{"id":10762,"date":"2026-05-11T09:36:33","date_gmt":"2026-05-11T13:36:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kerryhannon.com\/?p=10762"},"modified":"2026-05-11T09:38:34","modified_gmt":"2026-05-11T13:38:34","slug":"relocating-in-retirement-what-matters-most","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kerryhannon.com\/?p=10762","title":{"rendered":"Relocating in retirement: What matters most"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The traditional notion of where to move in retirement is getting a shake-up.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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The New York Times\u00a0recently highlighted<\/a>\u00a0Latitude Margaritaville, a retirement community in South Carolina\u2019s low country, that has been attracting droves of new retirees.<\/p>\n

Read on Yahoo Finance<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

And a new ranking of 250 metros that might be appealing to retire to as you look out over the next two decades puts major urban centers at the top and more slow-paced spots toward the bottom.<\/p>\n

Goodbye, Villages. Hello, Manhattan.<\/p>\n

Our\u00a0recent story<\/a>\u00a0on the Geography of Prosperity Index drew thousands of comments from retirees and near retirees weighing what they\u2019re looking for in a place to live out their retirement years.<\/p>\n

Cost of living is primary \u2014 housing costs, plus utility bills, homeowners insurance, taxes, health care costs, gasoline, groceries, and more.<\/p>\n

But there are other layers to ponder, like your social network, your hobbies, geographic beauty, and more.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s my list of retirement relocation factors to evaluate:<\/p>\n

1. Location<\/strong><\/h2>\n

This is a great place to start to narrow down your search.<\/p>\n

\u201dDo I want to live in an urban, suburban, rural area? What region of the country?\u00a0What country<\/a>? What\u2019s the economic trajectory of the region, the city, even the neighborhood, because all of those things matter in your well-being,\u201d said Ryan Frederick, CEO of\u00a0Here<\/a>, a platform dedicated to \u201cplace planning.\u201d<\/p>\n

These are key questions to ask yourself.<\/p>\n

Another factor: weather. Can you face sweltering summers in Florida? Will you be up for shoveling snow in New England?<\/p>\n

2. Climate change and disaster risk<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The cost of running air-conditioning in southern retirement meccas like Florida and Arizona may make these places less appealing. In coastal locations, the rising cost of homeowner\u2019s insurance can pack a wallop year in and year out.<\/p>\n

The Federal Emergency Management Agency\u2019s\u00a0National Risk Index\u00a0<\/a>for Natural Hazards assigns every county in the nation a vulnerability measure for 18 natural hazards, including wildfires, heat, hurricanes, flooding, landslides, and earthquakes. These calculations also factor in a community\u2019s capacity to navigate those perils.<\/p>\n

3. Cost of living<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Daily living costs vary widely across the US. In theory, moving to a smaller residence should trim your utility and maintenance costs. Even in a larger home, energy bills may be reduced considerably if you move from a place with cold winters and hot summers to somewhere more moderate year-round. It all comes down to the area\u2019s cost of living.<\/p>\n

That information is available from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics and services such as\u00a0Best Places<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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One big payoff of relocating can be cashing in the equity you\u2019ve built up in your home and moving to a more affordable area where you can buy a place for a fraction of what it costs where you live now.<\/p>\n

4. Crime rate<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Each year, the FBI releases detailed crime data from more than 16,000 state, county, city, university, and tribal law enforcement agencies, covering nearly every American community. This information can be found at the FBI\u2019s Crime Data Explorer\u00a0website<\/a>. Additional crime stats are tracked by services like\u00a0NeighborhoodScout<\/a>.<\/p>\n

5. Healthcare accessibility and quality<\/strong><\/h2>\n

How far away from your potential new home is a top-notch hospital? Do you want to be an hour\u2019s drive away if there\u2019s an emergency? You\u2019ll also want to get an idea of how many primary care physicians and specialists are in the region. Primary care doctor ratios on a county-wide basis can be found at the County Health Rankings & Roadmaps\u00a0website<\/a>.<\/p>\n

6. Medicare<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Medicare premiums vary considerably by market. For the prices and terms of carriers that serve your future community, check the federal\u00a0website\u00a0<\/a>for Medicare and the website of the state\u2019s department of insurance.<\/p>\n

7. Taxes<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Moving from a high-tax state to a low-tax state is strategic. Many people choose a retirement locale with no income tax. While income tax considerations are imperative, you\u2019ve also got to account for state and local taxes, which can reach 7% or more. Florida, for example, imposes no state income tax, no taxes on Social Security, no inheritance tax, no estate tax, and no taxes on retirement income like pensions, IRAs, or 401(k)s, but it has significant sales taxes and property taxes.<\/p>\n

On the other hand, five states \u2014 Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, and Oregon \u2014 have no state-level sales tax. Property taxes are typically the heftiest tax burden for homeowning retirees. According to the Tax Foundation, states with relatively low per capita real estate tax collections include Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, and Oklahoma, while those with high per capita real estate tax collections include Connecticut, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, and Wyoming.<\/p>\n

Most states give breaks to residents over a certain age, and there may be property tax credits or homestead exemptions that limit the value of assessed property subject to tax.<\/p>\n

Have a question about retirement? Personal finances? Anything career-related? Click here to drop Kerry Hannon a note.<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

8. Recreation<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Are there places to hike, bike, swim, ride horses \u2014 whatever moves you to, well, keep moving? Dig down to find out how walkable and bikeable a place is. Both activities are big factors when you\u2019re seeking a healthy lifestyle.<\/p>\n

9. Transportation<\/strong><\/h2>\n

In addition to access to a good airport for visiting family and friends, consider what your daily transportation needs will be in your 70s and 80s.<\/p>\n

Is there reliable mass transit available to you? What does it cost? Are roadways crowded? Assessments of walkability (the ability to stroll easily to basic retail businesses and mass transit for everyday needs) and bikeability can be found at\u00a0Walk Score<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0the League of American Bicyclists<\/a>.<\/p>\n

10. Friends and family<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Being closer to family can be rewarding, but it might not meet all your expectations, as family members may have their own busy schedules. Talk to your family before you move about expectations of getting together and helping out with childcare.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s your checklist. Now your homework: Make a list of your top five retirement locations. After you do your research, go for a visit, and then, if you decide you like it, go back to rent for a few months, if it\u2019s financially possible, to get a deeper sense of the place beyond a tourist drop-in. Talk to your financial planner and accountant to get an overall view of what\u2019s possible for you.<\/p>\n

Margarita, anyone?<\/p>\n