Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I think there's a big difference between using a spreadsheet to do money stuff - and emotional stuff. I can put our investments on a spreadsheet - not my husband.
And you have to be real about stuff. Like a spreadsheet with cheap housing as #1 - but it's in a major metro area with great medical care where you like the politics and the religion and the weather is ok? It would make more sense to take the top 100 metro areas in the US and exclude most of them because you can't afford them - don't like the weather or the religious atmosphere or the politics - etc. - etc - and see what's left. Robyn
P.S. What about physical activities? You're all going to be couch potatoes when you're over 60?
The spreadsheet with selection of locations is not a random selection. The first thing to do is pick the 5 or so places you WANT (and can realistically afford) to live, and then compare them as to the factors you set up. I would not choose any place with super rightwing politics and religion, for example, so those places would never wind up on my spreadsheet. Likewise, I might dream about the loveliness of some places but if they are not in my affordability range, or if they do not meet the practical needs I have, they would not wind up on my comparison sheet. The spreadsheet method is to help come to a fairly logical decision after the initial homework of finding the 5 or so preferred places.
Physical activities can take place anywhere, as in walking. I could say for instance that an indoor mall for walking may beat a place where I would have to walk outdoors, which I personally cannot do in all weather. One of the places that scored high for me has a Y. The downside of that place is that it does not have in-town shopping.
My father is 92 and just renewed his AARP membership for 5 years. I am 63 - how old are you? Robyn
I'm 67. But I have a business out of my home that I've had for twenty years. I'm looking at making a move to Arizona with no fear or trepidation. I must confess, however, that I look at 88 or 92 the way I looked at 67 when I was in my early forties.
The spreadsheet with selection of locations is not a random selection. The first thing to do is pick the 5 or so places you WANT (and can realistically afford) to live, and then compare them as to the factors you set up. I would not choose any place with super rightwing politics and religion, for example, so those places would never wind up on my spreadsheet. Likewise, I might dream about the loveliness of some places but if they are not in my affordability range, or if they do not meet the practical needs I have, they would not wind up on my comparison sheet. The spreadsheet method is to help come to a fairly logical decision after the initial homework of finding the 5 or so preferred places.
Physical activities can take place anywhere, as in walking. I could say for instance that an indoor mall for walking may beat a place where I would have to walk outdoors, which I personally cannot do in all weather. One of the places that scored high for me has a Y. The downside of that place is that it does not have in-town shopping.
Here in the metro JAX area - we have I don't know how many Y's - 6 - maybe more. And most are really nice. A great JCA too.
It is curious that you want to rule out places that are religious - but are interested in the Y's. Which - after all - are religious places with a lot of athletic facilities.
I would say that on a scale of 1 to 10 - left to right in terms of religion and politics - we are about a 7-8. But - because we're a reasonably large metro area - you can pretty much do whatever you want - and no one will bother you. Very much unlike a small town- where everyoe wants to know what everyone else is doing. I have friends who think exactly like I do (I'm pretty conservative) who don't have any problems living in Manhattan.
So I wouldn't rule out larger metro areas because you think they're too this - or too that. I would probably rule out any small town no matter what - because I enjoy my privacy.
I read recently that the average person in the US has about 1.5 real friends. Shouldn't be to hard to get those 1.5 no matter where you wind up! Robyn
I'm 67. But I have a business out of my home that I've had for twenty years. I'm looking at making a move to Arizona with no fear or trepidation. I must confess, however, that I look at 88 or 92 the way I looked at 67 when I was in my early forties.
My brother has a place in Scottsdale. The real estate market there stinks. OTOH - it is probably a decent time to be a buyer in certain areas. Robyn
There is no place as bad as a place with no friends (or substitute: family you like). You can withstand cold, damp, whatever if you have a warm circle (even a small one) of people who love and accept you, and you can be involved in something, esp in older years. I have lived in a place or two you could call "Paradise" too out of the way for family and friends to visit, and was quite lonely and because of it unhappy.
I think older folks need to balance ALL factors of where we live, and there are going to be some serious tradeoffs. The only way we can know which ones we can accept and which ones we can't is to do some heavy thinking and visualization. I made a spreadsheet and compared (here, and the South, and going with daughter to Maine). In the context of 10 or 20 years from now, on the spreadsheet I created #1 was proximity to major necessities (supermarket, medical), followed by senior transportation, followed by nearness to either family or good friends, followed by safety (for others, this would be #1, but I happen to think it's not to "safe" anywhere), followed by cultural amenities, and last (which would have been first in younger years) "loveliness of surroundings." Although I dreamed of a cottage at the ocean, or a little bungalow in a Southern town with warmer winters, these choices were compelling but totally impractical for my personal situation regarding getting close to at "10" on all of these factors. Oh what age does to us!
I'm resurrecting this thread because I so like this rating scale you developed, newenglandgirl. I agree that it's important to balance all the factors. I put your categories into an Excel spreadsheet, and am now comparing three locales, including where I live now, side by side. I'm using a rating system of 1 to 5, where:
1 = excellent
2 = above average
3 = average
4 = below average
5 = poor
My categories are:
Proximity to medical care (I mean specialists/good hospitals as well as physicians)
Proximity to shopping
Senior transportation
Proximity to family/good friends
Safety
Cultural amenities
Loveliness of surroundings
(and I added) Airport
Climate
It's important to me to have access to a good airport so my kids can fly in, and I can fly out to visit them. They live in various parts of the country. I don't want that to be an obstacle.
Funnily enough, where I live now rates highest of the three. Hmmmm.....
Minervah, it sounds as though you have thought through all your needs carefully and come to the best decision for you. Good for you for not letting external factors influence what is an intensely personal choice. Good luck with your move!
As mnay concluded it really subjective in what one picks.No oe has the same other than general requirement in place to retire.Mie starts with climate;hate the cold and even more so as I age. I go from there.
I'm resurrecting this thread because I so like this rating scale you developed, newenglandgirl. I agree that it's important to balance all the factors. I put your categories into an Excel spreadsheet, and am now comparing three locales, including where I live now, side by side. I'm using a rating system of 1 to 5, where:
1 = excellent
2 = above average
3 = average
4 = below average
5 = poor
My categories are:
Proximity to medical care (I mean specialists/good hospitals as well as physicians)
Proximity to shopping
Senior transportation
Proximity to family/good friends
Safety
Cultural amenities
Loveliness of surroundings
(and I added) Airport
Climate
It's important to me to have access to a good airport so my kids can fly in, and I can fly out to visit them. They live in various parts of the country. I don't want that to be an obstacle.
Funnily enough, where I live now rates highest of the three. Hmmmm.....
Funny, that's how it turned out for me after closely comparing 5 places. I did not expect that, but now I wonder if I subconsciously rated the places to create that outcome--did I really not want to move after all?? The problem with me is I didn't want to leave the one area where I will probably have grandkids. Plus, here is where I was brought up. But I have to tell you, I hated the winter this year and I will probably hate them forever. Didn't mind so much when I was going out to work FT, but now it's getting overwhelming despite friends and indoor activities. But do I want to move far away and live alone and brave horrible sticky or furnace-like summers, or be in tornado alley again? It is most certainly a dilemma I have to get over.
Funny, that's how it turned out for me after closely comparing 5 places. I did not expect that, but now I wonder if I subconsciously rated the places to create that outcome--did I really not want to move after all?? The problem with me is I didn't want to leave the one area where I will probably have grandkids. Plus, here is where I was brought up. But I have to tell you, I hated the winter this year and I will probably hate them forever. Didn't mind so much when I was going out to work FT, but now it's getting overwhelming despite friends and indoor activities. But do I want to move far away and live alone and brave horrible sticky or furnace-like summers, or be in tornado alley again? It is most certainly a dilemma I have to get over.
I know! I am going through the exact same thing!
This is where I grew up, it's beautiful, and it has all the resources I need. I can get to any one of a number of beaches in minutes. Lots of parks and trails, shopping, great hospitals, etc. One of my daughters is here, and my mom, and other relatives are within driving distance. At heart I feel I would stay. And most of the year, the climate is fine. We basically have 3-month seasons, and I have nothing against three of them. But winter gets harder and harder, awfuller and awfuller. I absolutely hated it this year and last. The cold, isolation, dangerous roads, lack of sunlight, shoveling, slippery sidewalks -- all are depressing. That is why I'm thinking now that the snowbird thing is not such a bad idea.
Snowbirding is also a good way to try out different areas. Actually, visiting them at different times of the year to get a realistic picture, and really spending time pretending to live there, are better ideas. Then, if a place takes hold, you feel safer moving. I don't rule out a move after retirement if the spreadsheet numbers change.
One thing I've learned from reading everybody's stories is that how we weigh the pros and cons of a place change over time. Our needs are fluid depending on age, health, and other circumstances.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Excellent rating scale to make comparisons
