The Best State to Retire in the Northwest

Retirement is a time of simplicity, an escape from the rat race of the nine to five world. Finding the best places to retire in the United States is a matter of choosing a location best suited to personal interests and financial considerations. Some of the best states to retire in can be found in the northwest. With a mild climate, plenty of recreational opportunities and several big cities, this region is perfectly suited for any retiree. Our pick for the top spot when it comes to the best place for retirement in the Northwest is Oregon.

Best City to Retire in Oregon

With a small-town feel and plenty of entertainment, Ashland is one of the best cities to retire in Oregon. Home to the world famous Oregon Shakespeare Festival, this city offers plenty of arts and cultural activities, as well as some of the best fine dining restaurants in the state. Ashland is also home to Southern Oregon University and the Osher Learning Institute, a place where retirees can take as many classes as they wish for $100 a semester. In addition, Ashland has many active senior groups who take an interest in everything from politics to art. Although small, with a population of only 20,000, many compare the culture of Ashland to that of San Francisco. Homes here are large and the median home price is just under $300,000. Median family income is upwards of $63,000 a year. Located in the beautiful Rogue Valley, Ashland enjoys very warm summers and beautiful fall colors.

Cheapest Place to Retire in Oregon

Salem is the state capital and Oregon’s second biggest city. Sixty miles from Portland, Salem is clean, safe and inexpensive. With a median home price of $179,000, an average property tax bill of $2400 and a median family income of $58,496, Salem is one of the cheapest places to retire in Oregon. Situated in a lush agricultural area, Salem is home to several farmer’s markets and places a great emphasis on fresh and healthy ingredients. This is reflected in the menus of the city’s many fabulous restaurants. Outdoor recreation includes many opportunities for golfing, biking and hiking. Salem is also home to the Oregon State Fair, and the beautiful Oregon coast is only a 90 minute drive away. Inexpensive and great for seniors, Salem is a wonderful place to experience a relaxing retirement.

The northwest is filled with small towns, big cities and everything in between. Deciding on the best place to retire is a highly personal choice. Those who want peace and quiet in their golden years would do well to stay away from the big cities, while those looking for entertainment and stimulation would be bored to tears in a small town. Finding the best place to live after retirement can be a time consuming process, but the hard work will pay off in the end.

Best State to Retire in the Southeast

When discussing the best places to retire in the United States, Florida is generally the first state that comes to mind. With its great climate, senior tax breaks and low cost of living, Florida is an immensely popular retirement destination. Florida has no state income tax, making it a great place for those on a pension to retire. The high concentration of senior communities coupled with amazing opportunities for entertainment and recreation make Florida one of the best states to retire in the country.

Best City to Retire in Florida

Port Charlotte, Florida was voted CNN Money’s “Best Place to Retire”. The relatively small community of 48,000 boasts an astounding 44% concentration of 55 and older citizens. Average price for a three bedroom, two bath house is under $170,000 and home prices are down nearly 63% in the past five years. Forty percent of Port Charlotte homes are situated on the water, making this an amazing place for those who seek a home with a view. Medical facilities in Port Charlotte are second to none, with a concentration of specialists that would be at home in a city ten times this size. Known for its bird watching, Port Charlotte’s Harbor Preserve State Park is home to hundreds of species of feathered friends, as well as kayaking and hiking. Average low in the winter is 52 degrees and summers are long and warm with temperatures rarely reaching 100. Median family income is $38,406, more than adequate given the retirement tax breaks and lack of state income tax. Port Charlotte, filled with natural beauty and manmade convenience, is one of the best cities to retire in Florida.

The Cheapest Place to Retire in Florida

Bartow, Florida, 40 miles east of Tampa, is one of the cheapest places to retire in the state. As of mid-2009, the median home price stood at just over $100,000, a bargain in any market. Median income for a family is $38,568 a year and about 35% of the population is 55 or older. With just over 17,000 residents, Bartow is a mid-sized town surrounded by big cities. The area prides itself on its distinctive small town feel. The annual 4th of July celebration is a matter of great importance, as is the Cricket Club Halloween Parade and Carnival, a tradition in Bartow since 1942. Less than an hour’s drive from the big city of Tampa, Bartow is content to remain small. Overall, Bartow falls 4% below the national cost of living index. Polk County, in which Bartow resides, has over 550 lakes, making for amazing outdoor recreational activities. For inexpensive living and a great small town environment, Bartow, Florida is a wonderful retirement destination.

Florida is the quintessential retirement location. Its sunny, warm weather, inexpensive cost of living and beautiful panhandle setting make Florida the best place to retire. While everyone is responsible for choosing their own Best Place to Live, Florida has a long and storied candidacy. Its popularity and history only serve to further nominate Florida for the honor.

The Best States to Live in

Here's an interesting site I came across today, it's called 'StateMaster.com'. I was thinking about the Best Cities for Retirees, a post a wrote a few days ago, and it got me thinking about weather and geography and economy and other factors that make for a good place to live. A lot of my time I focus on places to retire so that's obviously a big consideration but let's face it anywhere that ranks high as a place to live will be looking at different factors and statistics. That's another reason for this blog - to try and bring out some of those differences - some of those things you need to compare and contrast relative to your stage of life and your lifestyle. As we've discussed numerous times, a retiree is likely not that worried about employment or wages. In fact those places that rank low on the scale turn out to be the top places for retirees because low wages mean a lower cost of living. That's the reason many latin and south American countries come out on top as the best and cheapest places to live in retirement. But what about those of us who are still working? That's a different story altogether. Likely employment prospects and good wages rank higher than cost of living for example. After all if you need work and have none than even the cheapest place to live is still too expensive. That brings us round to opportunity and like it or not the good old United States of America is still top of the list when it comes to that. Despite economic downturns and crisis the U.S. is still the leading economy on the world and best able to weather the storm. Give you're setting your sights on living and working in the states knowing the best states to live in is a good place to start. And that brings me right back to StateMaster.com.

The Best States for Lifestyle

StateMaster has their own idea of what statistics combine to measure 'lifestyle'. It's an interesting list to say he least and I'm not sure if or where the science is behind it. Here's what they say about their statistical analysis,

We have compiled information from various primary sources such as the US Census Bureau, the FBI, and the National Center for Educational Statistics.

OK that sounds good. But they also say,

We have stats on everything from toothless residents to percentage of carpoolers.

Now I'm not so sure what, "toothless residents' have to do with lifestyle but, heck I'l go with it. Here are some of the other 'lifestyle statistics' they gather and use to determine 'the best states to live in' -

• Amusement Parks - they collect data in six different categories for Amusements Parks. Things like number of steel roller coasters.
• Shopping Malls - here they collect data from ten different angles. From new shopping malls added to estimated sales per mall. I guess that kind of makes sense. If a state is adding new shopping and the sales are high than the economy is probably pretty good there.
• Walmart Stores - eight categories for Walmart. Other brands measured include: Starbucks and White Castle Restaurants. What it doesn't tell us is how the data is used to determine which contribute and which detract from being on the 'best of' list. Does having more Starbucks and less White Castle push you up the list? Or is more of any the idea?

Now there are some other stats that do seem very relevant to lifestyle. Some one might not have ven considered but I thunk say a lot about a state like:

• Percentage of Children aged 0-5 who are read to every day, and
• Children who live in supportive neighbourhoods (not sure how they measure that though)

Altogether StateMaster collects data on 44 factors to come up with their 'Livability Index'. They rank all states in the index but I'm just going to give you the Top Ten Best States to Live in -

1. New Hampshire
2. Minnesota
3. Vermont
4. Wyoming
5. Virginia
6. Iowa
7. Massachusetts
8. New Jersey
9. South Dakota
10. Nebraska

Now, looking at this list you can see the validity in my opening comments about the Best Places to Live in Retirement. I don't think any of these states would qualify do you? What do you think is the best state to live in? I would love you get your feedback in the comments.

Editors Note - Be sure to check out our latest series (November 2011) on the Best US States to Live. We took this topic and went much deeper looking first at the entire country and then breaking it down by regions to discover the best states within each of the four corners of America. Let us know what you think!