Retiring Young? Let Me Tell You Where To Go
Here’s a list of the Best Places (in the U.S.) to Retire Young from CNNMoney.com:
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho
Charlottesville, Virginia
Logan, Utah
Blacksburg, Virginia
Burlington, Vermont
Anacortes, Washington
Sarasota, Florida
Hanover, New Hampshire
Manhattan, Kansas
Ames, Iowa
I can speak about one of these places from personal experience: Burlington, Vermont. Winter in Burlington, Vermont, is long, cold and snowy. Retire in Burlington? No way.
Anyone else familiar with these towns? Are they worthwhile destinations?
April 12th, 2007 at 12:19 pm
Anacortes, Washington is a wonderful town to live and play in; however, you’ve got to be willing to suffer through the endless gray and mist for much of the year.
April 12th, 2007 at 12:21 pm
I’ve been in Sarasota quite a few times and it is very nice there. I agree with you 100% on your Vermont comment. I don’t want to retire anywhere with harsh long winters. I’m in Michigan now and can’t wait to get out of this state.
April 12th, 2007 at 12:24 pm
Manhattan, KS is not the best place to retire young housing cost are way overpriced and there is not much to do in this town. Unless you like to watch K-state loose football games!!!!
April 12th, 2007 at 12:44 pm
I used to live in West Lebanon, New Hampshire, about 5 miles from Hanover, NH, home of Dartmouth. It’s definitely a gorgeous area, with lots to do, lots of culture, but housing is unbelievably expensive! I couldn’t afford to stay there as a working adult with two kids to raise, I don’t know how I could ever afford to retire there. As for Burlington, Vermont, also a gorgeous place to live in any season, but as a retired person, you do have to consider the winters, clearing snow and possible injury from falls. I could see early retirement there, but at some point I’d have to move to an apartment where someone else is responsible for snow removal and maintenance.
April 12th, 2007 at 12:46 pm
Couer D’ Alene ID is the best. The winters are real winters and the springs are awesome. The scenery is the best. And the Eagles of the region fish in lake Couer D Alene in the spring and fall. Of any on that list, that would be my choice.
April 12th, 2007 at 1:08 pm
Coeur d’Alene??? Are you serious??? My best friend’s sister lives there and let-me-tell-you there is noooooo culture. of any kind. A really big night for her is to fire up the Tivo and paint her toenails. (as if anyone ever sees ‘em. there’s no decent luv in that town, either.)
And how many of these states are blue? I’m sorry, Gary, but I have *got* to be nestled in the tender bleeding-heart underbelly of my progressive peeps. Fish and eagles aside, the scenery is pretty much ruined for me with Matthew Shepard hangin’ on a fence. I’d rather shovel through snow and ice than conservativism and bigotry any day. *harrumph* ;~)
~ hb33, happily from the Heathen State of Massachusetts ~
April 12th, 2007 at 1:21 pm
Anacortes is a sleepy little town that’s in a nice part of northwest Washington state called Whidbey Island which is not really an island but a peninsula. It’s OK for retirement I suppose if you can put up with the rainy weather but there are other areas on Whidbey Island to live in that are much nicer communities than Anacortes.
I’d be interested in seeing an article like this that covers areas outside of North America. I had hoped Thailand, but a recent visit told me no.
April 12th, 2007 at 1:43 pm
I am always suspicious of these lists, so I appreciate everyone chiming in with their opinions. One person’s paradise is another person’s hell.
Honeybee: I’m a Mass. heathen, too.
Brian: I am going to do a piece one day on places to retire outside North America.
April 12th, 2007 at 2:12 pm
I agree about Burlington, VT. brrrrr….. And anywhere in New Hampshire would be about as cold.
Me, I’m sticking with NYC when I retire in 5 years. I can’t imagine a better place to live, except, maybe, Hawaii.
April 12th, 2007 at 3:06 pm
I was half way through the list and my first thought was “when H*ll freezes over
April 12th, 2007 at 3:12 pm
LisaB: I know what you mean.
April 12th, 2007 at 3:33 pm
I’ve never been to any of these places Coeur d’Alene sounded good after reading Gary’s comment but then not so good after Honeybee33’s comment.
April 12th, 2007 at 4:21 pm
I visited Charlottesville quite often in the late 90s … it’s a beautiful place, lots of wineries, the BEST pizza in the WORLD is nearby (a place called Crozet Pizza, in, of all places, Crozet, VA)…but…it’s red. Wicked red. And probably not good for a heathen
April 12th, 2007 at 4:21 pm
[...] Update: Move.com mentions the survey as well, as does the Boomer Chronicles. [...]
April 12th, 2007 at 5:50 pm
why would anyone consider retiring young or old in any place where there is snow?
April 12th, 2007 at 6:18 pm
I would definitely consider Charlottesville, Virginia. Went there about seven years ago to visit Monticello and I thought the whole area was absolutely lovely. Actually, I love the whole State except for the crowded areas close to Washington D.C. Plus the people down there seem so much nicer than we cold New Englanders!
April 12th, 2007 at 6:19 pm
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho is beautiful, but I don’t think I could ever learn how to spell it correctly, so I’d better not move there…
April 12th, 2007 at 6:37 pm
Ames, Iowa?! They have got to be KIDDING!!
The only thing good I have to say about Ames, is that you can see it from a long ways off. Unless you’re a real prairie fan, don’t move to Ames!
April 12th, 2007 at 6:51 pm
Coeur d Alene is 50 miles south of my home. Sorry honeybee, but you must have gone to another city. CDA is wonderfully filled with galleries, the theater, art walk, festivals, local theater, eateries and upscale restaurants, clubs and a magnificent lake. Tribal gambling is there as well as year round sports. Yes, there are 4 seasons and it can get really cold in the winter. But it is milder than Sandpoint. There are local small malls and larger ones close by in Washington. However…all of you stay away. We want to keep our little spot in the world to ourselves.
April 12th, 2007 at 7:00 pm
Thank you, honeybee33 for your comments! It will help keep everyone from moving to this neck of the woods to retire, which drives up the price of real estate and brings zero jobs. I hate these lists. We don’t need any more transplants. And honeybee33, maybe the problem is your best friend’s sister. There is plenty of culture in Coeur d’Alene (just ask Patty Duke, who lives there and often performs in the local theater productions), and Spokane, which just hosted the National Ice Skating Championships, is just half an hour away. As for “conservatism and bigotry”, that’s a pretty nasty slap at a place you obviously know nothing about. I thought the perception of North Idaho as a haven for racists and bigots died along with Richard Butler. Apparently, that’s not the case. But that’s okay, you just keep thinking what you’re thinking, if it will keep you out of Coeur d’Alene. We’re happy to keep the place to ourselves.
April 12th, 2007 at 7:00 pm
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho– Secenery is gorgeous. Unfortunately, highly populated by antisemetic whacko gun toting survivalists and white supremacists. Skip that one.
Charlottesville, Virginia– Eh. It’s OK, nothing special.
Logan, Utah– Great if you’re a Mormon. Kinda sucks if you’re anything else.
Blacksburg, Virginia–Never heard of it
Burlington, Vermont–FuhREEZING cold. Great town, wonderful environment, too damn cold to ever consider.
Anacortes, Washington–Washington State? Are you freaking kidding me? See Coeur d’Alene comments. I think there are two Jews in the whole of central to eastern WA.
Sarasota, Florida–Oh man, I love the hurricaines!
Hanover, New Hampshire–Great town. Dartmouth has a good hospital. Unfortunately, it’s FUH-FREEZING.
Manhattan, Kansas–I happen to like Kansas. Not Manhatten Kansas, but Kansas in general. But again, tornados, cold brutal winters, no Jews.
Ames, Iowa–LOVE Iowa City. Ames… not so much. I have a friend that lives there. DesMoines is a great city. But small town Iowa, like Ames or Ottumwa or Oskaloosa… they’re REALLY small towns. No place to shop, have to drive miles for a decent meal, and again…COLD as a witches tit in the winter.
It’s interesting that these weird places appeared on the list. I guess they’re all pretty cheap housing and cost of living. But quality of life? Not for this girl!
April 12th, 2007 at 7:20 pm
Oh, and a correction – Anacortes is on Fidalgo Island, not Whidbey Island. It’s a bit northwest of Seattle. And both Fidalgo and Whidbey are honest-to-goodness islands, not peninsulas. Anacortes is a really nice town, albeit off the beaten path a bit. What sells it is it’s close to Seattle without being just a suburb of Seattle. There is a lot to do, and it’s not ALWAYS rainy there. The scenery is superb.
April 12th, 2007 at 8:50 pm
It’s so cool hearing everyone’s opinions of these places — and it’s fascinating when the opinions of the very same place are so wildly different. Who knew controversy would ensue?
April 12th, 2007 at 9:20 pm
What about East Tennessee? I doing okay there!
April 13th, 2007 at 12:20 am
Guarantee that the slaps at Coeur D’Alene come from people who’ve never been there. I have and it’s lovely. Not my speed at all for settling down, but a fine place to visit awhile. Dollars to dognuts the “antisemetic whacko gun toting survivalists and white supremacists” are more prevalent in western Massachussetts, Ames, IA, and Southern CA. There are a few toothless hill folk what drifted down from Canada, but they’re all right. I concur with whoever said this was an odd list. Logan, UT???
April 13th, 2007 at 8:18 am
My sister, mentioned this blog. So checking it out. And so love an opportunity to voice my thoughts.
No. 1 is there is no place, like home. For me it is central NNY. Owego to be exact. The climiate is ok, there are seasons, and if you do not like what there is to do here, there are many opportunities, with in an hours drive. And best of all, we are a rural area, but if you are the type that needs a city, Binghamton, is close by, Ithaca, But for me there is no place I would rather be, and have been here 52 years.
April 13th, 2007 at 11:27 am
It would be really nice if the people who have chosen to comment on the cities on this list had actually LIVED in them, or even visited them for any length of time. Margalit has NO CLUE whatsoever about Coeur d’Alene or Anacortes. Anacortes is not in Central or Eastern WA – it’s northwest of Seattle, which last time I checked, was pretty darned BLUE and highly cosmopolitan (that means folks of all varieties, Margalit). I’ve already commented on Coeur d’Alene’s undeserved reputation as a haven for survivalist white supremacist whack jobs. I agree with Don that there are probably a lot more of them in western MA and SoCal than there are in CdA. And no, the real estate isn’t necessarily inexpensive, nor is the cost of living necessarily low in these places. What they DO have IS quality of life in spades. You know your neighbors, violent crime is almost non-existent, there are tons of art galleries, artists, theater events, concerts and music festivals, outdoor recreational opportunities including world class golf and skiing, shopping, and things I can’t even think of right now. Surprisingly, Don, Logan, UT is an amazing community with terrific weather, and despite the heavy Mormon influence, tons of non-LDS happily and comfortably make it their home. Most of the towns listed are within an hour or two of major metropolitan areas (at least, the ones in the West with which I am familiar), which is probably part of the reason for their inclusion. They have all the quaintness and qualities of smallish-town living, with quick and easy access to big city amenities if one desires to make use of them.
As I said at the beginning of this comment, it would be nice if people who actually LIVE IN or FREQUENT these cities would share their experiences, instead of people who have never set foot in them slamming them based on something negative they heard somewhere once. At least I live just north of Coeur d’Alene and KNOW the town, and have visited Anacortes and Logan, UT many, many times, and know a lot about the areas. You don’t see me making disparaging remarks based upon worn out stereotypes about the other places because I’ve never been to any of them.
April 13th, 2007 at 11:37 am
In case anyone’s interested, here are the criteria used to select these “Best Places”:
Specific criteria used in making up the list of best places follow:
Population growth: We wanted positive growth since 1990.
Near major metropolitan area: within 100 miles.
Housing cost: below $350,000, with a few exceptions. We’re showing current median housing prices (asking prices) for single-family houses.
Cost of living: No more than 20 percent above the national average.
Economic health: current unemployment rate below 4 percent and job growth greater than 10 percent for the past five years.
College presence: one or more major and/or highly competitive college in the vicinity.
Recreation and arts and culture score in the top third for nearby major metropolitan areas.
In some cases, we made exceptions for places that may not strictly fit our criteria but that offer unique benefits that may be worth the higher home cost or relative isolation.
April 13th, 2007 at 12:09 pm
Hmmm…me, I like where I am. Wet, wild and windy and usually mild, Qualicum Beach in Canada is a pretty seaside town with lots to do for the elder folk.
I’ve been to some of the towns mentioned, but I’ve lived on this Island most of my life, and to me it’s home, retired or not!
April 13th, 2007 at 12:26 pm
Ames, IA
I grew up there for 23 years- I couldn’t wait to get away from the ‘odd’ weather and be around culture.
I will say a few good things about it- Iowa State University.
I loved growing up around college students, it did give me a small idea into other cultures (I can understand accents better than the usual person)
April 13th, 2007 at 9:10 pm
I live in Charlottesville, having come back here two years ago, and it is fabulous. The walking, the scenery, the historic downtown mall with musicians, food, outdoor dining, niche shopping, old coin stores, history and open air markets. I’ve been to Cour D’lene (sp?) in the summer and it was fabulous. I’ve been to most of the places on the list and love all of them. But the ambiance, culture, hiking around the city trail, the music scene (Rolling Stones, Dave Matthews and Rascal Flats played here this year and we walked to it from the center of the city). No leash laws, pets are king, neighbors are fabulous, neighborhoods are great, parking is okay, costs on food are great. Housing is creeping up but you can ski during the winter with a one-hour drive (no it’s not Killington but Snowshoe is another two hours further). You can attend so many art exhibits, concerts, plays and even lately a tractor event! It is truly amazing and after dragging my husband (by boat through the Panama Canal) to Cville (as we call it), he is thrilled with how cool it is. My teenagers love it, and the air is clean and the weather is reasonably mild, though it has periods of extreme weather like everyone else. The University of Virginia includes the town and its peopl wherever it can and has a club that is for community members! I love it and I’ve lived in NYC and L.A., Bermuda, Hawaii and San Francisco. Great place, if you haven’t tried it, come for a visit!
April 14th, 2007 at 9:09 am
I a massaholic also, but I would like a little less winter. Warm not hot is good, so I best stay where I am. Maybe in my dreams I can have two houses, 8 months in Mass and 4 in warm!!! i am such a dreamer….i will stay in NE until I’m dust.
April 14th, 2007 at 10:22 pm
I have relatives in Crozet, Virginia, near Charlottesville. It’s a great place. The country is still green and rambling. There’s plenty of American history kept alive in the area. And Charlottesville has a pretty successful literary and musical tradition in the area. Must agree with the above comment, though, about how Red it is there …
April 14th, 2007 at 11:40 pm
I live in Hawaii, but not just for the climate. I also prefer the culture, which is respectful of old people. Other places older people go may offer amenties, but it is always the kind of courtesy you get that you have to pay for.
April 15th, 2007 at 7:19 am
Kansas? Really? For some reason that really surprises me.
April 17th, 2007 at 9:38 am
[...] A few days ago I ran a list of the best places to retire young, from CNNMoney.com. [...]
April 18th, 2007 at 2:32 pm
Charlottesville. Very nice, and actually very liberal by Virginia standards. Excellent climate, education, dining, culture. Not much to not like if you can afford it. Typical condo: http://tinyurl.com/2mp5j3