Freeper Suggestions on Where to Retire

Me | 4 Dec 2001 | Me

[hattend]

I am looking for suggestions from FReepers in lower 48 for city/state recommendations on where to retire.

I have pretty much decided on the western US (excluding the Pacific Coast states) and would lean to the southwestern states. I would stay in Alaska but I am tired of the long winter nights.

Would prefer acreage but you can try to convince me to live in town. :-)

If you know of any on-line newspaper links that have the classified, a URL would be appreciated.

Thanks
Don

[LadyDoc]

Oklahoma. Boiling hot in summer, cold in winter, miles from anywhere. People friendly, and housing cheap.

However, if I were rich, I'd retire to Phoenix or San Diego.

[sharktrager]

When I retire I often go to places like Big-O Tires. I used a Goodyear place once, but wasn't impressed.

[crystalk]

Best place in:

1. Alabama. Huntsville, for a city. St Elmo or anywhere on the gulf, for a small town.

2. Alaska, rule it out due to cold and costs.

3. Arizona, choose Sierra Vista/Huachuca area. Close to cheap Mexican shopping for pharmaceuticals, yet not really all that overwhelmingly Hispanic, but learn Spanish anyway. Second choice, maybe, uphill from Phoenix around Cave Creek or Black Canyon.

4. Arkansas, it would have to be the NW but not to my taste.

5. California, I would avoid it unless I already lived there, in which case there are some hideaways.

6. Colorado. Hate to say this but I would avoid it.

7. CT, Del. Avoid.

8. Florida. Best area is the northeast coast, look closely, from Marineland north to the Georgia border. Hard to go wrong anywhere in the state, unless you hate hot summer or the humidity, which is much less bad on the Atlantic coast than the Gulf.

9. Georgia. A well kept secret. Try Moultrie or Thomasville, or Savannah, or stick a pin in the map.

(to be continued)

[crystalk]

That baking desert at Grand Junction is freezing cold in winter, baking hot in summer, and ugly as heck. Try Rapid City SD for much prettier scenery, climate, and (shhh!) milder too, and better people. Now I will be flamed.

[Doctor Stochastic]

A few things to check on (no particular order):

Income taxes, especially on "unearned" income.
Sales taxes.
Property taxes.
Cost of living (food, housing, medical, energy.)
Climate.
Crime.
Access to hospitals, airports, shooting ranges.
Distance of relatives.
View.
Things you want.

[Hostage]

Sorry to butt in on hattend's query but do you know anything of the tax situation in Gulf Breeze FL? Such as state sales, property, income tax rates?

[crystalk]

THERE IS NO STATE INCOME TAX IN FLORIDA! It is against the state constitution.

Property taxes are among the lowest dozen states in the country for the price of house, especially if it is homesteaded as your primary residence. Sales tax is 7% but does not apply to food or pharmaceuticals, unless eaten out in restaurants.

[CFW]

Georgia. A well kept secret. Try Moultrie or Thomasville, or Savannah, or stick a pin in the map.

See my post #6.

[balrog666]

Forget Florida, the southeast is GOMER land; the southwest is too expensive; the northeast is ancient and overgrown; the northwest is new and overgrown.

Also, forget Alabama (stuck in the 19th century), Mississippi (suck in the 18th century), and Lousianna (unflushed swampland from the 17th century). My memories of the Northeast US and the midwest are all too old to be reliable but I wouldn't live there.

[Joan_of_Argghh!]

Skip the states and move to San Miguel de Allende in Mexico.

[steve in DC]

Northern Neck of Virginia!

[Boston Tea Party]

Can you tell more about New Hampshire?

[balrog666]

(Florida) Sales tax is 7% but does not apply to food or pharmaceuticals, unless eaten out in restaurants.

The Florida legislature is working on a bill to reduce the Sales Tax rate to 4% but eliminate all exemptions. Unfortunately, they tried once before to eliminate the exemption on services and it was a horrible failure and quickly repealed.

[breakem]

If you want big city life go to Vegas. 1 million increase in population the last 10 years. Many seniors, so there is a lot of stuff going on for retirees. Very hot in the summer.

For small town northern Nevada or Oregon. Neither state has an income tax.

[Ditter]

Arkansas is a nice place.......if.......... it came with a guarantee that "you know who" is never coming back.

[crystalk]

10. Hawaii. Avoid unless you already live there.

11. Idaho: Somewhat surprisingly, not bad. The north, especially the town of Moscow (say mosko) may be preferable to the southeast, which is a little bit too much like Utah. But Boise is quite good for a city of the size.

12.Ill, Ind, Iowa, and Ohio. Avoid anything in the midwest that starts with a vowel.

13. Kansas, avoid.

Kentucky, nice around the university at Lexington, plus Frankfort, Bardstown, etc. North central part, not too far from Louisville, is where you want to be.

Louisiana, maybe #1 if you live to eat.

Maine, avoid it unless you already live in New England/northeast.

to be continued.

[crystalk]

My records show Oregon DOES have an income tax.

[Ditter]

LOL So. Dakota is "mild" as compared to what? The So. Pole?

[R2]

Invest in a boat...

Young Retirement Option

Older Retirement Option

Freeper Retirement Option

[breakem]

thanx, I've been wrong about this a loing time. Maybe it's sales tax. Another guess?