I'm retiring right where I live now ... Cupertino, CA. Ya gotta have some cash but there isn't a better place to retire than right here. Trails galore, skiing in Tahoe, the Sierras, SFO-SJC-OAK, hospitals, no f'ing mosquitos or black flies, no humidity, no pollution, no rednecks etc etc etc. Only place better might be the south of France.
SLC? Tell me more. I know there is good Nordic skiing at altitude. I'm picturing a lot of Mormons, so are outsiders welcome? Is it an international airport?
What's the traffic like? Looks like this area has exploded in population over the past 20 years. It's certainly much more densely populated that where we are now, but that's to be expected. Also, it looks like they don't get much rainfall, so what is the fresh water (aquifer) situation? I know SoCal has had drought conditions for many years, so I don't want to move to a place that will run dry in a few years. For Nordic skiing, how long a drive is it to find a xc ski center?
I live in Northern Colorado. The weather is great until about mid November. Boulder is a great town, but housing is expensive. You can go up the road to Fort Collins. Even from Fort Collins, DIA is only an hour away. Colorado has the 4th lowest property taxes in the country. Also, as a former CPA who has done many retired persons taxes, IRA distributions are not taxed. So, for a retired person living on SS and a pension or IRA, Colorado is very cheap.
I hate hot weather so desert states like Nevada and Arizona wouldn't work for me. I once lived in Culver city CA. I loved it there, but housing, taxes, and the cost of everything is just not feasible for me.
SLC is plenty big and they hosted the Olympics not too long ago (2002). The airport is big and modern and it has long international flights--flew to Amsterdam some years back and several runners from Team USA were on the flight. Park City might be pricey but is very much a resort town. Soldier Hollow has world class trails (see Olympic reference) with some of the best skiing in the country, and as a destination site for championships it has some the best snowmaking equipment in the US.
Colorado is mixed. Front Range is crowded, housing is expensive, and skiing is less accessible than you might think. At least on weekends, when I-70 is jammed. Nordic areas are mostly at 8600' and above and it takes 70-90 minutes to get to ski areas under good weather and traffic conditions. If you live in Longmont, Boulder, or Jefferson County Eldora is 45 minutes to an hour away, but it's small and the base is at about 9400'. The other areas (Frisco, Gold Run, Devils Thumb, and Snow Mountain Ranch are probably the best) not bad to get to if you're retired and you go in the middle of the week. Some great trails, but the elevation.
Retiring soon myself and might sell here and move to a cheaper locale that still has skiing and lots of opportunities for recreational pursuits.
What's the traffic like? Looks like this area has exploded in population over the past 20 years. It's certainly much more densely populated that where we are now, but that's to be expected. Also, it looks like they don't get much rainfall, so what is the fresh water (aquifer) situation? I know SoCal has had drought conditions for many years, so I don't want to move to a place that will run dry in a few years. For Nordic skiing, how long a drive is it to find a xc ski center?
Traffic doesn't really matter when you're retired, does it? We get enough rainfall, it rained an inch last night but thus storm will be it until Fall. That's actually a plus, you never have to worry what the weather's gonna be tomorrow. It's always sunny and mild. Nordic skiing is in the Sierras - a 4 hour drive. I switched to snowshoeing once I was done with snowboarding. Go up a couple/few times a year.
Over the last ten years the Treasure Valley of Idaho has become a popular retirement location. I do not want to encourage more transplants, but as a courtesy to your question here are some pointers. The Nordic Center at Bogus Basin Ski Area is about a 20:00 drive from the Downtown, the airport is a 10:00 drive. The Ridge to Rivers Trail System has hundreds of miles of mountain biking, and road biking trails. Google these names for more information. Housing cost has tripled over the last decade, and I believe is a major bubble, so five years timeframe is in your favor. Idaho as noted by another poster is generally conservative, but the North End by the Capitol is populated with government, healthcare, and education workers or students. You’ll find a Subaru on most streets, with “Coexist,“ “Blue Girl Red State,” and “Riding with Biden” bumper stickers. Boise High School serves that area, a few years ago woke libs changed the school mascot Braves with a Native American logo, to the more inclusive but nondescript Boise Brave. Plenty of LGBTQ flags are proudly flown, no American flags though, and an occasional lawn sign “Immigrants Welcome” and “Protect Trans Youth.” Where I live in Eagle there are “Trump 2024” and residents that erected permanents flagpoles where they proudly display the American flag. My running crowd is predominantly liberal, me not, we get along just fine.
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This post was edited 3 minutes after it was posted.
Yes, Idaho is appealing on many levels because of the scenery and the good snow conditions. Not sure how good the health care system is, and it seems like once you leave the liberal enclave of Boise, the politics get pretty right-wing. My take on the state is (and I may be misinformed): lots of survivalists; a healthy sprinkling of neo Nazis, and a lot of fundamentalist Christians. While I'm politically pretty middle of the road, it just doesn't feel like a state that is particularly welcoming to Jews like myself. Hopefully I'm wrong.
I'm confused. I thought that IRAs were taxed by the federal government. Are you saying that that's not the case in Colorado, or simply that there is no State tax on IRAs?
Yes, Idaho is appealing on many levels because of the scenery and the good snow conditions. Not sure how good the health care system is, and it seems like once you leave the liberal enclave of Boise, the politics get pretty right-wing. My take on the state is (and I may be misinformed): lots of survivalists; a healthy sprinkling of neo Nazis, and a lot of fundamentalist Christians. While I'm politically pretty middle of the road, it just doesn't feel like a state that is particularly welcoming to Jews like myself. Hopefully I'm wrong.
Listen, I have first hand experience living in WA and OR for several years. If you are middle of the road and retired with your nest egg, you can definitely make it here. Dont listen to the dimwits that bag on red states. There is no such thing. All states have pockets of both with regional majorities. The gov in WA and OR are bat$hit crazy and if you can just ignore them for the most part, youve got it made. I live at the base of the west Cascades and have the BEST of both worlds. Hayward Field, High Dessert and open range. Mild winters and endless outdoor activities, camping, back packing, skiing, bike riding etc... While the freaking state leaders are doing everything they can to wreck the place, they never will for someone like me. I hate the homeless and drug situation and the joke of public school systems here but I can ignore it and refuse to let them have tbis natural wonder for themselves. They dont even co.e out of their creepy cities and appreciate it anyway.
Minocqua prices are friendly and xc skiing is near Squirrel Lake. Plus, you have the ultimate Northwoods basecamp in the North Central part of the state.
Montrose-Delta has cheap housing by Colorado standards and Delta has decent infrastructure and amenities. The catch with Montrose is you have the ultimate basecamp for the the Western Slope of Colorado, a few hours shy of Moab and then Taos less than 3 hours away. House plus Sprinter Van and youre set!
Right now $2 million in assets. A good chunk is in the market, so if the Dow goes down, we will feel it. A few 100K of that is in CDs, earning 4.75%. We are not big spenders, so our "burn rate" might be 50-60K a year. I should take a closer look at that.
Some folks suggested southern cities that don't have access to snow in winter, so they would not be on our list.
I am retirement age (although still working for a few clients), and live in the Seattle suburbs. It ticks the boxes for medical care and airport. Nordic skiing is close but it usually is a short season here. North Bend is about 30 minutes east so still ticks the medical care and airport boxes and puts you closer to the skiing. Also an easier drive to the better Nordic skiing in the Methow Valley east of the Cascades.
Bend Oregon may be an option as well, but housing isn't cheap and the air travel will require connections at bigger airports.
A lot of retirees like Bellingham, Washington as well.
I’d check out Eagle or Edwards, CO . We have a mountain house there, fantastic everything, and winter on the western slope is now extra mild. Eagle Airport hops to DIA or direct to lots of places.
Bowser and Blue sing a joyful song about being Canadian, while freezing their buns off on a balcony in Montreal. To use this video in a commercial player or ...
Plymouth NH. NH has no income or sales tax. 3 Nordic ski areas within 20 minutes, including 1 with snowmaking so skiing reliably 4 months per year. Tuns of road riding, hiking (white mountains), mountain biking, running, alpine skiing. Manchester NH is a nice airport an hour away.
I'm not sure that the LetsRun Message Board is really the best place to ask this, but here goes:
We will be moving in the next 5 years or so . . . . Three priorities:
1 A town big enough that there are good medical resources in the area. We're healthy, but as folks get older, health issues can arise, so having good hospitals is a plus.
2. Within an hour's drive of a decent-sized airport. We have grandkids across the country, so being able to fly and see them is a priority, and the larger the airport, the better section of flights.
3. Good recreation area. We like to bicycle, run, and cross country ski, so access to a Nordic ski center within an hour's drive would be nice.
4. I don't need to move to designated "running hotbed" as pretty much any decent sized town or city will have a running community, and it's not like I'm training for USATF champs.
1) In and around Phoenix, AZ. Definitely some cons there (air pollution, lack of water, weird politics). If Phoenix itself is too hot, head to Flagstaff. It's just 2 hours away.
What do mean IF Phoenix is too hot? It is too hot. No doubt about it.