Retiring to Portland - are we too old for this town?

[gumster]

Originally Posted by HonuMan

My wife and I are 60 and 51 respectively. We've been in Portland for 12 years, and in all likelihood, we'll retire here. We don't really think in terms of "senior activities," just activities that sound interesting to us. Through attending cooking classes and other classes, participating in volunteer groups, and so on, we've made a small network of good friends of all ages. They in turn have introduced us to other friends. By virtue of shared experiences and interests, our circle of friends is weighted toward Baby Boomers, many of whom are retired, but we have friends in their 20s, 30s, and 40s, as well. A lot of people on this forum complain about the preponderance of young hipsters in Portland, but my wife and I don't attend the clubs or events that cater to them, so they don't negatively affect our lives. In short, we're never at a loss for activities to participate in, or friends to go with. So unless you're specifically interested in structured activities aimed only at seniors, I think you'd find Portland a great place to retire.

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HonuMan: That you've described i terms of making contacts with people through activities that you enjoy is exactly what my wife and i were hoping for! The reduced pricing of the waterfront condos sounds attractive, but I think our interests might be better served by living in a more central and "built-up" area such as the Northwest. Now we have "merely" to wait until later this year when the intended purchaser of my practice takes over and we become "free at last".

My thanks to all who replied. Your comments have been helpful. I'm not expecting Portland to be the "perfect retirement community" (particularly with respect to weather), but my wife and I have found it to be such an interesting city during our visits... and have found so many transplants to be so effusively happy about having made their own moves there.

[Aylalou]

Originally Posted by Nell Plotts

As one who is in her late 60s I say BS to the nay sayers. is dynamic and I know a couple of the buidlings very well.

There are lots of community activities that attract an older crowd, much depends on your taste.

Not only that, I would think if your health is good, Portland and environs will keep you young longer!

[TheSheldonCooperative]

You're DEFINITELY NOT too old for Portland. The movers and shakers that made Portland what it is today (cutting edge, progressive) are all about that same age, and they haven't slowed down. They have a very strong presence, even if your first glance feel of the downtown area feels very young. Outside of the Pearl and into NW or the West Hills you will find the same age group.

If you're looking to move to the Pearl or NW Portland, you should check out The Sheldon Cooperative. (The Sheldon Cooperative - Community, Security, Home (http://www.thesheldoncooperative.com - broken link) or join our facebook group page to hear what's going on in the area - events, project details, news). It's an age 55+ urban Co-op Community that's located right on the streetcar line (across from the Legacy Hospital, in case you ever need it) in a very walkable neighborhood. The Sheldon is located on NW 19th & Lovejoy. Our main wow-factor is the wonderfully supportive community (making friends won't be a problem), but our other amenities (like ~10,000 sf of common space, garden, fitness center, etc.) will amaze you.

It was created by a bunch of friends who didn't like the other options out there for "senior housing" or "retirement communities." Our average age is early 60's, and all of our members (we're half full) are very active in the community (those same movers and shakers I mentioned!). Take a look and see if it fits...scheduled to be completed in ~2012

Good luck on your decision. I don't think you'll regret moving to Portland (assuming you schedule a tropical vacation around march). There's something called the "Portland Flow" that many people experience when moving here...everything just seems to flow and come together easily! Also, our summers have been described as "Nirvana" :-) Cheers!

[JakeDog]

You want to retire in the rain? Do you enjoy arthritis being inflamed by cold humidity? Portland is a nice city and would be fine to retire in 50% of the year, but many portland residents retire to Central Oregon, Hawaii, or the desert (Palm springs or Arizona) for at least part of the year.