Posted on 11/12/2023 6:08:40 PM PST by matt04
Ask anyone in Massachusetts: the best place to live out your last few years on Earth is Worcester. Or Springfield.
This week, U.S. News & World Report released its ranking of Best Places to Retire, and the only two to crack the top 100 in Massachusetts were Worcester and Springfield. Keep in mind this is a list that ranked Harrisburg, PA, No. 1, and put Flint, Mich., ahead of cities surrounded by natural beauty, culture and attractions like Boise and Las Vegas.
This year’s list is based on the evaluation of the nation’s 150 most populated metropolitan areas based on how well they meet Americans’ expectations for retirement. Measures used in the evaluation were affordability, health care, desirability, retiree taxes, the job market and overall happiness.
Worcester ranked No. 35 overall for its proximity to good healthcare — the sprawling UMass medical school campus is located in the city — and relatively cheap housing, although that stock is on the decline. U.S. News also wrote very generously about Worcester's cultural scene. Keep in mind, Worcester doesn't have a single movie theater.
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Springfield ranked No. 39 overall, and got higher marks than Worcester for housing affordability. It's also got the basketball museum, a casino and a nice river.
If those two cities don't pique your interest, Pennsylvania is apparently a retirement paradise. Cities in the state oddly dominated the top five in this year’s list, and PA had seven metro areas in the top 10:
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania Reading, Pennsylvania Allentown, Pennsylvania Scranton, Pennsylvania New York City York, Pennsylvania Daytona Beach, Florida Youngstown, Ohio Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Ann Arbor, Michigan
(Excerpt) Read more at patch.com ...
These articles are pretty much garbage. Where to retire is personal to you - live near your children? Have no money, so it’s the boonies for you? Or maybe you’ve saved tens of millions, and a mansion in Greenwich is just the ticket for you - a short drive to the Stanwich Club.
Two dreary places with huge hospitals.
Worcester has done a lot of work to improve the character of the city, and has some small colleges, so it would not be the worst place to retire. But it does not seem like a top choice unless you already have ties to the area.
U.S. News & World Report, HaHaHaHa-—’nuff said.
Mass-holes - the state that is hardest of the hard core left.
People escaping craphole democrat cities aren’t storming ineo Worcester and Springfield - they’re moving all the way to the deep south.
I am with you. Not a fan of either Springfield or Worcester. They both have a few good things, but...not comfortable walking around either city now. Night or day.
A blue states? I would imagine the taxes are insane?
and it’s pronounced Woosta
I grew up on the South shore. Pilgrim land and am a descendant of them. Damn shame what’s become of that innocent Christian beginning
Please, pronounce it properly. It’s Assachussets.
I went to college in Worcester, and I never liked it much.
Tells you how stupid these rankings are.
Worcester and Springfield are cheaper that Boston and possibly less scary than Hartford or Bridgeport.
But they're more like places to retire from.
Worcester and Springfield are cheaper that Boston and possibly less scary than Hartford or Bridgeport.
But they're more like places to retire from.
Any of these Blue States are the least desirable places to live..
Springfield? Really? I’ve always called it the armpit of Mass.
Worcester (Woostah) was a dreary, dirty town full of Portuguese aliens when I was there in ‘98-99.
Years ago I had a co worker from the midwest call me to discuss Springfield.
He knew I was familiar with the area since I live in northern CT.
His son was being interviewed for a job in Springfield and the prospective employer was paying for the flight and car rental.
My suggestion was that his son should arrive a few hours early and drive to the area where the employer was. They should then do a grid drive of all neighborhoods within a mile of that location.
The young man flew into Springfield and followed my suggestion.
When he was finished with his tour he no-showed the interview and drove back to the airport.
;-)
Yup—Springfield is that bad.
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