Good place to retire for Asian Americans

[Anonymous]

About to retire within a year or two. Both introverts and don't need/want a lot of social interactions with other people. Politically, left leaning Independents. Want to avoid high COL/populated area. Any thoughts? I am wondering if some place like Washington State.

[Anonymous]

Most Asians are on the coasts like NY or CA but high cost areas. Probably a college town in a low cost area like the South or Midwest? Or possibly Oregon.

[Anonymous]

I'm in the same boat (no pun intended).

I need a diverse area. I don't want only other Asian Americans, but I do want a good sizable population of them. I want different ethnic foods. Again, not just Asian Americans. I've only ever lived in very diverse areas like SoCal and the Bay Area, and now here in the DC area.

I've looked, OP. I cannot handle the weather in the south. DC weather is bad enough.

However, the col in the areas that fit what I want is too high for my tastes. We will have about $3mil when we retire (early) but we are not feds so we won't get fed health insurance. We'll have to buy our own which is pricey.

I'm going to probably have to give up on something, and that will probably be weather, though I'm not happy about that.

Here are some cities I've looked into:

Seattle suburbs
Cary, NC -- for me, NC is as far south as I want to go.
Philly suburbs
Richmond, VA
Reno, NV

I also want to live fairly close to a big airport so we can travel and have our kids come visit.

CA is out, obviously due to costs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm in the same boat (no pun intended).

I need a diverse area. I don't want only other Asian Americans, but I do want a good sizable population of them. I want different ethnic foods. Again, not just Asian Americans. I've only ever lived in very diverse areas like SoCal and the Bay Area, and now here in the DC area.

I've looked, OP. I cannot handle the weather in the south. DC weather is bad enough.

However, the col in the areas that fit what I want is too high for my tastes. We will have about $3mil when we retire (early) but we are not feds so we won't get fed health insurance. We'll have to buy our own which is pricey.

I'm going to probably have to give up on something, and that will probably be weather, though I'm not happy about that.

Here are some cities I've looked into:

Seattle suburbs
Cary, NC -- for me, NC is as far south as I want to go.
Philly suburbs
Richmond, VA
Reno, NV

I also want to live fairly close to a big airport so we can travel and have our kids come visit.

CA is out, obviously due to costs.

Not OP, but this is an interesting topic—
I didn’t realize there are lots of Asians in Richmond? And that it’s diverse?
Philly doesn’t seem friendly to Asian Americans? But I guess that’s some parts?
Reno sounds interesting. Vegas is nice—that’s where my parents retired and they are very happy there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm in the same boat (no pun intended).

I need a diverse area. I don't want only other Asian Americans, but I do want a good sizable population of them. I want different ethnic foods. Again, not just Asian Americans. I've only ever lived in very diverse areas like SoCal and the Bay Area, and now here in the DC area.

I've looked, OP. I cannot handle the weather in the south. DC weather is bad enough.

However, the col in the areas that fit what I want is too high for my tastes. We will have about $3mil when we retire (early) but we are not feds so we won't get fed health insurance. We'll have to buy our own which is pricey.

I'm going to probably have to give up on something, and that will probably be weather, though I'm not happy about that.

Here are some cities I've looked into:

Seattle suburbs
Cary, NC -- for me, NC is as far south as I want to go.
Philly suburbs
Richmond, VA
Reno, NV

I also want to live fairly close to a big airport so we can travel and have our kids come visit.

CA is out, obviously due to costs.

Not OP, but this is an interesting topic—
I didn’t realize there are lots of Asians in Richmond? And that it’s diverse?
Philly doesn’t seem friendly to Asian Americans? But I guess that’s some parts?
Reno sounds interesting. Vegas is nice—that’s where my parents retired and they are very happy there.

Philly has a Chinatown

[Anonymous]

I have never liked my visits to Richmond. I think Philly would be fine but is that lower COL? Reno is boring but definitely NV would be lower cost of living.

Cary, NC sounds interesting. I'm also interested in the PNW.

[Anonymous]

As an Asian that used to live in Philly, I didn't find it that hospitable or welcoming, although it does have some Asian areas. But a diverse suburb of it could be fine, in the wealthier areas of the Main Line.

[Anonymous]

My relative couldn’t wait to get out of Seattle, and is happy to be in SoCal, but that’s the only anecdote I have to give for PNW. It doesn’t appeal to me either—I prefer SoCal or Vegas, but to each their own.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My relative couldn’t wait to get out of Seattle, and is happy to be in SoCal, but that’s the only anecdote I have to give for PNW. It doesn’t appeal to me either—I prefer SoCal or Vegas, but to each their own.

I'm the one that posted about PNW. That's helpful to know. I've only been to Seattle and Portland (and a few towns in between) on personal and business trips so I don't really know. I love the nature in the area but I've never spent any real time there.

When people recommend Vegas, is that just for part of the year? Doesn't it become unbearable in the summers?

[Anonymous]

What about further north in Washington State, maybe Bellingham or a bit further north with Vancouver as your city hub/airport? Vancouver is a lovely diverse city, with over 30% Asian population.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:About to retire within a year or two. Both introverts and don't need/want a lot of social interactions with other people. Politically, left leaning Independents. Want to avoid high COL/populated area. Any thoughts? I am wondering if some place like Washington State.

Blue states only

Red will not be safe

[Anonymous]

If you read Crying in HMart it might make you realize how difficult it is to live in an area without a good Asian grocery, if you like Asian food. She was from Washington or Oregon I believe.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My relative couldn’t wait to get out of Seattle, and is happy to be in SoCal, but that’s the only anecdote I have to give for PNW. It doesn’t appeal to me either—I prefer SoCal or Vegas, but to each their own.

I'm the one that posted about PNW. That's helpful to know. I've only been to Seattle and Portland (and a few towns in between) on personal and business trips so I don't really know. I love the nature in the area but I've never spent any real time there.

When people recommend Vegas, is that just for part of the year? Doesn't it become unbearable in the summers?

That’s just my relative’s experience—so just one family’s—so take it what you will. They were at one of the top tech companies there and highly educated and liberal but didn’t like it from the outset.

People in Vegas tend to stay inside for the whole summer the way we tend to stay inside the whole winter. Most seem to roll with it and don’t mind it. Some people have second homes there but retirees seem to live there year round. My parents like it there because people are very friendly, lots to do, it’s very diverse, and has a large Asian population. It is a relief that you can find Chinese-speaking in-home caregivers there because it seems almost impossible in some places. If you want to keep to yourself you can easily do that there, or anywhere, really.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What about further north in Washington State, maybe Bellingham or a bit further north with Vancouver as your city hub/airport? Vancouver is a lovely diverse city, with over 30% Asian population.

I don’t think Vancouver is low COL?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:About to retire within a year or two. Both introverts and don't need/want a lot of social interactions with other people. Politically, left leaning Independents. Want to avoid high COL/populated area. Any thoughts? I am wondering if some place like Washington State.

Blue states only

Red will not be safe

oh please