10 Worst States for Retirement!

[rockhillmanor]

10 Worst States for Retirement

"Some of the prettiest, most touristy states in the nation
are also some of the toughest on retirees."

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/10-worst-states-for-retirement-153214340.html

[travelnutz]

We hate the intense heat also and anything over 83-85F is just too hot. That is part of why we dumped our very nice place in Florida and why the southerners flock north in droves during the summer months. It's a long known fact that a person can dress for the cold, even below zero F, but never undress enough to be comfortable in 100 F plus in low humidity and not in even 90 F with high humidity.

What's the difference? Spending most of your daytime inside in a heated structure for several months each year and still able to be outside with having proper clothes on or literally forced inside for the same number of days per year in constant A/C and knowing much better than to be outside at all during most of the daylight hours? We'll take the one WE have the control over with simple adequate clothes anytime any day!

[Jloucks]

rockhillmanor wrote:

joe b. wrote:
....

The best advice

I have read about retirement is to stay put in the location where you retire, if you are a long term resident of that area. When you move, don't burn your bridges and be locked in to the new place.

When we were full timing for 2 1/2 years we met a group of RVers on the Gulf side of Florida that had moved south to Florida from the Great Lakes area. They hated Florida on a full time basis, so they had moved back to Tennessee to spend their summers and then to Florida for the winter in their RVs. They referred to themselves as "halfbacks". LOL Several of them stored their RVs in Florida and drove back to Tennessee in their car. One guy told me he had sold his truck and just had the storage lot pick up his 5th wheel.A person has to figure out what they are looking for prior to moving. ..

Couldn't have said it better.

When I retired, I sold my house in a state I had lived in all my life to seek a state without SNOW! That was my only requirement and did NOT think this whole thing thru thoroughly.

Now when newbies ask for advise on full timing/relocating which ultimately is just what 99% of full timers do, I tell them to REVERSE SNOWBIRD.

I only wish I knew this BEFORE I cut bait and bought property in Florida.

Yup Florida has no snow, but the heat in summer is inhumanely unbearable. Which forces you inside by 9:00am.

5 years into this and I realize that IMHO, JMHO that I should have done just the opposite. I met sooo many people on the road that moved to Florida and then moved back home, that had I been listening more carefully to them I wouldn't be here preparing for another roasting of a Florida summer.Aren't you glad WE don't have to pant to stay cool?

Texas is the same thing. Stupid hot most of the time. I am getting to where I really hate the heat.

[Jloucks]

silvercorvette wrote:

noe-place wrote:
Hey Silvercorvette, I'm a Vette owner AND a retired cop too. Move the guns discussion to general issues and open a debate on the issue as it seems to push a lot of people's buttons.

I have driven for 50 years without ever being in an accident where a seat belt would have benefitted me but the fact that I have never needed a seatbelt and probably never will need on does not become a reason for me to drive without a belt.

THAT is a very very good example. I am going to steal this one from you.

[tomman58]

I've been in most states for a day or a few months. Seen the poverty of the south and the lonlyness of the west. All things being equal Ithink if you've save some, stayed some, and loved some you'll either stay where you were born or if there is nothing there for you you'll stumble around until you lite somewhere.
Personally we have family here in southern Michigan, we 20 minutes from Tiger field, the lions field, 3 casinos, several theaters and playhouses', several concert arenas and great waterfront several great and I mean GREAT lakes and 100's of restaurants. There is crime if you are look'n for it never ever needed a weapon to walk the streets. Great seasons to be here and some to be else where. Great water for drink'n, great air and plenty of touristy places.
Don't like the politics, taxes or the roads but it is still a great place to be retired, something to do everyday and not having to go somewhere measured in hours but in minutes!

[goducks10]

wintersun wrote:
A journalist writes an article which is published and everyone treats it as gospel. We all make our choices and accept the cost of doing so. What these articles always ignore is the total cost of living in an area. Is there good mass transit available and is safe to walk and safe to bicyle or does every member of the family need a car to get around. Where can you go and what will it cost to attend a concert or a play or go fishing or go to the beach or into a forest and how much will it cost to get there and how much will it cost to spend time there. How much does it cost for heating in the winter and how much does it cost for AC in the summer.

I live in the Monterey area of California and my house cost less than the one I had in Dallas, TX and my property taxes are lower and my transportation costs are lower and my heating and cooling bills are much lower and the cost for recreation is much lower and I can go to lakes and the Pacific Ocean and be in redwood forests or the wine country within an hour's drive or less from my house. These facets that affect the quality of my life do not fit into the simplistic statistics use by hacks writting magazine and newspaper articles.

So true.

[travelnutz]

wintersun,

And all this verbage from a poster who stated in another thread today in this "General RVing Issues" section that his medical insurance alone takes 50% of his monthly budget where he lives! Maybe it's the area you live in as our heat, vehicle fuel, food, and medical/health insurance costs don't even come close to 50% of our Social Security income by itself where we live or many of the states listed as the article's Top Ten!

There are reasons why the journalist writers give the results they do and publishers print it. It's up to the individual to apply the information to their wants, needs, and desires. California was written off as one of the ten best places to retire decades ago.

Maybe that "move" to Costa Rica really is in your future sooner than you might expect.

[wintersun]

A journalist writes an article which is published and everyone treats it as gospel. We all make our choices and accept the cost of doing so. What these articles always ignore is the total cost of living in an area. Is there good mass transit available and is safe to walk and safe to bicyle or does every member of the family need a car to get around. Where can you go and what will it cost to attend a concert or a play or go fishing or go to the beach or into a forest and how much will it cost to get there and how much will it cost to spend time there. How much does it cost for heating in the winter and how much does it cost for AC in the summer.

I live in the Monterey area of California and my house cost less than the one I had in Dallas, TX and my property taxes are lower and my transportation costs are lower and my heating and cooling bills are much lower and the cost for recreation is much lower and I can go to lakes and the Pacific Ocean and be in redwood forests or the wine country within an hour's drive or less from my house. These facets that affect the quality of my life do not fit into the simplistic statistics use by hacks writting magazine and newspaper articles.

[tenbear]

Although Vermont is on this list, that is where I worked and retired. IBM has many locations across the country, including Vermont. It has been said that Vermont is the hardest place to get people to transfer to, and the hardest place to get them to transfer from to go someplace else.

What that tells me is people don't know much about Vermont until they live here then they like it so much they want to stay here.

[travelnutz]

Not going to debate guns either but we always have 1 or 2 of those metal noisemakers in our RV when traveling except when going to Canada or thru to Alaska as it's a no no there. My younger brother was a county sheriff and he emphasized for us to always be packing as RV'ers go thru or may be overnighting in some of the "not-so-nice" cities or areas. We're 71 and the metallic contraption levels the playing field or even slants it decidedly in our favor. We often pleasue boated with our cabined boats and RV's with a retired state cop and his wife friends in their RV or boat and guess what he always had along with him? It doesn't even have to make that very loud noise to get your point across but sure can if needed! As has been on this forum for years: Instant help in seconds when needed and 911 help may only be minutes away! Like a good Boy Scout, always "Be Prepared"! When seconds count, minutes are too late...

[rockhillmanor]

joe b. wrote:
....

The best advice

I have read about retirement is to stay put in the location where you retire, if you are a long term resident of that area. When you move, don't burn your bridges and be locked in to the new place.

When we were full timing for 2 1/2 years we met a group of RVers on the Gulf side of Florida that had moved south to Florida from the Great Lakes area. They hated Florida on a full time basis, so they had moved back to Tennessee to spend their summers and then to Florida for the winter in their RVs. They referred to themselves as "halfbacks". LOL Several of them stored their RVs in Florida and drove back to Tennessee in their car. One guy told me he had sold his truck and just had the storage lot pick up his 5th wheel.A person has to figure out what they are looking for prior to moving. ..

Couldn't have said it better.

When I retired, I sold my house in a state I had lived in all my life to seek a state without SNOW! That was my only requirement and did NOT think this whole thing thru thoroughly.

Now when newbies ask for advise on full timing/relocating which ultimately is just what 99% of full timers do, I tell them to REVERSE SNOWBIRD.

I only wish I knew this BEFORE I cut bait and bought property in Florida.

Yup Florida has no snow, but the heat in summer is inhumanely unbearable. Which forces you inside by 9:00am.

5 years into this and I realize that IMHO, JMHO that I should have done just the opposite. I met sooo many people on the road that moved to Florida and then moved back home, that had I been listening more carefully to them I wouldn't be here preparing for another roasting of a Florida summer.Aren't you glad WE don't have to pant to stay cool?

[silvercorvette]

noe-place wrote:
Hey Silvercorvette, I'm a Vette owner AND a retired cop too. Move the guns discussion to general issues and open a debate on the issue as it seems to push a lot of people's buttons.

I was reluctant to bring up guns in the first place, I did and still do feel it is something important to consider, but I do not choose to have a debate. It is highly unlikely that I will change anyones mind about guns. As I said before during my 20 years in law enforcement I have seen some bad things happen to good people. i wish that there were a way for everyone to see all the things I saw happen during my 20 year career, but unfortunately the realization that a means to protect oneself is necessary may come at a time where it is too late. I have driven for 50 years without ever being in an accident where a seat belt would have benefitted me but the fact that I have never needed a seatbelt and probably never will need on does not become a reason for me to drive without a belt.

maybe I would have been better off not bringing this up at all at the time I brought it up I felt it was worth considering. I said this before and I am repeating myself, I would rather not continue the gun topic. I do not want to be impolite by not responding to a comment but in this case I am not going to reply to further comments about guns, it is a divisive issue and that is why I mention in my firt comment that I prefer to discuss guns only on gun forums.

[Roundtwo-40]

And why is the great state of Chicago er Illinois not on the list? We are broke, everyone on welfare moved here from WI when they limited their welfare system,All our Govenors go to prison. Yeah we have a lower tax but did I mention WE ARE BROKE? I live here because it is where I was born and have family. If I was throwing darts at a map for a place to move and it hit IL I would throw another dart..

[SRT]

We live in Minnesota and have retired here. Moved from the Twin Cities to near Duluth to be near the grand kids. Yes, we pay income tax and sales tax. Plus property taxes have inched up. Minnesota is a blue state and shows it. But our house and property are paid for and we have enough retirement to live on OK. Plus the medical care is great. This area lives on the tourist and so there are additional sales tax on food, drink and rooms.

Yes, we can have long winters (especially this year - 50" of snow in April. But there are lots of lakes and pine trees. 4 seasons a year can some times be a pain in the rear, but we like the area.

[jcollins62]

As a soon-to-be-retired LEO, one criteria for me to factor into the formula is the states that do not tax gov't pensions. But that's my formula. Everyone has different math according to their life.

[Bobbo]

2gypsies wrote:
Using common sense is all you need - not a gun!

Speak for yourself, I have common sense enough to know that if you need a gun, you need it BADLY! And RIGHT NOW!