1 of the Worst Places to Retire? (Memphis, Knoxville: crime, motels, home builders)
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I find it very odd that California and New York made neither the worst nor the best list since people flee those two states in droves when they retire. I find it odd that unemployment is part of their criteria. Since everybody that is planning to retire always asks how much snow we get, I'm surprised that temperature is part of the criteria but snowfall is not. I believe the crime stats but I'd like to know what percent of the violent crime is domestic.
The more I think about it, the more I realize how hilarious this list is. A lot of these lists are erroneous, but this one has to be the most bizarre. The Dakotas? Seriously? Do they realize how many people are interested in retiring to Tennessee? The Dakotas and Iowa, well, not so much. And who the heck retires to Connecticut? And I'm from there.
The list is compiled by someone too young to understand what one looks for when retiring. Using unemployment statistics is the first clue that the research is being done by someone interested in working not retirement. If you click through to the original articles (links below) you start realizing this is not written by someone with any idea about what the average person is looking for in retirement. Even taken that it is written for Money Rates and skewed to those who are wealthier, the criteria are not focused on comfortable climate and access to leisure activities with lowered costs which most active retirees look for.
Second clue, when cold winters are not seen as a deterrent. This person has not heard of things like "snowbirds" or felt how deeply cold can be felt by those whose metabolism is no longer robust. If a person is looking to leave the place he or she has spent while a wage earner, especially if leaving family behind, it is almost always for a milder climate, not one that is as or more harsh.
Third clue: Retiring and retired people have had the time to learn what this researcher/article writer hasn't figured out yet, that is: life expectancy of an area is dependent on what the population that is covered has done for most of its life. You don't increase your life expectancy by moving to an area with a higher life expectancy (with the exception of moving right next door to the Mayo Clinic perhaps). If you've eaten poorly and smoked your entire life moving to a place where people live to be 100 because they didn't smoke and ate well won't change your life expectancy one bit.
Fourth clue: When an article glosses lightly over high taxes and cost of living you know the person is not on a budget or limited income like pension, SS or living off of savings and 401Ks. Every senior and near senior I know has that as concern 1, 2 and 3! Especially after the last couple of years have reduced the values of paid for homes, cleaned out 401Ks, cut pensions and reduced health-care coverage. You better believe cost of living and tax burden are very important!!
As a recent retiree this set of articles was at best a sad joke. Perhaps it's a view of what Gen X or Y thinks a BabyBoomer should want?
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Quote:
Originally Posted by hiknapster
Let's take a look at their top picks. Would you want to retire there?
1. New Hampshire. Weather. 'Nuff said.
2. Hawaii. Sure. If you can afford it.
3. South Dakota. Weather and well, just no.
4. North Dakota. See: "South Dakota"
5. Iowa. Weather.
6. Virginia: Okay. I can buy that.
7. Utah. That one, too.
8. Connecticut. Expensive, weather.
9. Vermont. Expensive, weather.
10. Idaho. Too brown and too many transplants.
That is funny. Your list beats theirs. I only have to say, Utah? Nah.
Interesting to see the article talking about Hawaii's high life expectencies when I just read an article not too long ago about how they've finally started to separate Pacific Islander out of the broader Asian group and discovered that the life expectancy for Native Hawaiians is shockingly low.
As for this list, unemployment rate isn't a top level factor, but is a factor nonetheless. It's common these days for many seniors to go back to work part time, either because they need the money or they like the socialization and figure that the paycheck is a nice perk that lets them also get a few more of the 'wants'. Also, the better the economic situation is for the working age people in the area, the more they're willing and/or able to fund services for seniors in their area. Want to keep the local senior center staffed and on the utility grid? Chances are, that's funded by local taxes either directly or indirectly. Same for many other senior programs like a good chunk of the local meals-on-wheels budget (state and federal government typically pay 50-70% of the cost of running that and leave the locals to pay their match after that)
And there also tends to be a correlation between high levels of unemployment or underemployment and high levels of crime.
Utah- if you're LDS, it can work very well. The southern part of the state is utterly awesome for active retirement activities and the church provides a heckava social structure for all ages in that faith.
Over the years, I have read hundreds of articles on the "Best Places to Retire." Five authors can look at the same City/Town/State and give you five differing opinions on what makes a great place to retire.
Ultimately, we are all different and look for various factors when choosing a place to live. Weather issues: Some people enjoy hot weather all year long and would choose Florida, Arizona, Southern California, New Mexico, Texas. There are others that enjoy the four seasons and still others that actually like cold weather. So this factor alone will separate us all.
Suburban vs. rural: There are people that have to live in a big city that offers night life, cultural activites, high end shoppping and restaurants. You can have it. I do not enjoy big cities at all, other than for a quick visit. Some people enjoy the peaceful serenity of rural life and could care less about night life. They create their own entertainment and activites.
Family: The number one factor for many is the proximity to children and grandchildren. They want to be near to their loved ones and would not even consider a move out of the area.
Cost of living: For those on a limited income, this is a HUGE factor on where they plan to retire. People that have a larger income or net worth will not let this be a factor in where they live.
There are many other factors/issues that each one of us consider when we choose where to live. So the "Best Place to Retire" for you may not be the "Best Place to Retire" for the next person. Ultimately, you have to figure out what criteria is most important to you, do your research and make the best decision you can based on all available information.
I absolutely agree. Unemployment can be a factor. Unfortunately, a lot of seniors don't take it into account. They look more at weather and cost of living. Yet, local schools and unemployment does affect them even if they don't work because it is a factor in local crime.
However, comparing swFlorida, where I use to live, and Knoxville are like apples and oranges. Our school system is great and theirs is mediocre, at best. Their unemployment rate is 13.9 and Knoxville's latest rate is 7.7 percent.
Quote:
Originally Posted by beachmouse
Interesting to see the article talking about Hawaii's high life expectencies when I just read an article not too long ago about how they've finally started to separate Pacific Islander out of the broader Asian group and discovered that the life expectancy for Native Hawaiians is shockingly low.
As for this list, unemployment rate isn't a top level factor, but is a factor nonetheless. It's common these days for many seniors to go back to work part time, either because they need the money or they like the socialization and figure that the paycheck is a nice perk that lets them also get a few more of the 'wants'. Also, the better the economic situation is for the working age people in the area, the more they're willing and/or able to fund services for seniors in their area. Want to keep the local senior center staffed and on the utility grid? Chances are, that's funded by local taxes either directly or indirectly. Same for many other senior programs like a good chunk of the local meals-on-wheels budget (state and federal government typically pay 50-70% of the cost of running that and leave the locals to pay their match after that)
And there also tends to be a correlation between high levels of unemployment or underemployment and high levels of crime.
Utah- if you're LDS, it can work very well. The southern part of the state is utterly awesome for active retirement activities and the church provides a heckava social structure for all ages in that faith.
They had Nashville ranked 9th natiionally this year and last year. It is getting so bad in the metro area, not just in Davidson county.
Anyway, here is the 2010 State Crime Rate Rankings (http://luckyrooster.net/Crime_State_Rankings_2010.pdf - broken link) (PDF reader req'd).
That website said Tennessee is 46th, last year 45th.
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