's the religion issue and, from what I hear on CD, people ask you what church you attend?
I find that I am asked that question about once a year.
I don't think it was ever a topic all the years I lived in Connecticut [around New London]. But that is a lot more urban than Maine. I think it is a more likely topic when living in a rural region.
misquotes?.........I can count on one hand the number of bites per summer and I go bareback
humidity?..........when I was caretaker for my dying wife I could only leave the house at certain times. I went for my 2.5 mile walk every afternoon bareback at 2pm .
My first year (2012) we had several days above 100.
It didn't feel much worse than stacking hay bales in Minnesota on a hot day.
religion?........churches everywhere ! However, I drive 20 miles to a small Catholic church and am about the only person in my neighborhood who moves their car on Sunday mornings.
I truly enjoy the mild 4 season climate, beautiful scenery, low real estate taxes.
The only drawback is being so far from my kids and grandkids..........certainly not anything having to do with religion,humidity, or misquotes.
I managed to have a career where I traveled over much of the US, and I took advantage of that to figure out what areas appealed to me and which did not. Of course every area has plus and minus features, and what you might think is a plus, I might think is a minus - and we are both right.
What to me would make sense (well, I *am* an engineer) would be a spreadsheet loaded with 1-10 scores for taxes, services, etc - although again when it comes to "climate/weather" we don't all like the same things - so weather would break down into "cold" "hot" "sunny" "cloudy" and if you don't like cold, for example, you would give it a "0" weighting factor - anyway allow the user to input weighting factors for each attribute, then do an RMS average (an n-dimensional hyperspace where "sucks" is at the origin, and it gets better the further your vector goes from the origin). Then sort from best to worst.
I'm ignoring negative attributes, you would need to do a separate negative spreadsheet to rate tornado frequency, days over 100F, days under 0F, etc. To include this you would have a positive sheet, a negative sheet, and each area's score would be positive minus negative.
You guys still with me?
It's a complicated question, so simplistic answers like "5 best, 5 worst" tend to be over-simplifications.
We are definitely going to do our final screening using a balance scorecard approach.
We are definitely going to do our final screening using a balance scorecard approach.
You can make yourself crazy over thinking this too looking at every little fact and percentage. Once a certain place has the basic things you want or "need" then it's up to you to decide how much you like it. A spread sheet isn't going to do that for you.
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