For us it is planning a retirement for three since we have a young adult daughter with a disability, and the government funding for adult support, which most families would need for the residential piece to some degree, is not available until emergency situations present themselves. So it has caused us to look critically at where we would retire for quite a while. I had done some research on Delaware, and have found that it does offer a lot for a typical couple considering retirement. It does have close access to Philadelphia and easy train access to DC and New York City and while having four seasons, it is not nearly as cold or long a winter season as say the Boston area. We were in Ithaca for my husband's grad school as well as being from the Boston area, and no way would I want to deal with the snow in old age in a retirement community or not.

I would also suggest the Annapolis area of Maryland as it is not that far from DC and also the lovely Eastern Shore of Maryland.

Other realistic things to consider are closeness to at least one other family member to help out at least immediately in the throws of an unexpected health crisis. Proximity of good health care for things that older folks experience most - joint replacements with rehab, stroke/heart conditions and varying cancers? Distance to health care in your later years of retirement is probably as good providers. Also is the area walkable or does it have reliable transportation? Are there options for further scaling down such as assisted living or three tiered life care communities?

We actually have lived in Charlottesville for 35 years and but for the awful state of affairs of funding for all human services in Virginia would not necessarily be considering a move. There are many from the Northeast retiring here for many of the reasons mentioned in the above posts of why college towns are good. One thing which is not mentioned is the easy access now to Washington DC as there is now a daily commuter train which can be taken up for a day in DC quite easily of say 11:15 - 6:30 train back down (not the commuter, but not that much more expensive.) This area is experiencing quite a bit of growth so it may not exactly the bucolic town that Wahoos remember much longer.

Anonymous wrote:I'm confused - long, freezing winters are harder on your body the older you are. There's a reason people go toward FL/Arizona, etc. Any nice towns that are warm?

Athens, GA?

I'm confused - long, freezing winters are harder on your body the older you are. There's a reason people go toward FL/Arizona, etc. Any nice towns that are warm?

Has anyone mentioned Williamstown, MA? Idyllic, cultured, and beautiful.

Anonymous wrote:UVA area is really hard to fly out-of. No major airport ~ hard to visit others in a different part of the country. Same for southwest Virginia, Williamsburg, etc

Quite untrue. Charlottesville airport has direct flights daily to NYC, Dulles, Chicago, Charlotte, and Atlanta, from where you you can get direct flights pretty much anywhere in the world. It's no different than being in Richmond, or any other Regional airport. CHO is <10 miles outside town.

Since I can't retire, I've decided on Burbank, CA. Seriously! I visited before and loved it. I'm one of the fortunate ones who can get a job anywhere (think medical). If I feel like going to a lecture or maybe taking courses, there are lots of colleges not far away where I can take advantage. Don't need to get on the 405 if I don't want to.

Tired of cold weather, and there's the Burbank movie industry for a possible side job. Family out there so that's a good thing.

^ oh, looked at the wallethub list and realized that every city in the country is listed, practically.

Now that I have sent kids to college I feel differently about retiring to a college town. It's not "our" place. It isn't meant to be. I'd feel like I'm intruding, I think.

I just saw this new listing of best and worst college towns, not necessarily to retire to. Interestingly, Oxford, Ohio, home of my alma mater Miami University, is number one. It's a cute town, but completely surrounded by cornfields in the middle of nowhere. However, some days I find that very appealing.

http://wallethub.com/edu/best-worst-college-cities-and-towns-in-america/8974/

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:State College - we own a house there now and spend +/- 2 months a year up there.

Will probably end up spending 8-9 months in retirement and the rest someplace warm.

Creepiest place on earth.

Where is the town of "State College"? I've never heard of it, but it sounds creepy, like Stepford.

State College, PA

YIKES! CREEPY PLACE! CULT SCHOOL!

Davis is a great college town/

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:State College - we own a house there now and spend +/- 2 months a year up there.

Will probably end up spending 8-9 months in retirement and the rest someplace warm.

Creepiest place on earth.

Where is the town of "State College"? I've never heard of it, but it sounds creepy, like Stepford.

State College, PA