The 10 Best States for Retirement

"6% of people aged 55 to 59" moved. Of course not. That is nearing the end of their working career and it would be hard to find a job. A better stat would be how many move from ages 62 to 68.

Editor comment. Good point Susan. We should have added the other data point MarketWatch had, which was for people aged 65-69 (they didn't seem to have the data for 60-64, but interpolating between these other ranges seems like it wouldn't be much different). We added the 65-69, and in fact the % of people in that group is even smaller! Go figure, not sure why.

I am thinking myself that if I leave Washington, DC, I need to do it while I am in my 60's and can easily make the move.
It is overwhelming, but since I have been forced into early retirement, I am thinking maybe I should consider my options now. I am 63.5 and I have a lot of equity in my apartment in a co-op. It would last much longer in another area of the USA, but I also want a walk firendly place that does not require a car and activities that don't cost an arm and a leg--which I also have here. The hunt is on....

Since I am not part of the 2% that controls 98% of the wealth in America finances are critical in my retirement place decisions
Seems like Georgia and South Carolina top that on my list
Coastal areas have oppressive Hurricane and flood insurance fees. Gated communities have huge HOA fees in most cases
That leaves towns or cities that have Universities or Hospitals as the town major employers.

Jennifer,

Consider Western Washington State if you want to be next to water. Washington has no state income tax, one of only 7 that doesn't. And, Olympia, WA, was recently named one of the best cities in America. It is our State Capital, has good bus service and there is lots to do here. Of course, if you don't like rain, it probably is not for you. In winter, we get rain at sea level, not snow. I suggest you check it out and I'd be happy to answer any questions as I live in a suburb of Olympia.

Sharon

Sharon,
My brother lives in Portland, Oregon and loves it. I think I would love the moderate temperatures, but not sure about the rain. I loved it when I lived in Cairo, Egypt for several years mainly because the sun was brilliant from morning to night with few days of cloudiness from sand storms. How about Reno NV, does anyone know anything about that area? It is also a state with no state taxes. Sharon have you always lived in Washington State? How much rain do you actually get each year? Thanks for the recommendation..

Sharon, if you loved Cairo's sunshine, you might well have trouble with the PacNW's overcast and rain. I'm a sun lover and I sure have trouble dealing with the lack of sun here in PDX. From friends who live there, the entire Reno region is growing. That includes Carson City and area around it. From what I'm hearing, housing prices are rising. In NV you'd have sun but also the rest of the West's climate troubles. Not worse than anywhere else, just different, especially from the east.

Hi All
I've just completed the third installment of my article about Lake Tahoe retirement which reviews some less expensive alternatives. Reno is definitely at the top of the list! I cover some other surrounding towns as well. Make sure to check it out-- it is coming out soon!!
Flo

When deciding "best places to retire" health care availability has never been a consideration? It is an important factor for retirees to be near good health facilities.

Jennifer, the PNW usually gets less rain in inches than most people think. Many times it is just a mist. In fact, most long timers in Western Washington don't even carry an umbrella. I have lived in this area about 30 years. I know some people struggle with SAD (seasonally affected disorder) due to the lack of sun in the winter. What keeps a lot of people here is the beautiful surroundings. With all the rain, it is brilliant green most of the time and the summers are glorious. If your means allow it, I would suggest renting here for a full year to see if it was for you. I know people who moved to areas that were arid and like a desert but they came back because they missed the greenery. Each person has to pick what is right for them.

Sharon, what are the "rest of the west's climate troubles?" Thanks.

I have lived in the PNW for most of my 56 yrs. When my husband retires in a few yrs we are moving to AZ or NM. I can't take the dark, dreary, gloomy & mostly wet winters anymore. We wait so long for summer and 1/2 the time it usually rains. Plus it's VERY expensive. Another reason we are moving. I'm in Vancouver WA now and it's less expensive than the Portland Oregon area, but not by much. Email me at gg1121@live.com if you have any questions? I'm still trying to find someone that has retired to New Mexico

My wife and I are trying to decide between Richmond, VA and Charleston, SC. Does anyone have any thoughts on those places? Thanks.

Jennifer
If you have lots of money come to Washington State. Most of us retiree's are leaving can't afford it anymore.

Coming from southern CA the land of relentless sunshine, we found Seattle and Portland oppressive with its lack of sunshine for days and days on end. OK, maybe the actual amount of rain isn't crazy high but there is still a lack of sunshiny days that, some years, is up in the mid 200s. We've found eastern WA more to our taste with much drier weather and much warmer in the summer and colder in winter, so if you like four seasons, it would be worth looking into. Coeur d'Alene, Idaho is another splendid place and the state government is a bit more balanced than WA.
I think so much depends on what you're used to and how much of a change you want. We're relocating to TN because it has four seasons, not too cold in winter, seldom with snow. We were there in July and August last summer and it didn't seem like the heat and humidity were terrible, even at that time of year. Also, such a lovely waterway giving a boating route to the Great Loop.
We visited twice before making a decision.
Good luck, everybody and go live your dreams!

Hi Laura:

I have a friend who just relocated two years ago to Tennessee and he loved it there. He had been living in Gulf Breeze, Florida and hated it.Before that, he had a lovely farm in New Hampshire. He died just after the new year of natural causes. I am glad that he loved Tennessee. He was in a nice area of Nashville (Lenox Park) not far from Brentwood. I like four seasons and dreary dark days most likely would not be good for me--I can hardly take it after the Holidays until March and I am now in Washington, DC. I do have to watch my finances and am looking for a small, yet upscale place. I will have simple needs once I am settled.

Add me to the group of PacNW residents bothered by the lack of sun. It isn't the amount of rain, its the number of cloudy days that are the problem west of the Cascades. Oddly, Oregon has a very high incidence of melanoma in spite of the cloud cover. One theory is that the sun cuts thru the clouds but people don't think to protect themselves from it.
Laney

I agree with all the comments about the "gloomy" days in winter. It all depends on the person. It does not bother me and I am happy to live somewhere that snow does not need to be shoveled. Lived in New England for about 12 years and although there were sunny days in winter, didn't like the snow part. Regarding Tennessee, I have several friends from New England who have moved to Tennessee (another State with no state income tax) and they love it for the reasons already mentioned. I am told cost of living is reasonable and there are four seasons but they are all mild. The downside are tornados but every place has a downside. I think if one is making a major life move, if possible, it is good to spend a couple months in the area you think you might like. Good luck on your search, Jennifer.

Sharon

Thanks Sharon, it is definitely a huge decision that we make as to where we will retire. I can see why many stay in place and just travel for a few months to the sun or to the snow. My grandmother loved the snow and ice, she lived on a lake in Michigan and she and my grandfather would even ice fish in the winters and had a snowmobile. The cost of living was low and there was a university nearby where they could take computer classes. They also took an RV trip to Alaska on the Alcan Highway for their 50th wedding anniversary. They spent time in Florida and Arizona and did not care to go back. It was one way to try out new places via the RV. Still after all the travel they stayed in Michigan. I have been amazed for years that people who live in heat want to retire to moderate climates and those who live in snow want the sun and heat of the southern states. I love reading the reasons why people move and where. Also after living in a new state many come back to their home states to live out their final years.

About Richmond. The City, IMHO, is not well run with high taxes, questionable services and a troublesome crime rate. The surrounding counties, however, are another story. The Richmond Region has excellent health care with new facilities popping up all over the place. Cost of living may depend on where you are coming from. Air service is improving, but expect to change planes on long distance flights.
Richmond has a number of excellent cultural venues, especially the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, and the symphony. There are lots of breweries, wineries, cideries, and even some distilleries nearby.
Housing runs the gamut from high rise to farms. Goochland County to the west is known for equestrian pursuits, and New Kent , to the east for golf.
The mountains and ocean are about two hours away. Washington, DC is about a hundred miles to the north.
We have a four season climate, sometimes in the same week! Summers are humid, but probably not as much as Charleston.
Richmond is the southernmost outpost for Wegmans and the northernmost outpost for Publix. We also have Coscto, Trader Joes, Kroger, Aldi, and Lidl. Mall stores include Nordstroms and
Saks.
There are lots of restaurrants, both local and chain.
We’ve taken lots of trips over the past few years looking for the perfect retirement spot and have decided to stay here and travel.
As with any relocation decision, do your homework. Visit for an extended period before making a decison to move.
Hope you find your perfect place.

I live in NY and so dislike the cold ,dark snowy days. I hope to retire next Jan. at 65 -my husband and I hope to move to Arizona -he has health problems ,so the "dry air" is what we are looking for-so he can breath easier. The prices of homes have gone up so much and HOAs since I first started looking.I know the best thing as everyone has said is to go and spend some time where you are planning to move and I agree, but his health is not good so traveling and the stress of it makes it not possible.We have always lived in the country with lots of land around us not in areas with houses close by, but know that will have to change.We need good medical care near by and Arizona sounds like does have many good hospitals.I worry about finding a safe area-the crime rate as people say can be so different in just a small area.I like reading all the info.people give here and are thankful for. If anyone has more info. Arizona I'm all ears. Thank you

To Sandyg, there is a Mayo Clinic in Phoenix, for excellent medical care.

To Jennifer: My cousin and her husband, who reside in Michigan and own an RV, have spent this winter in the Phoenix, AZ area. My cousin said they would never move to Arizona because they miss trees and greenery too much. Fortunately, because of the RV, they were able to find this out without making a move. As others have said, if you have the opportunity to spend a few months in an area you might like, that would be best. There are things one finds out by living somewhere that may not be apparent in just a few weeks vacation. Good luck.

Sandyg, given that travel for your husband is basically out, you may want to consider buying a de-humidifier or two to get your current in-home humidity down as low as possible as a "tryout" -- especially in a livingroom and bedroom. Outright moving from a relatively moist climate (NY) to a very dry climate (AZ) can be fairly traumatic over time (especially the first weeks/months) -- difficult on lungs, sinuses, throat, etc. (For my wife, that included irritation and nose bleeds for the duration.) Alternatively, if you move outright to AZ, consider buying a humidifier to help with an adjustment period.

Just wanted to throw in a plug for the "other side." Moving there for work, we lived the past 11 years in SE Tennessee and were never comfortable there! The heat & humidity were killing us and all our friends were all transplants from somewhere else. We couldn't wait to go "home" and this past Dec. we made the move back to New England. Several years of research took us to Maine this time and so far - we LOVE it! We have embraced the cold weather, have someone to plow and are in the middle of a complete kitchen renovation. I am looking forward to a spectacular spring. There is already a sense of community and we have felt more welcome here than any other place we have lived! Those who chose to live here are hardy, wise and creative souls. The medical community has fantastic reviews and we are within minutes of anything we need. There is a CCRC within reach and we have found our forever home!

Holly, where in Maine? Thinking about Maine too.

Jennifer, like anything else, humans always seem to be attracted to the opposite of what they have. Sometimes they find out "the opposite" is not what they want after all.

Holly, where in Maine are you? Each summer it seems everyone in Georgetown and Washington DC who can, head up to Maine from May or June to Sept/October. I used to spend summer vacations when I was a child with my parents in New England. Vermont was my favorite and also New Hampshire. Maine was lovely--great for lobster, but rocky beaches and freezing cold water. Maine has a great appeal, however, for a lot of people. How affordable is it? Taxes?

Thanks for sharing.

I see delaware is on the'list. Yeah. My husband and I in the next year hopefully will be relocating from New York. We have had enough of the bad winters and very high taxes.
Delaware is appealing because we will be near family and not to far from our old friends in new york.
We are not that fond of the beach so looking at more cental and northern delaware.
We know the climate and taxes will be a lot better but---
Looking for feedback on the medical care in delaware
Thanks

Living in Maine is probably a little more expensive than Tennessee BUT, there are some bright spots. We paid county taxes in TN and we are within a town now so, property tax is higher but the they keep the streets & sidewalks plowed and we don't have to pay to join the library. Food is cheaper, auto & homeowner's insurance is about half of what we paid last year. Gas is slightly higher but so far we've only filled the tank once a month (3 times) since we got here. I haven't done our taxes yet so am not sure how that will impact our situation.

We chose the Portland area because there is a LOT going on here and we wanted to be able to get out and do things. We are in a small town, just outside the city limits but within easy reach of all the small city has to offer. Maine Medical has a large presence here and the Neurology Dept is in Scarborough - again - a 12 minute drive vs the 2 hour drive we made to visit the Parkinson's Specialist in Knoxville.

You have to appreciate older homes and architecture. The front part of our house was built before 1850 and the 1980's kitchen desperately needed an update but overall, the house has been cared for and the location puts us within walking distance of so much! The new construction homes were out of our price range and this isn't as close to the coast as I hoped but the ocean is about 10 miles away and Sebago Lake about 7 miles. We had a wonderful Realtor who listened carefully to what we wanted and landed us exactly where we needed to be! Homes were selling fast last year and we didn't actually see it until we flew up for the inspection. Not sure how the market will be this year.

One note - the people have been amazing! When they find out we just moved here - EVERY one has turned to us and said "Welcome to Maine!" No where else has that ever happened! Hope this helped. If you have more questions, you can e-mail me at: Myquest55@aol.com

Bob Knisely. We moved from Fredericksburg, VA to Charleston, SC. Love it! Everything that was said above by someone else is true about Richmond.
We moved to the Charleston/North Charleston / Summerville area in 2016. Best move of our lives.
We live where all 3 towns above come together. Excellent medical facilities, superb restaurants, wonderful cultural events weekly ( this week begins the South East Wildlife Expo) Spoleto ( Google it) plus many farmers markets etcetcetc.
Yes, summers can be steamy, but heck you want to be warm. Today is Valentines Day. 84 outside with no clouds. same tomorrow. Can you say the same for Richmond?
Yes, we got snow. Gone in 3 days. Everything stopped. No equipment. No suffering.
Again, we love it here.

What community are you in? How far are you from the beaches? I love Charleston and have visited there many times but am a bit concerned about the cost of living and real estate seems a little expensive to me. I would appreciate any information you can provide as someone that's actually living there.

74 in Richmond today, cooler tomorrow, but, after all, it is February.
Forgot to menition that the University of Richmond has an outstanding Osher Lifelong Learning program.

We have visited Summerville and thinking of retiring in the Del Webb community. Can anyone tell me if they like living there?

We just sold our home in the Charleston SC area. I'm retired and waiting on my spouse (mid May). We've been here since 1990. We are leaving for very specific reasons. We are less tolerant of the heat, never cared for the beach and the population has exploded. Traffic is a challenge and the elbow room we initially had is gone.

We enjoy rural living and our home was a retreat in general. We both interact with so many people during the day that time at home was always heavenly. The area has grown but we have no family here so no pressure to stay put. I will miss the fantastic restaurants and their close proximity. If you do not have work requirements then avoiding peak traffic is easy enough. I think homes are expensive here and may continue upward. Volvo and Boeing have brought another influx of people along with retirees. If you enjoy the weather and beaches and are a foodie you'll love it. Medical care is very good as well.

C,
Thanks for your comments about the Charleston area. Are you in Summerville or know much about it specifically?
Diane

Diane,
No I am not in Summerville and don't know specifics. I know several people who live there and they do love it. It's popularity has also increased. We are having lots of construction of developments in and around the area. I would advise to get a realtor specific for the Summerville area though. Knowledge of Charleston real estate is not the same as for Mt Pleasant, or Daniel Island even though they all run together . You will want someone who knows what is being built in your area commercial, roads schools etc. There is a lot coming so a seasoned realtor will be worth getting.

Can anyone advise on living in retirement in Savannah, GA? My aunt says they may leave Florida for that locale. Can anyone tell me if it is subject to the same hurricane activity as Florida? Also would love to hear comments on Nashville, Tennessee from retirees who moved there by choice and how they like it.

Thanks so much.

Even I would want to live in those places given those advantages! Thanks for sharing this info!

I live in SE Florida and love the weather even in the heat of the summer. I’ve been to Charleston in the heat of the summer and found it unbearable due to humidity. Yes, I found the humidity to be worst than Florida. Do your homework before making the move to Charleston area.

We live in Connecticut and travel to Venice Florida every Summer.

During the same months, we found that the weather in Florida is much cooler than the weather then the weather in Connecticut.

I live in CT too and summers are brutal. There have been times where I have heard on the weather station that it is hotter some days in CT than in FL! Hard to believe though.

Skip - where in SE FL? We have friends in Jupiter and they can’t bear the heat and humidity in the summer . So surprised where you are is less humid than Savanah when you’re further south! Please share. Thx

Rick -- I totally agree with you because I live across the Sound and found during a recent trip to SW FL that the weather was much more bearable than summers up north.
At one point driving through the Carolinas it was extremely hot and humid whereas in FL it was never that bad

Rick,
I lived four years in Boca Raton just South of Jupiter and the heat and humidity drove me out! Not to mention the blue bird traffic from October through April,
I lived about 1 mile from the ocean so at least I had a breeze! Go inland past I95 and the atmosphere is even worse so are the bugs.
The hurricane insurance and the flood insurance were extremely high. If you go North say Orlando the climate is about the same as the Southern GA and Carolinas.

I currently live near Charlotte NC and the year round climate is much much better. Still to hot in the summer but I don't run my air 9 months out of the year as I needed to in FLA. I do miss the beach in Florida but that is about it.

Diane we live in Delray Beach on the coast eight miles from the beach. We have adjusted to the heat and humidity because we lived in the DFW Texas for 25 years where our summers were hot 100 plus every day. We get a nice breeze most days and it goes into the 70s at night.

Do yourself a favor spend time in both areas for a few weeks during the hottest times and then decide
If the southern summers are for you. Too many people make the mistake and visit relocation areas the nice times of the year. Big mistake especially if you cannot tolerate the heat and humidity.

The other positive going for Florida NO state income tax, low property taxes, low electricity bills even in the heat of the summer. My wife and I retired here in September and we are loving life here, no regrets!

Diane if you want any other information on Delray, please let us know we will be happy to answer your questions and no we’re not realtors LOL.

Admin - is there a way to add a word search against this comments area? I recall in the past reading feedback about Venice FL but now have no idea under which topic they were posted. It's hard to read through numerous posts to filter them out visually. There is so much valuable information shared but folks who have lived or visited certain areas. Your site is the best.

JoannL - Such a great question, thanks. There are a couple of ways to search for items. One way is to use the little search box at the top right of most of our pages. Of course if you search for something fairly generic like "Venice", you will get too many results to be useful. But if you can remember a phrase like "everyone’s retirement situation is different" you will get much more specific results. The first few results are ads, followed by info at Topretirements

The other way that might actually be more fruitful is to go the Blog post or article you think contained the comment, such as this one, 10 Best States for Retirement. Under the Edit file in your browser at the top of the page you will see a "Find" feature. It only searches the page you are on. Use the cursor to go up and down if there is more than one reference. I put in "Venice" there for this article and found 2 references - one by RickD and 1 by you. Hope that helps.

Skip,
How bad was Delray hit by Irma.?
We have been looking fir awhike in Jacksonville. Every area we loved there was flooded out in storm.
Know weater events happpen all the time, but now bit skitish on move there.
Also, looking for as walkable town as possible..
Thanks

Browser "Find" functions vary. In the latest Chrome browser, click the Customize and Control box (3 vertical dots) in the upper right, click Find, enter your search item and use the up down arrows in that box to move from found item to item.

As far as the heat/humidity in FL, Skip is absolutely right -- it depends on what you are used to and have acclimated too. Some people say TX as well as FL is far to hot for comfort. After almost 60 years in central NC, I enjoy the heat/humidity and find that neither TX nor FL (or GA, AL, MS, etc. -- been to all) are especially bad or horribly uncomfortable. Go there, stay for a while in the HOT time of year before you decide to relocate. And BTW, acclimatization is not short term, one season thing. Especially for older folks (that would be most who read this), acclimatization to real heat/humidity (not the stuff found in CT or OH for example -- I was born, lived in and visit CT) will probably take many years to your lifetime. If you can learn to enjoy "sitting and stewing", then the real South may be for you.

Jennifer, my wife and I have lived in Knoxville TN for the past 14 years having relocated here for professional (work) reasons. As mentioned we do have four seasons, mild in comparison to other locations and no state income tax and low property taxes. Health care is good with the University of Tennessee Medical Center and several other hospitals in the area. East Tennessee is beautiful with the Great Smoky Mountains just 40 minutes or so away from Knoxville and several lakes for boating, fishing, etc. Housing is affordable compared to many parts of the country especially my hometown in the D.C. suburbs and varied in what's available to you. We go get rain and thunderstorms but tornadoes are not as frequent here as they are in middle Tennessee or west Tennessee. The economy is strong, driven by the University and also neighboring Oak Ridge with many facilities dealing with the department of energy and other government contractors. We like it do much we're seriously thinking of staying here in our retirement years.

Anyone have an opinion of Saint George, UT? Livability? Friendliness? We live in Tehachapi, CA and like it a lot, however this is the third year where rampant and huge fires have nearly destroyed our home and we feel we have just been incredibly lucky so far. Last, year was the worst. The Fire burned up to our property line and our cell phones didn't work and I was trying to call Charley to get him to vacate. But, absolutely nothing budges him when he is watching Tennis! I would have understood if it were Football. Seriously, we need to beat feet! How about Idaho? Snow in Nampa? We have a horse and I wonder if Saint George might be too hot for her. She is like family. Thank Ya'll. Eileen

Thank you Tim. I love the Smoky Mountains and as a child we used to go to Gatlinburg for the Memorial Day weekend. It was great fun for a few days. Knoxville is a consideration and I know that the University of Tennessee is there. People have been very friendly in the past and from what I have read here, Tennessee is kind to retirees as well. It is definitely a consideration. What areas of Knoxville do you think are the best and how is the crime rate there?

Eileen, sounds a bit l8e my story. We moved here from Ca three years ago, with my 25 year old quarter horse. She did just fine. sGge is a pretty ell pet secret. It’s beautiful surround by the red mountains, not hills and only 45minutes from Zion National Park. We have a nicer home here than in Ca for less than 1/2 the cost. I cut the grass here in Jan this. It rained the other day and we see snow on the red mountains. It is hot in the summer but not Phoenix. It hot during the day maybe 5-10degrees less than AZ the big difference is the mornings and evening are ideal. So everyone is out walking their ? in the morning. It’s friendly with a large number of Ca transplants. There’s a college, an airport, a large arts community, and a the biggest industry is recreation at a national level. 5here is a triathlon, a marsthon, and more moles of bike trails than one could count. As to the LDS influence, you can tell where you are by the number of churches. Other than that folks are nice and not pushy in that regard. Crime rate is very.ow and even then is isolated. It was I portant tours what the medical facilities are like. Well they are first class with a large medical center and very many type of physician you might need. Anything else let me know.

Where are you Gary? Sounds perfect

The March/April issue of Where to Retire magazine has an article about St. George, UT.

Someone asked about medical care in Delaware. You will find the best care in the Newark and Wilmington area of Delaware, but for truly serious conditions, such as cancer, your best bet is the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, which is right over the Delaware-Pennsylvania border. Philadelphia has many other good health care systems/hospitals as well, such as Jefferson, Temple, Drexel, Einstein. The Christiana Health Care System in Newark, DE is not bad, but you're better off at the U of Penn. Of course, the cost of living and crime rate is much higher in the Wilmington area too. Kent County (Dover, for example) has the mildest weather (snowstorms usually are north of there, hurricanes and flooding are south of there). By the way, Newark is about 30-plus minutes from Dover; Wilmington is more like an hour away, and Philadelphia is about an hour and a half away (depending on the traffic).

These comments were moved here from a different Blog article for a better fit:

Skip, I am in CT and agree with you. Summers here are as hot as Florida and I have no interest in basketball. It doesn’t do anything to improve my life in CT. CT is a beautiful state and my favorite time of the year is fall. However, then there is the cost to clean up the leaves. We have tons of leaves and nowhere to dump them. Would like to move out of CT but not sure I can tolerate the hot humid weather the southern states have. How did you assimilate to the hot weather or do you like it? I always shake my head when people tell me they love hot weather! I have never liked it. I am fair skinned and get sunburned easily. Hub is tired of the snow and the older he gets it is more and more dangerous to shovel. This last storm we had, it dumped 20 inches of wet heavy snow. We have a long wide driveway and this time the hub called a guy down the road who plows. Then the hub touched up with the snow blower and shoveling. I have an electric snow blower for the deck and did that. It was a bear. The little machine could barely cut thru the heavy snow. Living in the northeast has its challenges for sure! We are due to get another nor’ easter next week!
by Louise — March 10, 2018

Louise regarding your question on adjusting to the summer heat and humidity, yes we have adjusted quite well. It takes the average person several summers to adjust. The hottest parts of the summer last from late July through September. 
My suggestion to anyone thinking of relocation is to spend time in Florida during August and September not Not during the cooler months. Good luck in your research!by Skip — March 11, 2018

In SC, I would agree with Skip – late July to mid September are the hottest, most sultry months of the year here on the Lowcountry coast. If you are near a beach, pool or lake it is certainly manageable to cool off every day however and we have an evening breeze most days off the ocean. We plan most all of our travel up north to visit friends, family, and rent a condo for a week during those months. The rest of the year is divine – we do have a few cooler winter months (usually 40’s and 50’s) and even had 4 inches of snow once this past winter! But we relocated from Maine where we spent 38 years, so it is all relative! The biggest problem we have found, and didn’t expect, is the sand gnats in the spring and fall – very annoying! We have bug spray with us at all times! No place is perfect, but for us, we found our paradise!

by SandyZ — March 11, 2018

The last couple of comments concerning pets were moved to The X Factor in Retirement: Your Pets
https://www.topretirements.com/blog/family-and-retirement/the-x-factor-in-retirement-your-pets.html/

Hi I retired a few months ago, I'm from California Bay area, would you recommend New Mexico to live all my retirement? Which cities?

Stefano

---
From Editor: Congrats on your retirement. NM is a beautiful and somewhat diverse state. I particularly like Santa Fe, but don't think I could live there - it is too dry for my skin. Depending on your budget and other preferences, several places might suit you. I recommend you look at our NM Directory and our NM mini retirement guide to narrow down your choices. Then go out there and investigate the ones that look promising. Good luck!
https://www.topretirements.com/active_adult_communities/New_Mexico.html
https://www.topretirements.com/state/New%20Mexico.html

Thank you Kris for the feedback on the medical care in Delaware
Appreciate it

Hi Wllen, we came to St George from the Bay Area. It’s friendly, clean, and has unbelievable beauty in the red mountains an hour from Zion. Cost of housing is reasonable, area is growing quickly,airport here is serviced by Delta, American, and United. Transportation 0lanning is as good as I have observed. They actual plan for development and build infrastructure accordingly. Heat -hot Jun-Aug. even then pleasant mornings and evening. Winter , it snowed once this year, Whoopi. We are not of the predominate religion. Makes no difference. Many of our neighbors are from Ca and the Midwest. A thriving arts comm7mity with an art high school, outdoor theaters, symphony and a unviversity.

Excuse me, that Ellen. And by the way I met a fellow driving through our neighborhood looking for houses last week. He is coming from Tehachapi!

Admin, I noticed in the post above about NM, you commented on the extreme dryness of Santa Fe. We have twice visited Santa Fe (one afternoon, one two-night stay) and, while dry, we didn't particularly notice it. I don't doubt your assessment at all -- we have found the extreme dry in the Sierras (for example) to be somewhat difficult for me and especially so for my wife (skin, uncomfortable breathing, even nosebleed) -- but that was a 5-day trip many years ago. I rarely see people commenting about the dry air of the southwest, but we have noted it as a potential problem. Do you know of other areas that you particularly recognize for the dryness? Is there any attempt in TopRetirements to identify this as a potential concern? (I don't think there is.)

In addition to that stay in the Sierras (Yosemite, Sequoia), we have more recently done extended stays at Crater Lake, AZ Sedona area, and Silverthorne CO area without special issue related to dryness. I have several times in these forums noted potential dryness issues like this in areas of the Southwest, but have not seen such from others except this post from you.

I have also posted about a windy dust issue (sort of dry related) during our stay at Cottonwood AZ. But as I said, that did not appear (even with a 3-week stay) to cause our dryness reaction. Any further thoughts on this related to the Southwest from anyone would sincerely appreciated as it is a primary concern (other than water resources) about moving to the Southwest.

Can anyone compare St. George to Moab? They both seem to be beautiful places that focus on recreation but that's about all I know about Moab. Thanks, Laney

Well Laney, they are both beautiful in their own right. Moab is very isolated , great for visits. St George area is a small metro area with first class medical facilities, all the normal shopping, HD Vostco, etc an airport that is serviced by United, Delta, and American. A four year College is growing by leaps and bounds, and the arts community is large and engaged. The major industry is tourism and athletic co petitions with athletes across the coming for marathon, triathlons, and the like. It’s quiet for a it’s size. Moab is very quiet and great for sight seeing and outdoor activities,mountain biking and hiking are a big part of the culture.

Richlife, interesting topic about dryness as a factor influencing where you retire. Would love to hear more from people who live in dry climes and how they feel/deal about/with it. The American West and Southwest seem to be the driest places. We lived in Phoenix for a year long ago and the thing I remember is who itchy my eyes got at certain times of the year, particularly if there were dust storms. As far as the skin dryness I experience Santa Fe was the same for me as it is in the Northeast in the wintertime. All that dry air and my skin starts cracking unless i marinate in lotions and salves like Alaska Manly Man Elbow Grease (seriously, that is the name and it really works).

It is the opposite problem that so many people have complained about on this site concerning Florida - too much humidity! I guess no place is perfect.

Hi Laney,

Moab, UT, is a very small tourist town. Spring and Fall are the tourist seasons. Lots of people are there at those times. Mountain biking, dirt motorcycling, 4X4 wheeling, and canoeing are some of the many things to do, Big crowds brings lots of noise and crime. Half the people that live in this small town only live there during the tourist seasons, including summer. Its almost a ghost town during off-season. Its cold in the winter and gets snow. The summers are very hot. Not many retirees live or work there. The closest hospital of any size is in Grand Junction, Colorado. If you're not healthy, don't even consider this remote place. Moab is meant for the young. Physical recreation and national parks visitors are its life blood. You should visit the place, you'll fall in love with it. But, stay during the off-season (October through March) and you'll quickly realize its a very lonely place without much to do.

St George, UT, has lots going for it for retirees, if you have money. Of course, there are many amenities and services that money brings. This is not an inexpensive place to retire. The gated retirement communities are indeed very clean, almost pristine, but, the town itself is another matter. Get out of the car and walk around, you'll know what I mean. For non-retirees, the disparity in class incomes is quite vivid. Utah's taxes are high when compared to surrounding states. If you are not Mormon, initially, it might be difficult to get acquainted and fit in. This town is meant for above average to wealthy retirees. A few weekend stays there convinced me I could not afford to live there in retirement. St. George, has lots going for it, if you can afford it. If you are in this financial category, then this might be your retirement mecca.

The comparison between the two places are very stark. Moab is a very isolated place for the young and healthy that want to physically play. Whereas, most of St. George has a retirement oriented culture with a major interstate highway cutting though it. The common two elements of both places, besides being in Utah, is that it is very dry, as in lack of humidity and rain, because both are in the desert and also both are in close proximity to multiple national parks. Good luck on your journey.

Thanks, Gary! I used to drive thru St. George several times a year about 10 years ago. It must have changed since then, or I just didn't see the good parts since I was pulling a horse trailer. I knew where the Ag Inspection station and the Super Walmart were. It sounds like quite a nice place now. Laney

Hi SKIP, I would love to know more about DelRay.
Can you suggest a 55 over community, no golf preferably? But lots to do, near beach?
My husband is a retired NYC firefighter, Thanks

Laney, like a lot of places it’s a matter getting off the freeway. It has certainly changed though in the last 10-15 years. There is not really much downside other than high end shopping requires a drive to LV , 2hours. I look at economic development as an indicator of where a community is heading. Last year a Mercedes dealer opened, that’s a sign of the future of the area. Now to be fair if one liked heavy traffic, poor air quality,snow, it would be a disappointment coming to St George.

Virginia you didn’t mention the price range, type of community, type of home,condo bedrooms, sq footage, etc. I would suggest starting with Realtor.com and put your requirements and narrow down your choices to a few communities. Then look up the community via Google and research. If you give me a name of a potential community I should be able tomassist you with your questions. Just a FYI I am not a realtor. Let me know how my wife and I can help.
Skip and Barb P

Eddie V just saw your question regarding damaged from the hurricane. Minimal damage mostly down trees and branches. We are less than eight miles to downtown and the beach. Close enough for us and no need to need for the highway to get there. We love Delray and its location to surrounding towns.
SkipP

Skip P thank you so much. I will do what you said & be in touch for sure. Leaving Naples this weekend, will do research at home

we were in Orlando and Port Lucie last week. never been before. now would love to live close to the beach. but our 325,000 budget probably limits that

From Stefano-- Hi I would like your opinion about where to retire, I now live in the Bay area San Francisco but became too expensive. I like the west states maybe Utah or new Mexico or???
I checked and new Mexico is not friendly to retiree, what do you think?
-----
If you want to escape the high prices in the Bay area but stay in the west you have many options. The best thing to do is to read reviews of towns and states here at Topretirements. Then start traveling and check out various places that pique your interest. Do you want to be in the mountains, near a lake, in the desert, or not? Eastern OR and WA have many places that are less expensive. Plenty of mountains in CO, UT, and NM. The states with the most towns that might be good for retirement are CO, AZ, OR, and WA. But in the end it is a highly personal choice, and you won't really know what is right for you until you have experienced a place for a season. Good luck!

From Ginger
People need to know tax consequences before moving out of their home state. I homestead in Florida and enjoy tax advantages along with the summer humidity. We are fortunate enough to have been able to keep our small condo at the NJ Beach for now and go back for 3 months in the summer. Florida is inexpensive in certain areas and not in gated communities where we settled however we have access to everything. My accounttant also said with the new tax laws we will be saving a big chunk of dollars less a year in taxes and are in a state with no income tax. We have a 7% sales tax on everythig they need to get the money to run the state from somewhere. Unlike pot hole NJ from ice and snow our roads are in excellent condition and always being widened. People where I am in a diverse area are friendly and respectful. No complaints and I will soon be turning on the A/C however it has been off for 5 months and no heating bills compared to my 1890 old restored house in Jersey where I spent maybe $6,000 a year or more on utilities. My house did not have central air. Happy finding your retirement nest.

From Linda
Ginger, where do you live in Florida? Where I live in Florida, the sales tax is 6%.

Where do both Linda and Ginger live in Florida?

I live in Cape Coral in SW Florida. I find the sales tax of 6% much more reasonable than the sales tax in Minnesota was AND no state income tax in Florida. Plus, I had to pay $50/month for my Medicare Advantage Plan in MN. I get a better one in Florida at no charge. Works for me!

Hi everyone asking. The sales tax in Florida is 6% but I am in Tampa, Hillsborough county that charges an additional 1%, so it equals 7%.

Ginger, thank goodness Lee County so far has declined to add to our tax burden! We get most of our income from the 11% occupancy tax charged to our snowbirds or anyone who stays in a hotel or house or condo here. Bless them!

Interesting article: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/housing-crisis-small-cities-boise_us_5ae878f7e4b055fd7fcfcee0

From Stefano"
Hi, can you please tell me if New Mexico is dangerous like is stated on several websites? And is said is one of the 10 worst states to retire for taxes.
I like medium weather, not too cold and not too hot, mountains too, that is why I was considering Utah.
I traveled to Oregon already 3 times in the last 4 weeks but saw a lot of rain and cold weather, I thought Klamath Falls is not bad but too cold in winter

This comment was sent in by Clyde:

Dave-I used to work at Auburn University and thought it would be a good place for many to retire to.  The Auburn-Opelika area has the climate you’re looking for, though fairly hot in summer, plus a centrally located general aviation airport.  It’s a small metro area of over 100,000 and growing, but will likely never get too big.  On an interstate.  Quite a few golf courses, but plenty of nice homes not connected to them.

I was born in Los Angeles County and have lived in Westwood Village since being a student at UCLA in 1971, and I own a cozy penthouse condo just down the street from campus. I'm retired now but if you CAN afford the cost, put up with the traffic, and all the natural wonders and the fires, earthquake, mudslides, and all the different people and attributes, West Los Angeles and environs is the perfect place to retire. After all, there are few places in the world that can even compete with West LA!
But we are getting to maximum population, distances are messured in time, not miles, and the average rent for a 2 bedroom apartment in Westwood is about $4k a month. We pay more for gas than any other state, but we have more interesting places to use that gas to go.
Again, if you can afford to retire here, you'll never be bored. But if you've lived here all your life, you usually can afford to retire just about anywhere else. And that is my dilemma. My California dollars would go a lot farther in Reno, Nevada. You can buy an amazing condo for 60-70% less dollars. And marijuana and prostitution, for both you male and female divorcees, present their own pros and cons. No state income tax, solar panels for the summer, I have thought Reno might be the biggest little town.
So the delimma. I can afford to die in place, but with literally my wife, family, friend, and pets all deceased, there is nothing that prevents me from relocating. And I love the mountains but hate smow.
As the song says 'should I stay or should I go?".
Comments anyone?
Thanks, Steve

Hi Steve - I have lived in Los Angeles County (Whittier) and worked when in my late 20's in downtown Los Angeles. The traffic wasn't good then and I took the train from Fullerton to LA to avoid the traffic. The traffic in LA drives me crazy but you have always lived in it and you have seen it increase over the years. If you love it where you're living and you can see taking public transportation to get you around when you decide to quit driving, you might be better off staying where you're living because it's so familiar to you. You mentioned that your wife, friends, and pets are all deceased. Do you find comfort being close to their memories or would you like to relocate to start a new chapter?

If you can continue to live in CA and are still active and enjoying all there is to do in West LA - I would stay. Relocating alone without being sure where to go could be very lonely. Once you move you may never afford to move back if you discover that you made a mistake. If you can afford to rent in a city where you think you want to live - keep your place in West LA and rent in Reno or wherever it may be until you know for sure that you want to move from West LA.
All the best to you:)
Diane

Steve, as a long time retireree, I agree with Diane. Moving away from all that is familiar to you is a much bigger psychological wrench than you can imagine, to say nothing of how hard it can be to learn how to live in a new place that's very different from where you came from. I mean such things as finding doctors, a dentist, food stores you like, people you like to hang out with, etc., etc., etc. Diane's suggestion that you rent in Reno, or where ever else interests you, for several months before you completely pull up stakes is an excellent one. Maybe you could do a house swap or just rent your WestLA condo while you're gone. Best of luck in making such a huge decision! Laney

Can someone give us the low down on the new (6 months testing so far on the program) mileage tax in Washington State? How much will the charge be per mile? Do any other states have this type of taxation?

The testing on the mileage program is still in process.

Pauline sent in this question:

Is it true that senior citizens are exempt from property tax in New Hampshire after they have been residents for 5 years?

I would like to get some feedback on Delaware
Great state to retire to but not mentioned to often.we are looking to relocate outside of dover next year.
Thanks

Barbara, We just moved to Lewes from Alexandria,VA in July. We are loving it. Corn fields and beaches. Housing is a lot cheaper than DC area. Property taxes were cut by 2/3rds. No tax on Soc.Sec. We wanted to be closer to the beaches was the main reason in choosing Lewes. Plus the town of Lewes is adorable. Founded in 1631. Great stores and restaurants that rival DC. We can get to Lewes Beach which is on the Delaware Bay is 6 miles and the Atlantic Ocean at Cape Henlopen is 8 miles away. Let me know if you have any questions.

Tom

Steve...my friend retired to Reno and he loves it. He also lived in the LA area.

Tom-- even thou we are looking a little more central in delaware
thank you for the info it is very helpful
What can u tell me about the quality of healthcare in Delaware?
Thanks

Barbara

Barbara,
Healthcare is pretty good here. We are on Medicare. Almost all doctors take it. Hospitals are good. Lots on clinics popping up with the rise in retirees coming here. It can be hard to get initial appointments. We tried to set it up before we moved.It can take a couple of months for new patients. But I think that's the same anywhere one moves too. What area are you moving from? Population is less than a million for the whole state so things are as abundant but we find it adequate.

Tom

Barbara - we just moved from the NY metro area to Milton, DE (a town in from Lewes). My significant other was diagnosed with cancer a month after we got here and I am missing the big NY hospitals. I think we have good doctors here but the facilities are somewhat limited and he had to have one procedure done in Baltimore.
Depending on where you are coming from, you may miss certain things - the deli sections in supermarkets are terrible, grocery stores in general are disappointing, nail salons are expensive (but hair salons are more reasonable than what I’m used to), pizza is awful and bagels are not like NY bagels! A friend up in Smyrna says we have better restaurants in southern Delaware than up there, but they can be pricey. I buy several loaves of rye bread when I go to NY and freeze them, since the selection here isn’t so great. I love the lower cost of living, having much less traffic to deal with, being so close to the beach, but I’m still homesick.

Thank you both Tom and Linda for your input
I know the lifestyle will be different we are relocating from New York
when we first got married moving from New York city to upstate New York was a culture shock.
And God forbid if anything serious ever happened to us we would go to Manhattan for medical care
New york had the best doctors in the world I think.
Hopefully we will have many happy years in Delaware
Barbara

Some additional comments in Delaware--
Health care is definitely better in Northern Delaware with a Nationally ranked hospital in Newark. In Central/Southern Delaware there is a good hospital in Lewes, but imho, the other Delaware hospitals are just ok. With the influx of retirees and new homeowners flocking to the area, there may be a shortage of family practice physicians accepting new patients. Something definitely worth looking into.
The increase in population has caused a great increase in traffic, especially in the area of Rehoboth Beach and points south.
The low real estate taxes that Delaware has traditionally been know for are increasing in many areas as more residents mean more services. This is especially true in new 55+ developments.
All that being said, Delaware still has a lot to offer if you can find the right place for you !!