Thinking of retiring to Charlottesville (Richmond, Madison: real estate, university, income)

[grasstree]

What advice can anyone pass on? Real estate costs are fairly easy to figure out, but what I am having a hard time getting a sense of is what the area is really like in terms of social atmosphere, general cost of living, activities that don't involve UVa, and variety of restaurants. I currently live in Bloomington, Indiana, where Indiana University offers a wonderful range of activities and where the variety and quality of cuisines is quite good, but Bloomington doesn't offer much social life for those of us "senior singles" who are 5 years either way of age 60 unless you are in a relationship or willing to attend things solo.

[roanoker 4]

The location of Charlottesville is hard to beat. It is an hour from Richmond, 2 hrs to DC(there is an Amtrak also), close to much outdoor acitivity like skiing,
boating, etc. I am also in your age group and I know there are many people who have retired there from outside of the state. The income levels there are among the highest so acitivities in social clubs must be popular among seniors.
If you look about 2 hours south at the Smith Mountain Lake area it is full of folks like us. I don't think you will be bored here.

[Runningmist]

I'm not at an age for retirement but I do recall in a magazine that listed the top places to retire....Charlottesville was at the top of the list. This was because of UVA. The money and diversity that the 'research' university brings to that area makes it an ideal retirement community. Very similar to University of Wisconsin @ Madison. Outside of UVA, it is my understanding that not much else exists in that area. JMU and Eastern Mennonite are around the corner but don't have the influence of UVA.