Best States For Retirement

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

It doesn't surprise me to see that weather is not a huge factor.  First I think people who live in the upper midwest are biased toward weather being a factor because of our winters.  Second, I know more people who stick around for family reasons (my parents) or for financial reasons (the house they own is the cheapest place they can live), than I know people who have flat out moved somewhere warm.  Sure I know a few snowbirds or people who find somewhere nice to go in January, but flat out relocate?  Very few.

Also remember that most people aren't going to be able to afford a second residence.  Enormous factor.

[warriorchick]

It doesn't surprise me to see that weather is not a huge factor.  First I think people who live in the upper midwest are biased toward weather being a factor because of our winters. Second, I know more people who stick around for family reasons (my parents) or for financial reasons (the house they own is the cheapest place they can live), than I know people who have flat out moved somewhere warm.  Sure I know a few snowbirds or people who find somewhere nice to go in January, but flat out relocate?  Very few.

Also remember that most people aren't going to be able to afford a second residence.  Enormous factor.

People who stick around for family reasons aren't going to be looking at a "Best Places to Retire" survey, anyway.

Also, if you are looking for the cheapest place to live, where you are living now isn't likely to be the cheapest unless you are already in a cheap area, or you are upside down on your mortgage (which I hope would be a rarity among folks nearing retirement age).

Even if your house is paid off, you can sell it and buy something in a place with lower taxes and cost of living.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

People who stick around for family reasons aren't going to be looking at a "Best Places to Retire" survey, anyway.

Also, if you are looking for the cheapest place to live, where you are living now isn't likely to be the cheapest unless you are already in a cheap area, or you are upside down on your mortgage (which I hope would be a rarity among folks nearing retirement age).

Even if your house is paid off, you can sell it and buy something in a place with lower taxes and cost of living.

My in-laws owned a "small but tidy" house free and clear that they sold for $175,000 when they died in a nice small town in SE Wisconsin.  You think they were going to make money by selling that house and moving to Florida?

[mu_hilltopper]

People who stick around for family reasons aren't going to be looking at a "Best Places to Retire" survey, anyway.

This is a good point.

I mean .. "I'm going to retire to North Dakota" is something no one said ever.

So .. lists like this can be looked at two ways.  Either, "You're in state X, this is how it ranks" .. or .. "You are thinking of retiring somewhere, here's a ranking for your consideration."

.. It would be interesting to know .. what %age of people retire "somewhere" versus stay where they are.  Across the US, I imagine it's under 5% that actually relocate.

When only a third of the population contribute regularly to a retirement plan .. I imagine "relocating" is small piece of the retirement community.

[MU82]

People who stick around for family reasons aren't going to be looking at a "Best Places to Retire" survey, anyway.

Also, if you are looking for the cheapest place to live, where you are living now isn't likely to be the cheapest unless you are already in a cheap area, or you are upside down on your mortgage (which I hope would be a rarity among folks nearing retirement age).

Even if your house is paid off, you can sell it and buy something in a place with lower taxes and cost of living.

All true, chickadee, good points.

We're gonna have some choices to make in the fairly near future as we already have decided we're not gonna settle down in NC. One kid in Chicago, the other in Seattle, too far to both (especially Seattle).

We were glad to move from cold weather, but we're gonna want to be closer to our kids and grandkids. And we definitely would like affordability, so moving to either Chicago or Seattle probably not in our cards.

Maybe Nevada? Easy non-stop flights to both places. (Though I think I'd have to give up gambling permanently.) Maybe Colorado? If we can convince ourselves that we could handle the snow and cold again. (We'd have to promise ourselves that we'll take a couple long vacations every winter.)

This is always an interesting subject to me. Glad Benny brought it up.

[Dr. Blackheart]

What about on a cruise ship?
https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/cruises/2015/01/19/woman-pays-164k-per-year-to-live-on-luxury-cruise-ship/22030011/

Priorities are investment income, pensions, insurance, taxes, and medical. Obviously, proximity to family is #1. Yet, travel and variety might be #1 in the early retirement years.  Six months in the Midwest, a quarter in two other places per year.

[warriorchick]

My in-laws owned a "small but tidy" house free and clear that they sold for $175,000 when they died in a nice small town in SE Wisconsin.  You think they were going to make money by selling that house and moving to Florida?

Yes.

[MU82]

Priorities are investment income, pensions, insurance, taxes, and medical. Obviously, proximity to family is #1. Yet, travel and variety might be #1 in the early retirement years.  Six months in the Midwest, a quarter in two other places per year.

I like this idea. I could even see us moving back to Chicago as long as we could go to Hawaii/AZ/Cal/Fla for a few months in the winter.

Some might think that the above is too expensive, but a friend of mine who lives in Skokie just emailed me info of a cute house on his block that's listed for low-300s, and it's definitely possible to find nice vacation rentals in AZ and Fla for a couple thou a month or less. So not super-cheap like Omaha, but not LA/SF/Sea/DC/Chi/NY/Bos expensive, either.

[The Hippie Satan of Hyperbole]

Yes.

Bullsh*t. 

[Dr. Blackheart]

I like this idea. I could even see us moving back to Chicago as long as we could go to Hawaii/AZ/Cal/Fla for a few months in the winter.

Some might think that the above is too expensive, but a friend of mine who lives in Skokie just emailed me info of a cute house on his block that's listed for low-300s, and it's definitely possible to find nice vacation rentals in AZ and Fla for a couple thou a month or less. So not super-cheap like Omaha, but not LA/SF/Sea/DC/Chi/NY/Bos expensive, either.

I would just add this opens up rental or Airbnb opportunities in the Midwest if it is a condo in downtown Chicago or MKE. 

[dgies9156]

I would just add this opens up rental or Airbnb opportunities in the Midwest if it is a condo in downtown Chicago or MKE.

Brothers MU and Blackheart, we have a home in the North Suburbs of Chicago that, while perfect for raising a family, is overkill in the extreme for two retired persons in their late 60s and 70s. At some point, we're probably going to sell that place and use the proceeds to acquire a condo or townhouse in Milwaukee or Chicago.

We are intrigued at the possibility of purchasing a condo on Prospect Avenue on the East Side of Milwaukee.

Like Brother Mu's earlier point, a lot depends on where our children are.

[mu_hilltopper]

Just saw this in my feed ..

4 gorgeous beach towns where you can comfortably retire on $40,000 a year

https://www.marketwatch.com/story/4-gorgeous-beach-towns-where-you-can-comfortably-retire-on-40000-a-year-2019-04-29

[tower912]

If we move when we retire, it will be 100% for the weather.   Maybe a double wide in two different retirement communities.

[JWags85]

Maybe Nevada? Easy non-stop flights to both places. (Though I think I'd have to give up gambling permanently.) Maybe Colorado? If we can convince ourselves that we could handle the snow and cold again. (We'd have to promise ourselves that we'll take a couple long vacations every winter.)

Snow perhaps, but Denver is a good 15 degrees warmer on average than Chicago in the truly brutal months.  My sister went to Boulder for a year and one of her most surprising takeaways was how mild the winters were.  There were as many warm (50s) days in Nov and Feb as there was truly cold days

[rocket surgeon]

  arizona! 
      cheaper than many
      sun, dry heat, swimming pools, golf, good people, entertainment(baseball, basketball, football, hockey, college/pro), convertible jeeps, easy to fly back to wisconsin for family, 30 min. flight to vegas

[jsglow]

This.  And wear your MU gear, since Wasatch Brewery was started by an MU grad.

Seriously?  I did not know that.  Very cool.  I'll remember to buy his stuff in Vegas.  You can often get a few varieties at Albertson's.

[MU82]

I would just add this opens up rental or Airbnb opportunities in the Midwest if it is a condo in downtown Chicago or MKE.

I like how you think. I was just talking to a guy who has a condo in downtown Charlotte and he says he does great airbnb biz with it. I imagine Chicago would really be hopping.

  arizona! 
      cheaper than many
      sun, dry heat, swimming pools, golf, good people, entertainment(baseball, basketball, football, hockey, college/pro), convertible jeeps, easy to fly back to wisconsin for family, 30 min. flight to vegas

During the great recession/housing crisis, they were practically giving away property in PHX suburbs. You could get a nice 2BR villa in a newer retirement community for $150K or less, and they even were letting people as young as 40 or 45 buy in. Obviously, those days are gone, but you're right, rocket, still some relatively cheap areas.

Snow perhaps, but Denver is a good 15 degrees warmer on average than Chicago in the truly brutal months.  My sister went to Boulder for a year and one of her most surprising takeaways was how mild the winters were.  There were as many warm (50s) days in Nov and Feb as there was truly cold days

Good point, and I think I read something about Denver getting more than 300 sunny days a year.

I had an MU buddy who lived in Golden after we graduated and I visited him one May weekend. On the Friday, it was dreary and about 50. On the Saturday, it snowed 2 inches. By Sunday morning, the snow had melted, and we golfed that afternoon in 65 degree weather and sunshine. I had never seen anything like that.

[JWags85]

Good point, and I think I read something about Denver getting more than 300 sunny days a year.

I had an MU buddy who lived in Golden after we graduated and I visited him one May weekend. On the Friday, it was dreary and about 50. On the Saturday, it snowed 2 inches. By Sunday morning, the snow had melted, and we golfed that afternoon in 65 degree weather and sunshine. I had never seen anything like that.

3-4 years ago, went skiing for Presidents Day weekend.  Beautiful days with fresh powder up near Vail.  Drove back down, spent Monday with my sister on CU's campus, mid 50s, no jackets needed, cloudless sky.  Its unreal

[dgies9156]

Guys, I'd still take Florida. Have a home 1/4 mile from the Atlantic Ocean on a barrier island, Tropical back-yard and pool. No state income taxes, property taxes are less than half of what they are in Illinois.  Cleveland Clinic just acquired our local hospital, so health care will be excellent (it is mediocre now).

Only two-high rises in the entire county but a very strong restaurant scene, arts community is incredible and performing arts is very good.

Oh, and our vote for President matters, whoever you vote for! Unlike Illinois.

We're an hour from Palm Beach and two hours from Miami in case there isn't enough here. The Mets train a half hour away and the Cardinals, Marlins, Astros and Nats are an hour away. For what it's worth, Sandy Koufax lives in the next subdivision over and Ron Peranowski, he of Dodger pitching coach fame, is the resident "Norm" at my favorite local bar.

[MU82]

Guys, I'd still take Florida. Have a home 1/4 mile from the Atlantic Ocean on a barrier island, Tropical back-yard and pool. No state income taxes, property taxes are less than half of what they are in Illinois.  Cleveland Clinic just acquired our local hospital, so health care will be excellent (it is mediocre now).

Only two-high rises in the entire county but a very strong restaurant scene, arts community is incredible and performing arts is very good.

Oh, and our vote for President matters, whoever you vote for! Unlike Illinois.

We're an hour from Palm Beach and two hours from Miami in case there isn't enough here. The Mets train a half hour away and the Cardinals, Marlins, Astros and Nats are an hour away. For what it's worth, Sandy Koufax lives in the next subdivision over and Ron Peranowski, he of Dodger pitching coach fame, is the resident "Norm" at my favorite local bar.

Sounds very nice, dg. You've probably already said but I'm too lazy to look back ... what town do you live in, and how long have you been there?

[rocket surgeon]

 "During the great recession/housing crisis, they were practically giving away property in PHX suburbs. You could get a nice 2BR villa in a newer retirement community for $150K or less, and they even were letting people as young as 40 or 45 buy in. Obviously, those days are gone, but you're right, rocket, still some relatively cheap areas."

 exactly right mr. 82 thanks to moody's and the sub prime scoflaws, 2008/09 gave me an opportunity i never would have had.  i guess crime does pay after all, kinda  

[JWags85]

We're an hour from Palm Beach and two hours from Miami in case there isn't enough here. The Mets train a half hour away and the Cardinals, Marlins, Astros and Nats are an hour away. For what it's worth, Sandy Koufax lives in the next subdivision over and Ron Peranowski, he of Dodger pitching coach fame, is the resident "Norm" at my favorite local bar.

Vero Beach stand up!

[TSmith34, Inc.]

Seriously?  I did not know that.  Very cool.  I'll remember to buy his stuff in Vegas.  You can often get a few varieties at Albertson's.

Yup.

http://allaboutbeer.com/utah-brewers-cooperative/

"Greg Schirf’s mother dropped him at the side of the highway in Milwaukee so that he could hitchhike to Utah. It was 1974, and the recently minted Marquette University graduate, hair down to his waist, was unsure of what he wanted to do with his life. His older brother had gone to school out west, and had settled in a place called Park City, Utah."

[dgies9156]

Sounds very nice, dg. You've probably already said but I'm too lazy to look back ... what town do you live in, and how long have you been there?

Brother JWags figured it out. I am in Vero Beach.

We bought a home on the tail end of the last recession and have owned here for five years. Vero is one of the nicest communities on the east coast of Florida. We have several significant nature preserves here and an unbelievably good set of beaches. Wabasso Beach is practically out my front door (actually about 1/4 of a mile away as I noted before).

The Indian River County Jungle Trail is in my backyard. We've had "problems" with river otters rolling through our front yard not to mention land crab migration that ended up in my hallway in November (that was fun because none of knew what it was). The good news about being on a barrier island is no alligators -- they hate salt water and the Indian River is brackish. We have dolphins and manatees in the Indian River, which also is kinda cool to watch. And, we have owls nesting in the window sills on my home.

All in all, I'd recommend Vero to anyone looking!

P.S. -- When it was -30 in Chicago in late January, it was in the mid 70s to low 80s here. People locally were complaining about how it was too warm!

[Coleman]

Yahoo was reporting on Wallethub .. so here's the primary link:

https://wallethub.com/edu/best-and-worst-states-to-retire/18592/

Lots of criteria there, although each person would have their own weightings.  I mean, "weather" but only kicks in 2.6% of the total.   I think for most people, weather is anywhere between 50-90% of their decision.

Weather is like <5% of my decision on where to live. But I am also not retired.