Is PA a good place to retire?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There is the joke about central PA being Alabama sandwiched between Philly and Pittsburgh. It's not that far off. I do have a friend who just moved back to Reading, but she is from there and has family there.

It depends what you are looking for in retirement but I would definitely spend some time in central PA before making that decision.

Or Pennsyltucky.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would not retire to a republican state. Not as a woman, not as a jewish person, not as a PoC, not as a human. So PA and FL would be out. And I have no interest in Ann Arbor beyond a three-day weekend.

What do you think might be good, non-GOP states?

[Anonymous]

I have had to spend a lot of time up there in the last few years because of my kids sports tournaments are always at Spooky Nook or the York Fairgrounds. I don't understand why someone would retire there and definitely how it can be in the top 1-5. What kind of study was this?

[Anonymous]

I am from the Lehigh Valley area and might consider that area, though I think a POC will always be more likely to encounter racism there than in the DMV. And as soon as you venture beyond the immediate area you are likely to run into the extreme MAGA types, at least going north or west. Going south toward Philly might not be the same.
I love eastern PA for a lot of reasons but the political conservatism/extreme right wing atmosphere is hard to put up with. The last 6 years has seen it explode — all the racism, bigotry, etc has come out of the woodwork and control the narrative of much of life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would not retire to a republican state. Not as a woman, not as a jewish person, not as a PoC, not as a human. So PA and FL would be out. And I have no interest in Ann Arbor beyond a three-day weekend.

PA is not a Republican state. They have a D governor and 2 D Senators. There are certainly very red parts of the state to be sure.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Appreciate the input. Looks like I will have to consider some other list or search engine that takes into account other factors. In all honesty, I will probably end up just biting the bullet and retiring in a high COL area.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would not retire to a republican state. Not as a woman, not as a jewish person, not as a PoC, not as a human. So PA and FL would be out. And I have no interest in Ann Arbor beyond a three-day weekend.

What do you think might be good, non-GOP states?

I’m thinking maybe a university town in purplish state.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Appreciate the input. Looks like I will have to consider some other list or search engine that takes into account other factors. In all honesty, I will probably end up just biting the bullet and retiring in a high COL area.

that's what it's kind of looking like for us - biracial couple.

The top 3 diverse places are right here in MoCo.

https://www.insidermonkey.com/blog/10-most-diverse-cities-in-the-u-s-to-retire-in-1148452/8/

Germantown, Gaithersburg, Silver Spring.

If you count T15, include Rockville

https://www.insidermonkey.com/blog/25-most-diverse-cities-in-the-u-s-to-retire-in-1148434/

There are a couple of cities in TX, but you'd have to deal with the state politics and the worsening weather in TX.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Appreciate the input. Looks like I will have to consider some other list or search engine that takes into account other factors. In all honesty, I will probably end up just biting the bullet and retiring in a high COL area.

We are a multiracial family (black/white/biracial kids) who have spent a lot of time in Central PA due to hockey playing kids. York is a racist $h1th@le full of the worst. Most of the rest of your list isn't far behind. You wouldn't even believe the things the POC kids on the teams have been called....by the parents.

It's a rural, depressed area with nothing going for it. DOn't do that to yourself.

[Anonymous]

If you are set on PA, perhaps consider the Lehigh Valley. The thing about PA, and why my retiree parents left after living there their whole lives, are the property taxes. My parents’ acre in Bucks County had significant property taxes.

In this area, I’d look towards DE. Lewes, Rehobeth are really nice. Live towards the bayside and the taxes are cheaper. They do tax retirement though I believe.

[Anonymous]

We have a daughter and SIL who live in Silver Spring and the area does have a lot to offer if you want to be comfortable in a multicultural setting. It also has good senior services with a lot of different options as you age. Of course, you have to consider that at night things change, so the level of crime needs to be considered, too. Right next to Silver Spring is Takoma Park which has a lovely downtown area of small s shops and restaurants. It is definitely a liberal bastion, and I would say generally a bit safer. Rockville is often listed as having good services, too. There is pretty direct service on the metro or MARC trains (not sure of name) if you are a bit further out to DC.

[Anonymous]

Ew, I grew up in PA and no, do not retire there for all the reasons others have said.

Go to Tampa. It’s not perfect (traffic can suck), there of course is tons of sprawl. Tampa isn’t on a beach but it’s not THAT far if that’s your thing. Weather is good of course, housing costs aren’t terrible, lots of decent restaurants.

Traffic is the main drawback but if you can deal with it it’s the best city on your list and I have been to or lived in all of them (Tampa included)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The answer is no unless you're close to Philly. Interior PA is not a nice place.

They don’t call it Penntucky for no reason.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

We have a daughter and SIL who live in Silver Spring and the area does have a lot to offer if you want to be comfortable in a multicultural setting. It also has good senior services with a lot of different options as you age. Of course, you have to consider that at night things change, so the level of crime needs to be considered, too. Right next to Silver Spring is Takoma Park which has a lovely downtown area of small s shops and restaurants. It is definitely a liberal bastion, and I would say generally a bit safer. Rockville is often listed as having good services, too. There is pretty direct service on the metro or MARC trains (not sure of name) if you are a bit further out to DC.

Wait. When did this become a Moco pitch? Did 27 years in that county and maybe 5 should have been the max. Crime is ticking up. And expensive! I would avoid.

I too have family in Central PA. My pitch? Downtown Harrisburg. Lots of fun stuff. The local baseball team plays on a little island. Darling. Also great little airport. Good restaurants. Two hours to Philly for a show. Keep your money as a retiree. Also H-burg is pretty progressive since it’s state capitol.

[Anonymous]

I’m also a POC from PA and would never retire. The POC I know from there have also ALL fled at the first opportunity. And this is in one of their central cities. We like visiting but is just too small feeling, not interesting, and not diverse enough for long term.

Florida would be nice except the sky-high cost and ever rising home and flood insurance. You really need to look into this factor before deciding to move there. Also I’ve heard it can be very racist down there too now with the current governor who is fanning the flames.