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Wondering how many of us while visiting friends and relatives elsewhere look at that location from a retirement perspective. Over the last week we have left Raleigh and travelled to Northern Virginia and suburban Maryland . All very high end and very expensive. We have been eating out and getting a reminder of just how expensive and and what the cost of living comfortably in that area entails. Very different from NC. Visited friends who for the most part are retired or hoping to soon be. Left there and headed up to North Central Pennsylvania to visit my FIL and that is a very different world with a much lower cost point than the other two areas. FIL is in a great nursing home with great care and a marvelous regional hospital close by. The community is older and perhaps due to fracking rebounding from years of younger migration away. The cost of housing is miniscule compared to the DC area. One of my friends a realtor told me that a two bed room apartment in a not so nice area of DC costs $1800 a month. Many of the workers in stores etc are probably never going to be able to retire while many in Pennsylvania are/were able to retire in place. It is a mixed bag and each area would probably seem strange to someone from one of the other two areas. I know them all well and it left me wondering and thinking. Have others travelled and made comparisons from the viewpoint of the locals and how they might present their thoughts in this forum?
Have others travelled and made comparisons from the viewpoint of the locals and how they might present their thoughts in this forum?
When I first retired I went on a seeking spree to North Carolina (Raleigh-Cary-Chapel Hill area, and Asheville), South Carolina (Greenville-Spartanburg-Landrum), Virginia (Blue Ridge Mtn towns–Winchester, Salem, Staunton, Roanoke and then into Charlottesville), and all over New England especially Maine. I met and talked with many folks, many of whom looked, or were, retired.
I don't understand your question, but I'll simply say I didn't really gain much in terms of what it was like from their perspective on where they were living at that age. What I was personally looking for was logistics in older/old age. Logistics meaning, how would this place make my life better with its particular amenities, than where I live now?
Besides the beauty of the place on a scale of 1 to 10, what are the hardcore realities for the aging—ease of getting around town, transportation options, juxtaposition of good and less good neighborhoods (crime/safety factor), senior center (Go Charlottesville!), types of eateries and pubs (casual, high quality natural foods), likely entertainment to my tastes for Fri & Sat nights ()...and of course climate and patterns of weather (not to be so easily tracked any more).
Talking with seniors, I got the feeling that we shared the same kinds of logistical concerns in aging, and I surmised that a lot of it has to do with American culture and how our society and cities and towns are structured (around the automobile) and how all that can easily impose a sense of isolation on many of us as we age. Most I talked with have kids and grandkids flung all over the country, adding to the factor of access and possible loneliness. In Landrum SC I ran into a couple in an ice cream shop who were from the next town over from where I live. They sold it all for a great price here and doubled what they had for half the cost there. But they were lonely for their kids and grandkids back home.
Income stratification and inequity are very different in each area and presents different challenges for those at the lower part of the local range. You could get by retiring on 30K and 25K in the bank in small town Pennsylvania and that would keep you at the poverty level in suburburban DC. The high end of the range in NOVA and suburban Maryland is very high as many counties are ranked in the top 15 of wealthiest counties in the country. The Triangle in NC which includes Chapel Hill and Cary are high income yet you have within close range much more affordable housing in nice neighborhoods including trailer communities. As noted $1800 a month will get you a 2 bedroom apartment in a not so nice area of DC. You have many more on section 8 at higher income thresholds there. As experts talk about retirement survivability an dollar amounts it is like comparing apples and oranges in many cases as so much of it is location. Add in the fact that survivability in one area may be very dependent on income earned elsewhere and than taxed on used to pay high salaries to government and related service workers and you have a very mixed bag. At lunch one day in the DC area we were talking about all the people making 100-200K and having trouble getting by. Folks unable to retire on 75K a year etc. Elsewhere you could live might dog gone well. The mind sets of folks were different and the seniors I talk to in Pennsylvania are very friendly and for the most part very content,.
I've often mentioned visiting my friend in Hot Springs Village, AR. I've also visited family members who retired in Huntington, NY and feel very familiar with their lives. In both cases, their lives are quite different from ours. I like many aspects of their lives, yet know in both cases that it's not the life I want, and that I wouldn't want to retire to those areas of the country (as nice as they are).
Short on time tonight. Tomorrow if I get a chance I'll go into detail and point out some of the differences.
Income stratification and inequity are very different in each area and presents different challenges for those at the lower part of the local range. You could get by retiring on 30K and 25K in the bank in small town Pennsylvania and that would keep you at the poverty level in suburburban DC. The high end of the range in NOVA and suburban Maryland is very high as many counties are ranked in the top 15 of wealthiest counties in the country. The Triangle in NC which includes Chapel Hill and Cary are high income yet you have within close range much more affordable housing in nice neighborhoods including trailer communities. As noted $1800 a month will get you a 2 bedroom apartment in a not so nice area of DC. You have many more on section 8 at higher income thresholds there. As experts talk about retirement survivability an dollar amounts it is like comparing apples and oranges in many cases as so much of it is location. Add in the fact that survivability in one area may be very dependent on income earned elsewhere and than taxed on used to pay high salaries to government and related service workers and you have a very mixed bag. At lunch one day in the DC area we were talking about all the people making 100-200K and having trouble getting by. Folks unable to retire on 75K a year etc. Elsewhere you could live might dog gone well. The mind sets of folks were different and the seniors I talk to in Pennsylvania are very friendly and for the most part very content,.
Is there a question or area of discussion around your own situation? Did I read you are thinking of returning to NOVA?
The idea of retiring in a high-COL area could be thought out carefully, as you know. A retiree would ask him/herself exactly what the benefits are. If it's simply prestige to live in a place like NOVA, away from perceived "riffraff," or if there is a tangible return for the money. You could cite all the cultural amenities, which are in abundance elsewhere as well, but if you are stretching the budget to live there will you be able to afford the admission costs of the high-priced events which are not comparable for the same event elsewhere. An ensemble like the former Guarnari Quartet or the St Petersburg String Quartet, for example, would appear in NOVA or LA or NYC at a high-admission venue, but they can be heard in many a college town with a venue that has a great public arts program. You can live in a small town in Maine like Blue Hill and hear practically free live concerts by some of the greatest musicians in the world doing summer programs for the gifted.
IOW, great fine arts abound in many places outside of upscale metro areas. I ran into an original deKooning and other fine artowrk at a small gallery in Peterborough New Hampshire. Etc. etc.
So is it the perceived safety and prestigious angle, when we are attracted to a pricey retirement place? The constructed spreadsheet would tell a lot on completion. Personally, I would not put much stock in many firsthand accounts on visits. I would want to immerse myself in the location to get the real stories.
Now, I still don't get your question. Can you make it more specific? Is it a question or a theory?
I've often mentioned visiting my friend in Hot Springs Village, AR. I've also visited family members who retired in Huntington, NY and feel very familiar with their lives. In both cases, their lives are quite different from ours. I like many aspects of their lives, yet know in both cases that it's not the life I want, and that I wouldn't want to retire to those areas of the country (as nice as they are).
Short on time tonight. Tomorrow if I get a chance I'll go into detail and point out some of the differences.
I'll be interested in your thoughts on the rent/buy discussion with both rental and housing cost so high there. If you don't have a chunk of change, very mature house morgage or a paid for house what do you do if you want to retire and can't afford your mortgage or rent. I guess you don't. Rents in Raleigh are much cheaper and up in PA where I am talking about even less, way less.
I'll be interested in your thoughts on the rent/buy discussion with both rental and housing cost so high there. If you don't have a chunk of change, very mature house morgage or a paid for house what do you do if you want to retire and can't afford your mortgage or rent. I guess you don't. Rents in Raleigh are much cheaper and up in PA where I am talking about even less, way less.
Thus the reason I'd like to move (even though I'm having a tough time convincing hubby of this). Once you get past the high cost of housing, life here isn't all that expensive. Some things (like entertainment) are an incredible bargain. But that hurdle of expensive housing is one big hurdle.
Since your reason for moving to the area is to be near family, here are my suggestions for how to keep housing to a minimum:
1. Of the 3 (DC, MD and VA) DC is easily the priciest. Not just for housing, but also for everyday things such as food, price of gas, etc. The prices in MD suburbs are generally in the middle, VA tends to be a little less expensive. Not all that much, but every little bit helps, right?
2. Avoid the pricier suburbs closer to DC (Alexandria, for example). Reston and especially RTC are also pricey--if you can tolerate being 6-7 miles down the road from RTC head into Loudoun and you'll find lower prices. Also, lower prices can be found south of town. Fredericksburg, Stafford, and the other towns that are out on the fringes are the best bets for low(er) housing costs. Leesburg has a very walkable downtown and relatively low prices. Frederick/Poolesville might have some lower prices, too.
You could cite all the cultural amenities, which are in abundance elsewhere as well, but if you are stretching the budget to live there will you be able to afford the admission costs of the high-priced events which are not comparable for the same event elsewhere.
LOL, actually cultural amenities are the one way in which the DC area is a bargain. The big word here is "free admission." The Smithsonians are free and routinely hold concerts,lectures, etc. that are also free. A wide variety of national festivals are held here, and most of those also include free concerts, etc. Top name performers sometimes give free shows. Many performers like to hold events at national monuments (especially the Lincoln Memorial) and those are free. These include concerts, lectures, comedians (John Stewart's Rally To Restore Sanity, for example, was a free event including both well known comedians and singers like Cat Stevens). At holidays, there are all kinds of free concerts and events (especially July 4th and in December). The embassies also put on events.
There are events you can pay admission for, but to be honest I rarely go to those. You get so used to things being free. But when you do want to go to something that charges admission, those events are often inexpensive.
I bought orchestra seats for The Barenaked Ladies for $45. For many events that charge admission, seniors get deep discounts or free admission on certain days. For example, when the Terra Cotta Warrior exhibit was in town seniors could see it for free on Tuesdays.
Locals also know how to see all sorts of things for free. For example, the National Parks charge admission but locals know how to park for free at the regional park next door and hike in. The Zoo Lights has an admission, but since the zoo is free locals know to stop by the week before and see the lights for free while they're setting it up (and that's actually more entertaining, IMO).
If you live here you can literally find an assortment of free things to do every day of the year. Not only the highbrow events at the Smithsonian, but all kinds of things. For example tomorrow night we're going to a free concert by Keith Anderson.
Finally, simply living at the nation's capital is entertainment in and of itself. Many groups come here to celebrate a cause or push an agenda--that can be fascinating. I've been to most of the inaugurations--those are entertaining, too (except for the last one which got too crowded for my taste). Rolling Thunder arrives for Memorial Day weekend every year and is a sight to see (not to mention they hold a big parade and other events). The orchestras which play for diplomatic functions rehearse by putting on free shows all year. Etc. Etc.
Thus the reason I'd like to move (even though I'm having a tough time convincing hubby of this). Once you get past the high cost of housing, life here isn't all that expensive. Some things (like entertainment) are an incredible bargain. But that hurdle of expensive housing is one big hurdle.
Since your reason for moving to the area is to be near family, here are my suggestions for how to keep housing to a minimum:
1. Of the 3 (DC, MD and VA) DC is easily the priciest. Not just for housing, but also for everyday things such as food, price of gas, etc. The prices in MD suburbs are generally in the middle, VA tends to be a little less expensive. Not all that much, but every little bit helps, right?
2. Avoid the pricier suburbs closer to DC (Alexandria, for example). Reston and especially RTC are also pricey--if you can tolerate being 6-7 miles down the road from RTC head into Loudoun and you'll find lower prices. Also, lower prices can be found south of town. Fredericksburg, Stafford, and the other towns that are out on the fringes are the best bets for low(er) housing costs. Leesburg has a very walkable downtown and relatively low prices. Frederick/Poolesville might have some lower prices, too.
I transplanted from the area and lived there for over 36 years. It is my conversation with folks after being gone five years and when contrasting that with folks in PA amazing.
For a retiree, PA can be a bargain (also the easternmost towns in WV). You'd still be close to your family if you lived in Harrisburg, for example, but housing would be substantially less expensive. Be sure to visit the towns, though, to make sure you're comfortable with the people who live there.
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)...and of course climate and patterns of weather (not to be so easily tracked any more).
For many events that charge admission, seniors get deep discounts or free admission on certain days. For example, when the Terra Cotta Warrior exhibit was in town seniors could see it for free on Tuesdays. 
