1 Maine
2 Michigan
3 Mass.
4.Conn
5 Alaska
6 Maryland
7 Rhode Island
8 Washington
9 New York
10 Wisconsin
rated by weather, taxes, medical services availability, accomodations. Just a geographer interested in these kinds of lists noting that most are in the New England area and close by Eastern states.
By USA Today
Last edited by Jim Franklin; April 28th, 2012 at 09:55 AM.
I wonder what are the 10 "best" states? Interesting that Maine would be the worst. I always kind of fancied I'd like to live there, if I couldn't live here.
According to this website they are:
1. Texas
2. Kentucky
3. Oklahoma
4. Iowa
5. Louisiana
6. Virginia
7. Mississippi
8. South Dakota
9. Tennessee
10. Kansas
These ratings are based on economics, climate, crime, and life expectancy. If you want to narrow it down a bit this website picks the top cities. They are:
1. Winchester VA
2. Portland ME
3. Gainesville GA
4. Wenatchee WA
5. Tulsa OK
6. Cheyenne WY
7. Columbus GA
8. Ithaca NY
9. Harrisburg PA
10. Midland TX
I wonder about Ithaca though. I have family in NYS and their property taxes are through the roof.
Loving God . . . Loving others.
Really!!? Winchester? If they say so....Originally Posted by Jon Bemis
- Ben
Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death! And to those in the tombs, bestowing life!
Χριστὸς ἀνέστη ἐκ νεκρῶν, θανάτῳ θάνατον πατήσας! καὶ τοῖς ἐν τοῖς μνήμασι, ζωὴν χαρισάμενος!
Do you ever wonder if people who make lists like this own property in the area or something?
Some other important factors would not be amenable to analysis by these surveys. For example, the best place to retire might be near where your kids and grandkids are, whatever state that is in (OR...maybe not!)
BILL
Post Thanks / Like - 5 Thanks, 1 LaughingMeghan Schoonover, Joanne Vergin, Wilson Deaton, Dennis M. Scott, Jeremy D. Scott - "thanks" for this post
Diane Likens - thanks for this funny post
It appears that they put a lot of emphasis on weather. That may be appropriate. As long as I was working full-time the Washington winters didn't bother me. In retirment, I find that the dreary days have a much larger impact on my moods.
It would also appear that they are judging Washington on the western Washington. The weather is entirely different on the east side of the Cascade Mountains.
Linda and I are blessed to be able to have the "ideal" retirement -- Arizona in the winter and Washington in the summer.
I also wonder about their "taxes" analysis. My guess is that they are looking at a combination of income taxes, property and sales tax. For retired couples with significant investment income it makes a big difference whether or not there is a state income tax. The fact that there is no state income tax makes Washington more attractive to us.
According to whom? Just curious.
My parents and my in-laws both stayed in the same state they were living in previously when they retired. My folks haven't moved at all (still in Indiana). My in-laws moved from a Milwaukee suburb to the Wisconsin Dells area. They love it.
Both are relatively close to kids and grandkids (within 1-3 hours).
Apparently AARP posted this list, and stated that it was according to "Money-Rates.com"
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Not surprised to see Michigan. It's a summer-onlysort of place, for sure!
[Well, maybe not to you, Susan U!]
Life beats down and crushes the soul and art reminds you that you have one.
~ Stella Adler ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
It takes a great deal of maturity to accept that trying to eliminate all risk eliminates life.
~ Susan Lapin ~
Unless you happen to enjoy cold & snowy winters. Some folks do...Not surprised to see Michigan. It's a summer-only
[Well, maybe not to you, Susan U!
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Well, Rich, this kid does not, and haven't for years ... been back here waaay too long ... way too long but there's this $$$ thing, you see . . . .
Note I did already acknowledge there are folks who like that, as you said.
Life beats down and crushes the soul and art reminds you that you have one.
~ Stella Adler ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
It takes a great deal of maturity to accept that trying to eliminate all risk eliminates life.
~ Susan Lapin ~
Linda and I were just listening to a program on a Seattle radio station on "Aging Options." I thought the host made a very wise observation. He pointed out that many retired people pack up and move to a state like Florida or Arizona while their family remains where their jobs are. It works well for a while, but as people age, they need family more and more. There is nothing worse than spending you final years miles and miles away from your loved ones. His advice was against moving away from family.
Linda and I enjoy spending winter months in Arizona, but we intend to keep our principle residence in Washington, near most of our children.
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I think sometimes that those lists are intended for those with the wherewithal to "retire to" someplace, as opposed to those who feel blessed to be able to continue to put food on the table after retirement.
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Debbie and I love New Hampshire and the beautiful seasons ... all five, ... summer, fall, winter, spring and MUD season. Well we do not like mud season. (One mud season we lost a car and still have not found it. I even cut the grass one day and the car was not in the yard.) The seasons are beautiful in NH ... even the winter with blizzards gives us a good excuse for a day off and to cancel meetings. BUT the people of NH fool themselves about taxes. PROPERTY taxes are excessive in NH especially for retired people. The entire tax burden is on property taxes. NH has no income tax, no sales tax and minimum excise tax. So property taxes bear the burden of education and all municipal services. NH would do much better offering income taxes and sales taxes to off set property taxes especially for retired folks on limited income and who spend discretionary income with wisdom. Sales tax should be applied to non essentials like tvs, technology, but not food and clothing. Right now Debbie and I can not retire in NH and pay NH property taxes. We will be much better off in a state with lower property taxes offset by income taxes and sales taxes. We hope to purchase a retirement home. Right now we live in a church owned parsonage so we do not pay any property taxes. What states offers the best property tax rates for retired people on fixed incomes?
And now you know why I don't own property in New Hampshire! You are just going to love living in the "unorganized territory" in Maine! We have all five seasons here, just with different names, almost winter, winter, still winter, mud and summer. The shortest season is summer which consists of the last three weeks of August. We do get frost near the end of August though. But no worries because it's a dry cold, not wet like New Hampshire.
My taxes on a 1400 square foot home with a four car garage and 12 Acres is......................drum roll please.......................$600 per year! And the very best thing is the local politics, there are none because we don't have a municipal government.
-Jim
To know and to serve God, of course, is why we're here, a clear truth, that, like the nose on your face, is near at hand and easily discernible but can make you dizzy if you try to focus on it hard. But a little faith will see you through.
Garrison KeillorPost Thanks / Like - 1 Thanks, 0 Laughing
Jim, Can I build a small one level retirement home on your twelve acres? I will gladly pay you $100 a year for the land rent!! What town do you live in? Do you commute to Massachusetts?
It appears CA is on neither list. We retired by moving down the freeway about 20 miles from where we'd lived and taught for years. Love it. Have thought about relocation once or twice but between family and climate considerations, we'll stick here.
Jim, or anyone, before I move to Maine, why is Mine the #1 worst state to retire in? Is it because there are no hospitals?
Half of Mesa, AZ is winter residents. We have a ton of Nazarenes down here. In the winter months our Church attendance swells until the wintering crowd leaves... then it gets back to normal.
I don't mind the winter residents, it bugs some of the year long folk, but about all they are guilty of is clogging the ailses in the local grocery stores. We have a Church full of grandmas and grandpas for the kids. We have them over and have great fun and fellowship.
So I think the dual residency thing is really ramping up for folk. You can buy a small retirement home in Arizona for a ridiculous amount of money. Moth ball it in the summer and head North to your primary state of residency.
The weather here in winter is amazing. Tons of golf courses and places to shop. And these retired folk are not sitting around watching jeopardy. They rent ATV's and cruise the desert! They also join local fitness clubs and do water aerobics. It's really pretty impressive.
Not exactly sure. There are plenty of hospitals, I can think of three within an hour drive from my house. The closest one being only 6 miles from the house. They did say that weather was a factor, I'm thinking that weather is a real subjective thing, I for one have no use for warm weather, although they say that will change when I get older. Income taxes are on the high side in Maine, but that shouldn't be a real factor for retirees. I would think that retirees would be affected more by sales and property taxes. A retiree with income issues could always keep their primary residence in a tax free state.
I think that Dave has the right idea. The absolute best place to retire to is near your family!
-Jim
To know and to serve God, of course, is why we're here, a clear truth, that, like the nose on your face, is near at hand and easily discernible but can make you dizzy if you try to focus on it hard. But a little faith will see you through.
Garrison Keillor
Nice if one has $$$, torturous (seriously!) winters that take their tolls in more ways than one, that isolate people when one does not have the $$$. ;(
Sooo sad I had to leave warm winters, where other things (emotional+) add to those dreadful winters. After falling on my face a few winters ago, feel I need to get back there, AND be able to park close (what apts give you that!? none) until I CAN leave for warmer weather. Beginning to feel that, barring a MIRACLE, it will be another doggone decade, tho it has already been a horribly loooonnnng one (next month, mem'l day).
Life beats down and crushes the soul and art reminds you that you have one.
~ Stella Adler ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
It takes a great deal of maturity to accept that trying to eliminate all risk eliminates life.
~ Susan Lapin ~
I figure we are pretty much stuck in CA. Hate the taxes. Hate the politics. Love the scenery and the variety...beaches, mountains, deserts, clean lakes...all within a short drive. Love the weather where we are. Love that half of our kids/grand kids are nearby.
But we are mostly stuck due to our investments in rental property and my work. Just doesn't transfer very easily. If only we could get CA to split into two states, most of my objections to CA would disappear since we live in a 'sane' part of the state.
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"Though we cannot think alike, may we not love alike? May we not be of one heart, though we are not of one opinion? Without all doubt, we may." ~ John Wesley
Nice place to be stuck, David. Would not mind being stuck there ... Loved the variety of topography/weather when there in CA 3.5 yrs!
What a place to be "stuck!"
Life beats down and crushes the soul and art reminds you that you have one.
~ Stella Adler ~
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
It takes a great deal of maturity to accept that trying to eliminate all risk eliminates life.
~ Susan Lapin ~
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