Woodside
Aiken, South Carolina
California, Maryland
What It Is Like to Retire in California
California is a town of 10,000+ people in southern Maryland on a peninsula near the Chesapeake Bay. This part of Maryland is a bit too far to commute comfortable to Baltimore or Washington so it retains a more rural, small town feel than places closer to those Metros. It is a great place for watersports as the Patuxent River empties into the Chesapeake here. The Patuxent RIver Naval Air base is a major employer. Nearby Solomons and Leonardtown are also good places to live. Picture of Thomas Johnson Bridge which connects to Solomons courtesy of Wikipedia and Pubdog (public domain); picture of U.S. Navy maritime patrol prior to landing at the Naval Air Station Patuxent River, courtesy of Wikipedia and U.S. Navy photo by Liz Goettee (public domain)
Where to Retire in California and Home Prices
The real estate market in California has remained stable, thanks to the influence of the Patuxent Naval Airbase and its many suppliers. The median home value in mid-2021 was $315,836 according to Zillow. There are many developments suitable for retirees in the area, although not many specifically addressed to 55+.
What Is Special about California
What is special is how pretty the terrain is and the confluence of the River and the Bay. Plus, it is far enough from DC that the traffic, although sometimes hectic, is bearable.
What Is Not Special about California
You are in the country or suburbia. To get to a city involves a drive off of the peninsula. Some people might mind the heavy influence of the military industrial complex.
Who Will Like Retirement in California
People who like the water and who are former military will particularly like it here.
Local Economy Is Driven by
The U.S. Navy and its suppliers are major employers.
Climate and Physical Environment
California is located on the southeastern end of a peninsula between the Potomac and Patuxent Rivers, just where the latter joins the Chesapeake. The average Jan temp is in the mid 30's, while the average July temp is in the mid 70's.
Restaurants & Cultural Scene
There are some restaurants and malls but not too much going on culturally.
Crime
Crime is slightly below the U.S. average.
Medical facilities
St. Mary's in nearby Leonardtown is the local hospital, along with those on the Navy base.
Transportation
There is no nearby airport. Baltimore and DC are more than 1.5 hours away.
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