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Great Places to Retire?

akbeemer

akbeemer

SURVIVOR
My wife and I are contemplating retirement in the next 3-5 years and are struggling to select a location. We spent 25 years in the Army and have lived in many parts of the country, so we have an idea of whatÔÇÖs out there. Yet, we still cannot settle on a location and have no particular ties to any part of the country. Alaska is a great place to live, but the winters are starting to wear us down and the riding season is painfully short. WeÔÇÖve considered St. George, UT; Winthrop, WA; Manhattan, KS, St Pete, FL; western VA; and, Helena, MT. We are looking for milder weather, but a short winter is okay. After living with 6-7 month winters for the last 14 years, 2-3 months of winter seems like a piece of cake. Cost of living, especially housing is an important factor; prefer small town or rural. We have family all over the states, but west of the Mississippi is probably better, but not a certainty. And of course having good riding options is a big plus; we plan on spending our time riding and playing golf. So letÔÇÖs hear your sage advice on where we should retire, as well as places to avoid. :lurk
 
AKBeemer said:
My wife and I are contemplating retirement in the next 3-5 years and are struggling to select a location. We spent 25 years in the Army and have lived in many parts of the country, so we have an idea of what’s out there. Yet, we still cannot settle on a location and have no particular ties to any part of the country. Alaska is a great place to live, but the winters are starting to wear us down and the riding season is painfully short. We’ve considered St. George, UT; Winthrop, WA; Manhattan, KS, St Pete, FL; western VA; and, Helena, MT. We are looking for milder weather, but a short winter is okay. After living with 6-7 month winters for the last 14 years, 2-3 months of winter seems like a piece of cake. Cost of living, especially housing is an important factor; prefer small town or rural. We have family all over the states, but west of the Mississippi is probably better, but not a certainty. And of course having good riding options is a big plus; we plan on spending our time riding and playing golf. So let’s hear your sage advice on where we should retire, as well as places to avoid. :lurk
Click to expand...

Southern Illinois is God's country.
 
Arizona has very short winters and year round riding. The summers are not all that pleasant and the cost of living is going out of sight now.

Climate wise we like Oregon and Washington but could never afford to live there.
 
It's hard to beat the weather and riding conditions in California, but the cost of living is expensive.
 
Check tax structure. Being from AK, where you get a rebate, you are in for a shock if you don't lookk at states ntaxes

Here in NY we pay 6-8% income tax as well as 8-9% sales tax on most goods.


If you are not limited to the US, New Zealand might be worth a look.
 
I'd suggest a first move to Helena, MT. It's got the lowest mean January temperature of the other locations, although Kansas is a close second...but who would want to live there.:whistle Plus Helena has similar characteristics regarding sunlight deficiencies as you've experienced in Alaska, although not quite as bad. This would give you a chance to acclimatize to the lower 48.

Or you could wait for "real" suggestions from more learned people...:bolt
 
Brevard, North Carolina. 18 miles off the Blue Ridge Parkway, wonderful roads to ride, four distinct seasons, great fall foliage.............and the home of the White Squirrel.
 
There are a number of states that don't tax retirement incomes, NC and SC and FL that i know of off hand, NC and SC have low cost of living and housing is a good deal cheaper than many metro areas (on the east coast at least). good roads, mountains and sea shore both with a days ride. Greenville SC is a very nice small city near the mountains and interstate if you want to head away fast for travel. I really liked the area, its where I hope to retire to (if I can ever afford to now!). But what is it that you are looking for besides cost? Mountains, seashore, lake areas with boating/fishing? Wide open plains, weather conducive to year round riding in relative comfort can be found in much of the east below and around the NC SC border. There are so many choices all across the US, much depends on what your interests are.
RM
 
pffog said:
If you are not limited to the US, New Zealand might be worth a look.
Click to expand...

My friends in NZ tell me that housing is very expensive there, often triple what you'd pay for the equivalent in most parts of USA. On the other hand, if you don't mind going back to work, I also hear that they have a real shortage of skilled workers in most fields.
 
Retirement

Always on the best place to retire list - Cary, NC. 1 1/2 hrs from Pinehurst(can't beat the golf!), and 2 1/2 hrs from the NC coast(can't beat the beach) The weather is mild and if you like spring and Fall, Asheville, NC is just 4 hrs away.:thumb :thumb
 
I have been reseaching Summerville SC. Housing prices and Property taxes are reasonable and it it close to Charleston (big city). Summers are hot, but winters are short. Far enough from the coast to avoid hurricanes direct.

Any members live there?
 
I lived in NC '95-99. Mild climate. But, you do get hurricanes coming 200 miles inland with lots of property damage due to big pine trees falling over. Real estate is kind of pricey: real estate taxes fairly low. Car/motorcycle insurance is more expensive due to it being state regulated. You also have annual safety and emission testing requirements for your vehicle. The NC income tax is a nightmare--the most convoluted tax I have ever had to figure. Also you have lots of traffic congestion along the I85/I40 corrider do to the inability of the infrastructure to keep up with population growth.
 
The rally next summer is right in the middle of one of the best places to retire with a motorcycle in the country. I live 60 miles away on the Virginia side. Virginia has a moderate state income tax but a low 5% sales tax. Tennessee has no state income tax but a high 9 3/4% or so sales tax on both items and labor. Since I moved back to my hometown, the temperature has never gotten to a hundred or down to zero. We don't get hurricanes, tornados, earthquakes or any other natural disasters except a very infrequent flood (that is only a problem if you're stupid enough to live in flood prone areas). Housing is cheap and property taxes are low (I pay $1,240.79 on my 4,700 square foot house and 6.4 acres I bought 9 years ago for $200,000). I pay $200 for full coverage on both of my motorcycles and just over $630 for coverage on a car, truck, suv and camper. Wages are low but that is a plus if you are retired because you can hire stuff done cheap.

Tour the area next summer at the rally and be sure to wander around East Tennessee, Southwest Virginia and Western North Carolina. North Carolina has much more expensive property and much higher insurance rates than VA or TN.
 
I lived the first 23 years of my life in Centralia, IL . . . if cjack is right about it being God's country, I wonder what he was so pissed off about. +1 on middle to eastern Tennessee.

Floyd
 
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