View Poll Results: What is the most improtant consideration for where you will retire?
Quality of health care
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0%
Taxes
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0%
Cultural richness like plays, music, events, art, etc
0
0%
Political climate (red or blue state)
0
0%
Geographic features like ocean, mountains, or lakes
0
0%
I don't want to leave
0
0%
Voters: 14. You may not vote on this poll
Best places to retire
05-05-2014 | 11:31 AM
#1
Thread Starter
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 34,113
Likes: 109
From: Canton, MA
Best places to retire
I just read this article on CNN about so-called Best States to Retire In. Here is the link:
http://money.cnn.com/2014/05/05/reti...d=HP_Highlight
I might consider 2 that are in the top 10. The article really stressed the quality of health care. I have to say, that is not something I focus on as a requirement, but maybe that is because I am not familiar with states that have poor health care. Also, I'm fortunate enough that I will probably always have a place in Massachusetts on the Cape and so I take the availability of Massachusetts health care for granted.
Anyway, the article got me wondering what some of you might consider critical to your decsion about where to retire. I have politics as one of the important characterisitcs of the state where you might retire, but that is not an invitation to discuss politics here.
http://money.cnn.com/2014/05/05/reti...d=HP_Highlight
I might consider 2 that are in the top 10. The article really stressed the quality of health care. I have to say, that is not something I focus on as a requirement, but maybe that is because I am not familiar with states that have poor health care. Also, I'm fortunate enough that I will probably always have a place in Massachusetts on the Cape and so I take the availability of Massachusetts health care for granted.
Anyway, the article got me wondering what some of you might consider critical to your decsion about where to retire. I have politics as one of the important characterisitcs of the state where you might retire, but that is not an invitation to discuss politics here.
05-05-2014 | 11:41 AM
#2
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 35,823
Likes: 169
From: 262 miles N of the Dragon
1. South Dakota topped Bankrate's list. Its low taxes, lack of crime and easy access to quality healthcare make it the country's best state for retirees <=== what about all the cold and snow???? 
2. Colorado: Not only does Colorado offer much milder winters, <== milder than where? The Dakota's... thats not saying much!
3. Utah: Utah offers up plenty of options for both nature lovers and city dwellers. <== guess I need to look at this state.....
4. North Dakota: Residents here have to deal with some of the coldest weather in the country. <== gotta be kidding me, who would move there!!
5. Wyoming: For a tax-conscious retiree, there is no state better than Wyoming, <== yeah,..... right... move to Wyoming!
7. Montana: Retirees have plenty of room to roam in Montana. <== yeah... roam without seeing anyone for days!
8. Idaho: Idaho not only has the lowest crime rate in the country, but it's also one of the most affordable states. Residents do pay higher taxes here than in other Mountain states, though the tax burden remains below the national average. <== get all the bakers you want cheap!
9. Iowa: Another cold state to make Bankrate's list, Iowa boasts low crime and living costs and high-quality healthcare. <== the company I work for has a plant in Iowa... no way I'd move there!
10. Virginia: One of the warmest spots on the list, Virginia has one of the lowest crime rates in the country. <== now this could be a possibility!
2. Colorado: Not only does Colorado offer much milder winters, <== milder than where? The Dakota's... thats not saying much!
3. Utah: Utah offers up plenty of options for both nature lovers and city dwellers. <== guess I need to look at this state.....
4. North Dakota: Residents here have to deal with some of the coldest weather in the country. <== gotta be kidding me, who would move there!!
5. Wyoming: For a tax-conscious retiree, there is no state better than Wyoming, <== yeah,..... right... move to Wyoming!
7. Montana: Retirees have plenty of room to roam in Montana. <== yeah... roam without seeing anyone for days!
8. Idaho: Idaho not only has the lowest crime rate in the country, but it's also one of the most affordable states. Residents do pay higher taxes here than in other Mountain states, though the tax burden remains below the national average. <== get all the bakers you want cheap!
9. Iowa: Another cold state to make Bankrate's list, Iowa boasts low crime and living costs and high-quality healthcare. <== the company I work for has a plant in Iowa... no way I'd move there!
10. Virginia: One of the warmest spots on the list, Virginia has one of the lowest crime rates in the country. <== now this could be a possibility!
05-05-2014 | 12:03 PM
#5
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 43,933
Likes: 3,034
From: Arlington, VA
Probably a combo for me (us). I like the Mid Atlantic - VA/NC/SC, having grown up pretty much in the East. My mother is from NC and I spent many fun times there. My niece lives there and my sis in FL may move there. My mother is here. I specifically love where we live now, and I have lived for the past 18 years - in a lovely condo building in Arlington, VA, right across the river from Georgetown in DC. The +1 has been around since 2005. 
There is really nothing not to like here. I guess the expense would be a factor for some. It's not a cheap location. But this area just offers so much in terms of quality of life that we are staying for the duration. We have a beautiful view of the river/city from our balcony (you've seen many of my sunrise pics with the Washington Monument visible in many of them) and the location is ideal for getting around on public transportation (the subway is two blocks away) and walking to restaurants and shops. But anyone would have to live here in Arlington or close in to DC to make it work, since traffic in this area is bad. Fortunately, we are not in our cars much, and definitely not on the worst roads like the Beltway, 66 or 95. Arlington County is considered one of the best counties in the country. It is progressive (liberal for the most part) and environmentally conscious. We are near Reagan National Airport, which makes it very convenient to travel. All in all, I can't say anything bad.
There is really nothing not to like here. I guess the expense would be a factor for some. It's not a cheap location. But this area just offers so much in terms of quality of life that we are staying for the duration. We have a beautiful view of the river/city from our balcony (you've seen many of my sunrise pics with the Washington Monument visible in many of them) and the location is ideal for getting around on public transportation (the subway is two blocks away) and walking to restaurants and shops. But anyone would have to live here in Arlington or close in to DC to make it work, since traffic in this area is bad. Fortunately, we are not in our cars much, and definitely not on the worst roads like the Beltway, 66 or 95. Arlington County is considered one of the best counties in the country. It is progressive (liberal for the most part) and environmentally conscious. We are near Reagan National Airport, which makes it very convenient to travel. All in all, I can't say anything bad.
05-05-2014 | 12:46 PM
#6
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 42,334
Likes: 5,919
From: Mish-she-gan
You left off the most important one - the wife. 
She's not going anywhere, so neither am I. For many the grass looks greener in some other state for all the reasons they list but they don't even list one of top items to consider and that's friends. Friends you can count on, not just people you know. I might reconsider where in the state to live but at this stage of my life I've no desire to leave the state. The only option we have talked about is trying out the 'snow bird' approach and going to FL for a month in the winter.
She's not going anywhere, so neither am I. For many the grass looks greener in some other state for all the reasons they list but they don't even list one of top items to consider and that's friends. Friends you can count on, not just people you know. I might reconsider where in the state to live but at this stage of my life I've no desire to leave the state. The only option we have talked about is trying out the 'snow bird' approach and going to FL for a month in the winter.
05-05-2014 | 03:12 PM
#7
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 8,632
Likes: 810
From: Lewes, DE
Delaware covers some of the important choices on this survey. Low taxes, no sales tax, very good health care, modest winters (except this past one), close to major cities (Philly, Baltimore, New York, D.C.) Rolling hills of North Del. to sandy beaches of lower Del within 2 hours., well managed and bipartisan governor and congressman. Close to kids/grandkids and good friends and 4th best bicycle friendly state. Staying put. Like Dave says, grass is always greener on the other side.
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05-05-2014 | 03:33 PM
#8
Registered User
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 205
Likes: 0
From: Lafayette Colorado USA
I retired at the end of 1999, in Colorado where I was born, spent most of my life.
It made no sense to me to sell the stuff, move somewhere where I was not
sure I would like, incur new debt, etc. etc.
By the by, the house we live in was built for my mother with my late father's meager inheritance, I bought it from her in 1964.
The one thing we did before I retired was insure we were debt free, remained that way to this day.
I suspect the weather had more to do with the choice of remaining here. No twisty wind, very few really cold days, a bit of snow in the winter, a bit of drought in the summer, almost no hail storms, did I mention NO TORNADOES. I could go on and on but I sure won't because we already have too many people here and we damn sure don't need any more.
Jon
It made no sense to me to sell the stuff, move somewhere where I was not
sure I would like, incur new debt, etc. etc.
By the by, the house we live in was built for my mother with my late father's meager inheritance, I bought it from her in 1964.
The one thing we did before I retired was insure we were debt free, remained that way to this day.
I suspect the weather had more to do with the choice of remaining here. No twisty wind, very few really cold days, a bit of snow in the winter, a bit of drought in the summer, almost no hail storms, did I mention NO TORNADOES. I could go on and on but I sure won't because we already have too many people here and we damn sure don't need any more.
Jon
05-05-2014 | 05:36 PM
#10
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 14,462
Likes: 1,714
From: Delawhere???
Delaware covers some of the important choices on this survey. Low taxes, no sales tax, very good health care, modest winters (except this past one), close to major cities (Philly, Baltimore, New York, D.C.) Rolling hills of North Del. to sandy beaches of lower Del within 2 hours, well managed and bipartisan governor and congressmen. Close to kids/grandkids and good friends and 4th best bicycle friendly state. Staying put. Like Dave says, grass is always greener on the other side.
Being another resident of the First State, I could not agree more with Ray, for all the reasons he stated. 
Even though I own some property in North Carolina, there is no way I would move.I would love to have a second home in Colorado (sorry, joncallihan), because I think it is also a great state, albeit for different reasons. (not
)