The best place to retire isn't florida (Phoenix, Scottsdale: living, costs)

[Fl1150]

Originally Posted by Colt Cassidy

This is news? Surprisingly these comparisons between Florida & Arizona continue.

Exactly.

[infocyde]

I groan every time I see Prescott mentioned as a retiree destination. Close to 1 in 3 are over 65 and retired here. It is becoming geezer city and all the cali transplants are slowly driving up the housing cost. A lot of local families have bailed for lack of jobs and the expense up here. All you old farts are greying out the young'ens. But hey if you are in the medical field and get along well with retirees, there is gold in them thar hills!

And I'm not against retirees on an individual basis. I've met many retirees that are wonderful people up here. But I'd like to see a more balanced demographic and an economy that isn't based more and more on servicing retiring baby boomers.

[duranforemansuperfight]

Every 15 years the Orlando area gets down into the teens at night. In early 2010 one day, Orlando area residents were treated to daytime temps in the 30s. Orlando can get into the 20s at night once every decade in November. Not to mention if you live in the Orlando area long enough you will eventually feel night temps in the 30s on one or two nights in April and October. Real tropical paradise huh??

Orlando is gloomy as heck in summer unlike Phoenix or Tucson

[Jukesgrrl]

Originally Posted by Ponderosa

Not much. Haven't been to a doc in a couple years. I don't take any pills. If it ain't broke don't fix it. Even then, healthcare is available everywhere. Who is to say that the doc in Sun City are any better than those in Smalltown, Ohio? I suppose if you need it you can get extraordinary care in a city like Phoenix, but I doubt that is what is on the minds of most who come here.

Au contraire. I hear it all the time. Many people of retirement age have a lot of health problems and don't just want any healthcare — they want top-flight healthcare. And they want it close. People want to have a hospital nearby for emergencies. Ask any Realtor if people looking for a retirement home inquire about the area's doctors.

I have my mother living with me who is nearing 90. As I have mentioned here many times, she has 11, count 'em, 11 different doctors. Every physician is a specialist these days. Once when she had a fall she broke some bones in her face and injured her arm in several places. We had to get different doctors for her wrist and her elbow, not to mention the ENT who had to take care of her broken cheekbone. I'm not kidding. If I had to add long drives to every one of her doctor appointments, I would have gladly moved years ago. You might say, well ole doc Jones in Smalltown could do all that at once (and you might be right) but, believe me, people like my mother think they're getting better care if they have specialists.

For example, it's a big draw for North Scottsdale to have the Mayo Clinic and the good ratings the medical center in Chandler is getting draws retirees there, a place that is known more as a family area. If you're the kind of person who seeks medical treatment as a court of last resort (and I empathize because I am one myself), they this isn't an issue for you. But today far more people are like my mother.

You can thank the drum beat of the media and its fixation on medical-related infotainment and pharmaceutical companies for their advertising budgets. Elderly women, especially, seem to enjoy going to the doctor and many people of all sexes and ages seek out medical professionals for every ache and pain they have (or imagine they have).

[RenW]

I'm not even close to retirement age and I already view top notch medical care important. Once yourself or a love one has a major medical issue it opens your eyes. My mother was gravely ill several years ago and none of the smaller medical centers could diagnose her. She finally went to a medical center akin to Mayo Clinic to get diagnosed and treated for a rare form of cancer. I regularly drove an hour and a half to pick her up and then an additional hour and a half to the medical center. Some early morning treatments and multiple appointments required us to stay overnight. Thank goodness we had a Hope House to stay in sometimes but the accommodations there were more akin to dorm rooms than hotel rooms.

I feel very fortunate that we have Mayo Clinic in this area. The reality is that the older we all get the more medical care we all are going to need. I'd like to retire to an area other than Phoenix, but access to a top notch medical group is what is likely to keep me in a more metro area.

[pbenjamin]

We live 4 blocks from St. Joe's and about 2 miles from (what used to be called) Good Sam. Didn't move here because of that but not a bad thing.

[capitalcityguy]

As someone living in the northern most city that made the top 10 (Des Moines, IA at #5) but not retired, I find this list interesting. When I retire in 12 or 15 years, I plan to maintain residence here for many of the reasons Des Moines made the list. That said, because of the less-than-desirable winters, I do plan to snowbird somewhere south like AZ.

This just makes me wonder how many positive responses from current Des Moines retirees came from those that live there 12 months of the year and how many are actually snowbirds during December - March. In other words, for someone saying they retired to Arizona, I assume it means they live there year round. I'm not sure it is safe to say the same holds true for retirees in Des Moines? Not sure though so would be interested in what others think.

[Renegade007]

Arizona - the best place to retire! Hooray!

[PROFILE CLIMB]

Originally Posted by Ponderosa

Not much. Haven't been to a doc in a couple years. I don't take any pills. If it ain't broke don't fix it. Even then, healthcare is available everywhere. Who is to say that the doc in Sun City are any better than those in Smalltown, Ohio? I suppose if you need it you can get extraordinary care in a city like Phoenix, but I doubt that is what is on the minds of most who come here.

I live by the same principal, if it ain't broke don't fix it!

[Jnvlv247]

Good FL is overcrowded with New Englanders and in general, just overpopulated

They both have good resources for an aging population but my father likes AZ because hot dry heat is good for his arthritis and other pain issues

Florida is a cheap Hawaii and Arizona is a cheap CA