Better Weather in Tucson, Arizona
“The sunny days also have an uplifting effect on your attitude, as opposed to the gloomy overcast days typical of Michigan,” says Vince, a retired automotive engineer who left Auburn Hills, Michigan, in 2019. “We enjoy the outdoors 12 months a year. We take walks, hikes, and bike rides and enjoy outdoor dining and happy hours. Even in the heat of the summer, we can get out earlier in the day. We eliminated snow and ice concerns, which have caused slips, falls, dangerous driving, et cetera, forcing us inside for months.”
Cultural Affinity in Tavares, Florida
“ShantiNiketan is tailor-made for people of Indian origin,” says Hari, a retired math professor. Before finding ShantiNiketan, a 55-plus active-adult community that focuses on Indian culture and food, in 2015, the couple split time between Northern California, where their children live, and Chennai, India. In addition to Florida’s warmth and cost of living, he says, “all the residents here share a mutual orientation to life.”
Multi-Gen Living in Des Moines, Iowa
“Rather than leaving our friends and family, we decided to downsize in a way that would free up additional funds so that we could travel more often to cooler climates as a break from the Iowa summers,” says Sue, a former health care worker. When their youngest child, Ella, began a job with a nonprofit, they decided to find a townhome near their former home in Ankeny with a separate space for her, so both generations could cut costs. Tom’s favorite (winter) part: “The outdoor maintenance from the HOA [home owner’s association] means no running the snow blower!”
Hometown Conveniences in Oakland, California
“Oakland is central, and has a diverse population and lots of ethnic restaurants,” says Michael, a former engineer. “We both grew up in the Bay Area but spent the past 37 years in L.A., where the traffic was beyond belief,” adds William, a retired real estate agent. They’re renovating a 1956 modern house that has a downstairs suite where a future caregiver could live. “It’ll last us ’til we’re ready to go out in boxes,” Michael says.
Co-Housing Camaraderie in Boulder, Colorado
“It was Diana’s idea to find a place that was on the ground floor, no stoops or steps and handicap accessible,” Alan says. They’d begun to dislike the stairs in their two-story townhouse when a small condo opened up a block away in the Silver Sage Village, one of the first senior co-housing communities in the U.S. (It has 16 units and shared spaces for meals and socializing.) “I was on my deathbed in 2013 and experienced the importance of neighborliness,” Alan says. “It’s by definition a hedge against isolation and loneliness.”
A Smaller Pond in Washington Island, Wisconsin
“Besides the amazing natural beauty, the island gives us many opportunities that wouldn’t be possible in a larger area,” says Martha, a former art teacher. Twenty years ago on a vacation from their Alexandria, Virginia, home, the native Wisconsinites took a day trip to the island, off the tip of Door County. At the grocery store, they saw an ad for an affordable cottage with a ceramics studio—and made a $1,000 down payment on the spot. The owner wrote a receipt from her pottery sales book. They’ve since restored a small group of cottages on Lake Michigan, called West Wind Resort, where they now live. Bob, a retired physicist, has acted in a local theater group, sings in the choir and is a member of the school board. Martha has played clarinet in an island band—and she makes lots of art.
Ticking All the Boxes in Tulum, Mexico
“We love the beauty and peace of the jungle within a close-knit community, and it’s only 20 minutes from some of the most beautiful beaches in the world,” says Diana of their move from Philadelphia in 2014. “Being in a premier tourist destination also means incredible restaurants and great shopping. The weather is perfect, and the cost of living—though higher here than other parts of Mexico—is so much lower than in the U.S. that we have luxuries we couldn’t afford there. We have the best doctors we’ve ever had and friends from all over the world. Life is slower here but ultimately better.”
Ecovillage Care in Rutledge, Missouri
“Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage [a sustainability-focused ‘intentional community’ of private homes and communal spaces on 280 acres in northeast Missouri] is a place where various parts of myself have been able to reside and flourish in a more unified whole—a nonviolent, sustainable approach to living on this planet. I love the intergenerational aspect and the closeness to the land. I love that fun and laughter are valued,” says Dorothy, a widowed nurse who moved here from Kansas in 2016 after learning about it from the Tiny House Blog.
The Greatest Outdoors in Winter Park and Fort Collins, Colorado
“We spend up to two months every winter volunteering at the YMCA Snow Mountain Ranch [outside Rocky Mountain National Park near Winter Park, Colorado], a campus that includes more than 5,000 acres for activities,” says Christine, who teaches yoga and water exercise while Jack works for the grounds department. “We love being in the mountains enjoying cross country skiing, snowshoeing and other winter activities—and the camaraderie we’ve developed with other volunteers from all over the world.” In 2019, they relocated from a large home near Peoria, Illinois, to an 800-square-foot condo in downtown Fort Collins, a college town an hour outside the park. They spend the other 10 months of the year there.
A Family Magnet on the Lake in Oxford, Michigan
“We moved north from Dearborn into a home that’s large for the two of us in order to accommodate family, friends and visitors,” says Ron. “Scenic, peaceful Oxford Lake has rave sunsets. The smaller town reminds of our youth and we love our beautiful St. Joseph Church congregation a mile away.” Next, How Does the SECURE Act Impact Saving After Age 70?
