Seniors considering their retirement living options may find it useful to look at AARP The Magazine's 2011 list of top 10 retirement destinations. As you may already know, where you live as a retiree can affect how far your income stretches. But, you don't necessarily want to move to a new city just to save money if this won't meet your lifestyle needs at the same time. This list combines affordability and environmental factors and could give you some useful pointers.
How Does AARP Measure its Top 10 Retirement Destinations?
The magazine investigated 350+ cities across the country and measured them on a variety of factors. These included financial, lifestyle and environmental criteria. The aim of this research is to create a list of ten destinations that have affordable living costs and that hit the mark in terms of 'desirability'. This could help you find a place that you will enjoy living in and that will give you more bang for your buck.
Some of the factors used to create the list included:
- Lifestyle/environment: The list showcases each city and its surrounding area and lists popular activities and attractions. In some instances, this includes a 'Can't put a price tag on' section that highlights areas of natural beauty such as National Forests and Parks.
- Property: Most cities include a median housing price and details on the property tax rate.
- State taxes: You can find out if the state taxes pensions and Social Security and how much the sales tax is.
Details can also include a variety of 'best' deals. So, for example, you may be shown the best way to spend $10, the best deal in town or the best night on the town.
Which Cities Make the Top 10 List for 2011?
The winners this year give you plenty of options across the country with both urban and rural locations. They are:
- Gainesville, Georgia
- Columbus, Indiana
- Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
- Portland, Maine
- Ithaca, New York
- Tulsa, Oklahoma
- Midland, Texas
- Winchester, Virginia
- Wenatchee, Washington
- Cheyenne, Wyoming
You can access basic details of the list on the AARP website.
To read the full article in the September/October issue, you will need to become an AARP member (this may be worth considering as it could bring some money-saving benefits). The magazine is automatically mailed and made available online in a digital edition for members and you'll also get access to a certain number of back issues.
Source:
- AARP.org, accessed July 28, 2011
Carol Finch - Carol Finch is the Topic Editor for Retirement Planning, Budgeting, E-Commerce & Technical/Business Writing on Suite101.
Join the Conversation