Great Places to Retire?

[AKBeemer]

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

[cjack]

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

Southern Illinois is God's country.

[Motor31]

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.

[88bmwJeff]

It's hard to beat the weather and riding conditions in California, but the cost of living is expensive.

[pffog]

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.

[20774]

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

[hlothery]

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.

[k100lt]

Ely, NV

[rocketman]

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

[JanMiller]

Arcadia, Wisconsin

[The_Veg]

It's hard to beat the weather and riding conditions in California, but the cost of living is expensive.

Understatement of the century.

[The_Veg]

If you are not limited to the US, New Zealand might be worth a look.

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.

[dgrinsel]

#1 on Brevard, NC.

[rinty]

Winthrop, Wa., is one of my favourite places.

[jfmoore430]

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

[RJM2096]

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?

[swall]

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.

[osbornk]

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.

[88bmwJeff]

Understatement of the century.


Yes, but it's getting more affordable day by day as home prices are plummeting.

[flgoff]

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

[glurkus]

Things that you want to look at are property and income taxes, availability of health care, and how close you want to be to an airport.
I personally like northern New Mexico. There is affordable real estate in rural areas near Santa Fe or Taos. Mild winters and not too hot in the summer, and plenty of recreation opportunities.

[Rpbump]

There are six states with no income tax. TN, FL, TX, & NV are the ones I can recall. Being retired military you will find many major bases in these states with commissary and medical services. I would move to Texas hill country when I retire but know that the other half would not want to live so far from our kids and grandchildren so N FL is where my home will be. My only time in Alaska was a short visit to Adak, the size and aggressiveness of the mosquitos there compares to the ones in the pine barrens of NJ. Good luck to you and your family.
Ride Safe :usa

[35634]

Spearfish, SD.

[AKBeemer]

Okay, I've got my map out and I'm putting pins in at all the suggested locations. I'm looking at the gaps where there are no pins and guessing those places are really bad places to live...or the folks that live there are trying to keep their little slice of heaven a secret. What is it?

[35634]

Okay, I've got my map out and I'm putting pins in at all the suggested locations. I'm looking at the gaps where there are no pins and guessing those places are really bad places to live...or the folks that live there are trying to keep their little slice of heaven a secret. What is it?

look for the sigh that says "Welcome to ____. Spend your money, leave your
daughters, go back home"

[108625]

You don't want to homestead in Montana...
Read Lewis and Clark's journals about the mosquitoes, prickly pear cactus and grizzlies. None of that has changed. We still heat our homes with dried cowpies and make all of our clothes and sundry items out of dead animals.

[deilenberger]

On a vacation a year ago - I was very impressed with Lexington KY. It had a great small-town atmosphere - with some intelligence showing (2 or is it 3 Universities, and 3 hospitals..) And in 10 minutes you could be in some wonderful riding areas.

Anyone have personal experience?

[Vagabird]

After 24 years in the military and moving all over the place, plus another seven years of civilian work to build up savings, my wife and I did the whole bit of looking at taxes, climate, house prices, medical care, etc. Our search zeroed in on NE Arkansas. We then got on the bike and toured the states for three months. We sold our houses in Maryland and Rhode Island and moved to Laramie WY. We never would have moved here if we hadn't looked all around.

Other than being able to afford an actual house instead of living in a cardboard box, I think the main consideration given the choice is to live in a place where you are comfortable - with the climate, the terrain, the people, busy-ness or remoteness. Laramie has long winters but I always feel lucky to have found it.

Look around. You'll find your place. And, worse comes to worst, you can treat it like a military transfer and move after two years. If you've been in the military for a career you know you can stand just about anywhere for a couple of years.

:groovy

[SIBUD]

Southern Illinois is God's country.

After living here for 34 years, I agree.

[SIBUD]

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

Hello from Nashville, IL :wave

[lancew]

I grew up in Northern Vermont. In the last fifteen years I've lived in Charlotte NC, Atlanta GA, Richmond VA, and am currently working in St. Louis MO (though I haven't done much living here yet). I also spent a little time in Eastern Tennesee between Knoxville and Nashville.

If being East of the Mississippi works for you, I would take a look at the entire NC/VA border. Pick your east/west location according to your mountain vs. ocean preference, and pick your elevation according to how much "four" you want in your four seasons. Any place in there is an easy two-day ride to most of the eastern part of the country.

By the way, you're a lucky bum to have to worry about this, we should ALL have your problems! Best of luck.

[Easy]

There are six states with no income tax. TN, FL, TX, & NV are the ones I can recall. Being retired military you will find many major bases in these states with commissary and medical services. I would move to Texas hill country when I retire but know that the other half would not want to live so far from our kids and grandchildren so N FL is where my home will be. My only time in Alaska was a short visit to Adak, the size and aggressiveness of the mosquitos there compares to the ones in the pine barrens of NJ. Good luck to you and your family.
Ride Safe :usa

I'm originally from Houston, too flat, too humid, and the mosquitoes are big enough to carry off a small goat. Don't even ask me about the cockroaches. I later moved to far north Texas, still too flat, too windy, and the dust is enough to make you think you're on active duty in Mosul.

I next moved to the Texas Hill Country, and it's great down here. The scenery is great, good hills and twisties. The cost of living is affordable, no state income tax, and no Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger. Don't get me wrong, California would be my second choice.

I've been on two wheels in every state in the union except for the extreme northwest and northeast and it's the Texas Hill Country for me. I'm just a stone's throw from Fredericksburg, Bandera, Hunt and many other great destinations.

But it'll be a while before I'm ready to retire.

Come on down, the coffee at Clark's Bakery is on me.

Easy :german

[Gilly]

NOT Wisconsin, geez our TAXES are too high, the HEAT and HUMIDITY in the summer, SNOWDRIFTS up to your eyeballs, TWICE a day MOST months of the year, OH the construction in the 1.5 days out of the year we call summer. Dahmer, Gehin, Liberace, UGGG you DON'T want to move here. Come on up in the summer time, then go back home to "Gods Country" after the Indians have all your money.
Gilly

[RevWillie]

Gee, it sounds like you have a Real Good Reason to ride down to the National Rally in Tennessee! You will have a bunch of neighboring states to check out (VA,NC,TN,WV.SC) which include some excellent motorcycle roads. There are a lot of interesting towns down twisty roads in the Appalachians and I sure like living in the Piedmont of NC and having year-round riding!

Seems to me, you have a very good reason to come to Tennessee in July! :clap

[Voni]

Almost heaven - Big Bend country of Texas!

NO state income tax, Great fall, winter, and spring weather.

Just May and June are too hot so we run away from home.

Good medical center and a small airport.

Great people. Low cost housing. Great riding. and, did I mention the GReat people!

Voni
sMiling

[ultracyclist]

Here is what my clients did:

They followed the latitude lines from N. C. to Santa Cruz, CA.

They did not want:
-coasts
-deserts
-outrageous cost of energy

They wanted:
-mild winters
-bearable summers
-good health care
-longer riding year
-Stable real estate markets vs. CA, FL, and AZ

Their conclusion: Louisville, Lexington, KY areas. NC is right behind KY for this one.

They will start scouting the areas for housing, etc in about a year.

[glennhendricks]

Take a look at Pueblo Colorado. Mild winters. Long summers. Cheap housing. Decent medical. 40 minutes from Fort Carson and the big PX.

Great riding in Colorado. :dance

[corbtown]

Years ago I lived in Denver, Colorado. Then got married and moved to Ohio. If I didn't have all the family in Ohio, I would rush back to one of the mountain states. Northern New Mexico and the front range corridor of Colorado, all the way from Pueblo to Estes Park is amazing. Surprisingly, that part of Colorado has better winters than the mid-west. Other very good options are northern Kentucky, south east Indiana, both the northwest sections of the two Carolinas are also very beautiful, including some nice mountains. I also like Vancouver quite a bit if you can live in Canada--it has the coast, the mountains and a great urban environment. Have fun, and with good planning, make sure the expectation is NOT better than the reality.

[pffog]

If being East of the Mississippi works for you, I would take a look at the entire NC/VA border. Pick your east/west location according to your mountain vs. ocean preference, and pick your elevation according to how much "four" you want in your four seasons. Any place in there is an easy two-day ride to most of the eastern part of the country.

By the way, you're a lucky bum to have to worry about this, we should ALL have your problems! Best of luck.

If you want near the Blue Ridge in the NC/VA border area I know a guy in real estate that is an avid rider and all around good guy.

[ragtoplvr]

If you want golf and great riding then Bella Vista ARKANSAS deserves a look. I ride thru there a lot, lots of Golf. I can not speak as the the quality of the courses, there is quantity though. I can speak for the roads, and they are great. And there is an EXCELLENT Beemer dealer in Bentonville BMW right next door.

And if you ever want to fish or hunt. Biggest problem is all the Wal-Mart millionairs. But most of them are nice people. They have run up the property values a bit though.

Just my $.02

Rod

[kgadley01]

Florence, S.C. area is great!!! close to the beach ( 60 miles ) close to the mountains ( 3 hrs ) only 4 hrs to Fla. some of the best golf in the U.S. and you can be a RAW member ( Ride all Winter ) plus low living costs. :dance :bolt

[HexST]

I keep my residence in Fla. for taxes but have an RV lot in Northern Ga. for my ridiing and fall and spring fun. Many of my fellow Govt, retirees live in Northern Al. very pretty area, Arkansas has always looked nice when riding through it, Out west I'd go with Mesquite, N.V. over St George, and after a four day ride through and around most of New Mexico I was quite impressed and much cheaper than Colorado where I originally wanted to retire. Western South Carolina gets hi reviews for Govt. retirees because of available services.

[sumran]

If you opt for Florida you can do much better than St. Pete. Especially if riding is a consideration. Anywhere in north Florida is nice for weather, riding and camping conditions year round and quick access to the interesting roads just to the north.
There are two nice university towns (I'm partial to Ganesville, but Tallahassee is also nice), Jacksonville the gulf coast, and lots of rural space. There may be other considerations that draw you to St. Pete.

[osbornk]

Gee, it sounds like you have a Real Good Reason to ride down to the National Rally in Tennessee! You will have a bunch of neighboring states to check out (VA,NC,TN,WV.SC) which include some excellent motorcycle roads. There are a lot of interesting towns down twisty roads in the Appalachians and I sure like living in the Piedmont of NC and having year-round riding!

Seems to me, you have a very good reason to come to Tennessee in July! :clap

I agree. Folks should try to come down a few days early to get a general feel for the surrounding area and the people. Some people like the slow pace and laid back attitude of the area while it drives others nuts. When I moved back to the area after spending several years in Northern Virginia, it took me a while to readjust. It seemed like it took forever to find out information I needed. I wanted to reach down in their throat and pull the words out. Now, I wouldn't have it any other way. It's nice to have good motorcycle roads at the end of the driveway.

[leeines]

Check out the above. Long time Army installation, Intell School, Wonderful weather, good riding area, reasonable housing, most of the city amenities, good medical facilities, good retiree aspects. Cooler than Tucson, way cooler than Phoenix or St. George in summer, nice in winter. Great facilites on Fort Huachuca (FHU) for military retirees, PX, etc.. BMW club. Tucson is only a 1+10" drive on freeway if you really need a big city.

[tommcgee]

I need ocean. Coast of Maine would suit me, or further north.

[ARValkguy]

I gotta go with my home state, AR. I live in Paris. I would refer to the area I live as the foothills of the Ozarks even though the highest point in the state is 10 miles from my house. Moving North from my area around Bentonville, Bella Vista it is a great place to live. You will find the cost of living all around here very nice. Winters are a breeze. Last year I think there were about 20 days that I could/would not ride. It is a beautiful area and the housing market does not appear to be totally ridiculous like some areas. I bought my house 2 years ago it is less than 10 years old 3500sf, plus a garage large enough for 5 dirt bikes, 1 Valk, and the RT. 109,000. I thought it was a steal after looking in Anchorage and Houston for a house. Hey I would compare the riding we have to anyone in the country.

Kelly (22 days)

[Montana]

... 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
St George is the weirdest resort community you've ever seen, with the Mormon sensibilities but the tourist traffic. The health issues are a consideration. The location is great for a rider.

I've got family in the Tampa-Clearwater-St Pete area. If you want ocean, it's good. For riding, it's not that great: traffic, seasonal insanity, humidity and rain. Not enough winter to kill the bugs, a must-have on my personal list.

Winthrop WA is one of my personal favs. WA is one of the states with, at least presently, a tax structure that works well for the retired. Some of the best riding in the county.

Helena MT is a bit deceptive. It is the State Capital, yet it is a sleepy place except for three months every other year, when the legislature is in session. I know Nashville recording artists who live there when not recording; it is their retreat. Of all the parts of Montana, Helena is still pretty affordable. Our tax rules aren't bad, we have no sales tax, but they aren't great. It depends on your bracket. World-class motorcycle riding. It may be West of the Mississippi but it is East of the Continental Divide. You will get more blue sky than on the West side, but it will be a bit colder (and a lot windier), too.

[tourunigo]

:type ... so I'm thinking, as I ponder the possibilities of my pending retirement, what if I were to learn Spanish and get a six month gig driving a bus in Key West and maybe that would be part of my immediate (albeit short term) retirement plan. Beats that other plan of selling t-shirts off a kiosk on the Keys somewhere I suppose. I'm looking for winter options. -Bob

[rinty]

So I'm thinking...tourunigo

The winters are pretty mild in Nova Scotia, aren't they, Bob? But you do get some serious snowfalls...

[cheesewhiz]

NOT Wisconsin, geez our TAXES are too high, the HEAT and HUMIDITY in the summer, SNOWDRIFTS up to your eyeballs, TWICE a day MOST months of the year, OH the construction in the 1.5 days out of the year we call summer. Dahmer, Gehin, Liberace, UGGG you DON'T want to move here. Come on up in the summer time, then go back home to "Gods Country" after the Indians have all your money.
Gilly

Ummmmm, I must most humbly disagree with you. (You were born in IL right?).:stick

We have The coast of lake Michigan which offers great riding, quaint towns, awesome food choices, and limitless watersports.
On the other side of the state we are bordered by Old Man River and all it has to offer.

We have huge expanses of unspoiled forest and prairie. Pristine lakes and streams. Culture, both historic, and modern. Sports. Top notch Universities.

Oh yeah, and Mother Earth. Ever wonder why Frank Lloyd Wright was so smitten by this state?

Why stay if it brings so much misery?

Me? I'm a lifer. I love it here. I love to explore, and visit and learn about other places, but Wisconsin is my home. I guess I have too much cheese flowing in my veins.

[tourunigo]

The winters are pretty mild in Nova Scotia, aren't they, Bob? But you do get some serious snowfalls...

milder, mostly in Halifax but a quick dip in a January Atlantic can pucker you up quite a bit. Nova Scotia weather varies a lot as you move from region to region. I really just want to be able to throw away my stringed mittens for a while and not scrape the windshield. Although, it really is fun to get snowed in with no place to go..... as long as you are warm, dry and have a supply of good food and drink. Although, if anyone in a warm climate who would like a few months in a cooler climate then maybe a short-term house trade could be looked at:dunno -Bob

[r11rs94]

Take a look at Pueblo Colorado. Mild winters. Long summers. Cheap housing. Decent medical. 40 minutes from Fort Carson and the big PX.

Great riding in Colorado. :dance

Mild winters in Colorado. Who knew. The rest Sounds interesting. Does Ft Carson have a good medical facility? How are the taxes. I may have to add this to my short list of places to retire. Notice not to many people recommending the north east. Tax Hell for sure and not going to get better any time soon.

[amiles]

From what I have seen taxes are often run on the smoke & mirrors system. Property tax low? some other tax, in some cases unheard of in your former home will be there to make up the difference.

Insurance? in South Carolina the minimum mandated by state law for liability means that you will need to have UNDER-insured motorist coverage for those who meet the requirement of the law, but this figure falls far short of properly reimbursing the injured party. Un-insured motorists coverage will still be needed.

Check all aspects of each state/municipality under consideration for taxes vs services, insurance costs based on the fire and Police ratings. Personal property taxes for vehicles and furnishings.

Expect that you will not be welcomed with open arms by the locals who are still holding out hope from the 1861-65 conflict. You will find many fellow expatriates from up North to make up for this fortunately.

Be very careful in this decision.

[Gilly]

Ummmmm, I must most humbly disagree with you. (You were born in IL right?).:stick

We have The coast of lake Michigan which offers great riding, quaint towns, awesome food choices, and limitless watersports.
On the other side of the state we are bordered by Old Man River and all it has to offer.

We have huge expanses of unspoiled forest and prairie. Pristine lakes and streams. Culture, both historic, and modern. Sports. Top notch Universities.

Oh yeah, and Mother Earth. Ever wonder why Frank Lloyd Wright was so smitten by this state?

Why stay if it brings so much misery?

Me? I'm a lifer. I love it here. I love to explore, and visit and learn about other places, but Wisconsin is my home. I guess I have too much cheese flowing in my veins.

pssssssttt! Trying to keep the population down, DAH!!! I didn't even contest the "Gods Country" comment, everyone knows that Wisconsin is Gods Country, if Old Style said it, you know it's the truth! Get with the program before we get over run!

Gilly

[awagnon]

Instead of St. George, consider northern Utah. St. George is rapidly out growing it's resources. Also, very hot in the summer, crowded, up tight socially. On the other hand, the Ogden area has access to HAFB for commissary, etc. You can ride nearly all year 'round. I can ride to St. George any time I want to get out of the cold. You can be in the mountains in minutes. Very close to Wyoming, Idaho, Colorado with all they have to offer. Only problem is living in a theocracy which you can get used to.

[AKBeemer]

Although, if anyone in a warm climate who would like a few months in a cooler climate then maybe a short-term house trade could be looked at:dunno -Bob

I had the same idea and actually had some interest from a fellow in FL about swaping homes for a winter. Some folks will be interested in wintering over in a sub-arctic environment..... they think. Nothing ever came of the idea. I was concerned about getting a call while on the beach in February letting me know the deal was off.

[aaaaaa]

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.

Lots of waterfalls. reasonable cost of living. endless great roads. I'm looking there myself.
robert

[Expatriated]

I'm a NC native so my standard is pretty high--it's hard to beat NC as many others have stated.

I've currently lived in Indianapolis for a few years and it's turned out to be great in that it is clean, new, nice people, crime is relatively low as are the taxes. In fact, just about everywhere I would move to that would have the same population and industry would be more expensive.

Fishers, IN (northside suburb) was just ranked in the top 20 best places to live in the country according to Money magazine.

My complaints are: Not near a beach and Indy is not a major airport hub so the flights can get expensive connecting almost every time I fly.

Good luck

[glennhendricks]

Colorado state taxes are pretty reasonable. Pueblo city has about 7% sales tax, county is less. Ft. Carson is a huge base with a division posted there. Colorado Springs has about a gazillion retired military (give or take a bazillion) and they can't be all wrong.

Pueblo West is a growing area and one of the best values around.

Check it out.

[gfspencer]

Retired Army myself! (Thirty one years. Six years in Kansas!!)

I came back home to North Carolina. The cost of living is reasonable. The winters aren't too bad. (Last year we didn't have any snow in the Charlotte area.) It's a short ride to the mountains and some of the best roads that you will find anywhere.

[osbornk]

Retired Army myself! (Thirty one years. Six years in Kansas!!)

I came back home to North Carolina. The cost of living is reasonable. The winters aren't too bad. (Last year we didn't have any snow in the Charlotte area.) It's a short ride to the mountains and some of the best roads that you will find anywhere.

But If you're going to move to NC to retire, go straight to the mountains and miss the big city traffic, high living cost and congestion. The mountains of Western NC, Eastern TN and SW VA are being invaded by halfbacks. Halfbacks are folks from up north that moved to Florida, didn't like then high cost of living, natural disasters, lack of seasons, trees, rocks, mountains. etc. and moved halfway back which brought them to this area.

[37071]

Where ever the favourite part of your family lives. Friends retired and sold up for big money in Toronto ON. They bought property in Penticton BC and Scottsdale AZ and thought they had the world by the tail. The had lots of visitors the first year and were delighted with their plan. THe next year they had no visitors and REALLY missed their grandchildren. Kids will be reluctant to fly across the continent every year. My friends moved back to Ontario and rent a place in Florida for the winter months. It kind of depends how important your family is to you.:type

[AKBeemer]

A quick tally of the responses so far:

(Disclaimer: There were several hanging chads, disputed and challenged votes and fraud appeared to be rampant)

The most recommended area of the country is the southeast (VA, TN, SC, NC, GA, FL) with 14 votes for and 1 against these states. NC is the most recommended state with 6 people recommending the Tar Heel State.

Next is the southwest (AZ, NM, CO, NV, UT) with 10 for and 2 against.

Third is the mid-west (KY, IN, IL, WI) with 6 recommendations and 1 against.

The following states received 2 recommendations: CA (tepid recommendations due to cost), MT 2 for and 1 against, AR, and TX. The country of New Zealand also received 2 recommendations.

And finally, these states received one recommendation: WY and SD

[Motor31]

Let me add some additional info about Arizona.

They have income tax here including retirement income.

The sales tax is relatively high and climbing. It's at 8.75% right now in Tucson and I think 9%+ in Phoenix.

Vehicle registration costs are outrageous for newer vehicles. It's based on cost of the vehicle so the higher the price of the vehicle the higher the price of the tab. If your vehicle is about 10 to 15 years old it's about the same as it is in other areas of the country, 20 some dollars. If you have a $25K vehicle you should expect annual registration costs to be several hundred dollars. It will drop slowly but not very much each year. You also have emissions checks on the vehicles that must be passed to get the license.

Insurance costs here are high due to two reasons. The collision rate is very high (Tucson used to average about 10,000 collision reports a year in the city limits alone in the 90's) and there is a high rate of uninsured rivers due to the costs. I would frequently write tickets for no insurance on a high percentage of my traffic stops. Lots of folks buy insurance, get the card to renew their plates then drop the insurance for the refund. There are quite a few folks driving on suspended drivers licenses because of that, not to mention the number of vehicles driven by illegal aliens who also don't have insurance and or a license.

There are quite a few vehicles being stolen and taken South to Mexico. As an example, one of the previous Chief of Police here in Tucson had her car (Police unmarked vehicle complete with handi talkie and her weapon, she wasn't real bright about securing sensitive items IMO) stolen from her residence. She recovered the vehicle damaged after spotting it in Nogales being driven by a Mexican Federal Police Officer. The radio and weapon were never seen again.

Traffic in the metro areas is very heavy and among the worst IMO for inattentive drivers in the nation from my experience in driving around the nation in the last 5 years. The only places that make me more nervous to drive are Houston, San Antonio, Boston and the DFW area. I try to avoid the larger cities in our travels when possible.

Crime is on the increase. It was reported last week on a national news network (NBC?) that Phoenix is averaging almost one reported kidnapping a day. They were up to 266 last week most all due to the Mexican drug gangs operating there recovering drug debts. It's anticipated that there is significant percentage that are not being reported. There were also a couple Police Officers killed in the line of duty by illegal aliens in the last year, one in Tucson.

I grew up here, worked here and spent over 50 years of my life in Southern Arizona. Now to me, it looks the best going away in my rear view mirror. If it weren't for our medical insurance being based in one of 2 counties in AZ. and my son is still here, I'd never bother to come back at all.

[BobsST]

We love Bend, OR but you do have to put up with winter. Less than 10" of rain a year and you pretty much hang up motorcycle riding for three or four months during the winter.

Two years ago, Bend was known for having the most over priced real estate in the country. Needless to say, there are dramatic price adjustments taking place. No sales tax!

[12bswayed]

I noticed Winthrup, WA was on your list....before the Microsoft yuppies with tons of money entered onto the scene, Winthrup would have been a decent choice. Now property/houses are out of site over there...plus-they get a fair amount of snow. The North Cascades HWY shuts down, depending on when it starts snowing, Nov. or Dec. and doesn't open up till late Spring April or May.

There's no state income tax in WA. Living in Western WA, it's pretty mild. Eastern WA. you're looking at hot and dry in the Summer, snowy in the Winter. If you lived in the Southwestern part of WA, you could probably ride year round...like in the area of Vancouver, WA. Plus, then you'd be near Portland, OR and major hospitals. I live in the Seattle area and ride year round...

That's my .02...

Good luck on your search!

[AZ Greg]

Check out the above. Long time Army installation, Intell School, Wonderful weather, good riding area, reasonable housing, most of the city amenities, good medical facilities, good retiree aspects. Cooler than Tucson, way cooler than Phoenix or St. George in summer, nice in winter. Great facilites on Fort Huachuca (FHU) for military retirees, PX, etc.. BMW club. Tucson is only a 1+10" drive on freeway if you really need a big city.

+1

[mistermike]

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.

I don't know about the rest of AZ, but real estate in Phoenix is currently tanking.

[Don]

MONTANA - Last best place

You do NOT want to come here. All the mountain twisties you have to put up with. The dry climate. Hunting and Fishing all year long. VA Hospitals around the state. I think we're up to 3 people per square mile now, still less than one million population so PLEASE move to Texas or Florida..

[Gilly]

A quick tally of the responses so far:

(Disclaimer: There were several hanging chads, disputed and challenged votes and fraud appeared to be rampant)

Third is the mid-west (KY, IN, IL, WI) with 6 recommendations and 1 against.



The post I made about WI was a joke, OK? Sorry no one got it. I did get an email from the 'whizzer and we are on good terms.
PS MAN, you DON'T want to move here!!!:nono

Gilly