Believe it or not, the city you choose to retire in can make a big difference in how healthy you are—and how long you keep your health.
There are several qualities that differentiate a city that will make you feel healthy and youthful from one that will just make you tired. One of those is a walkable downtown and a good public transportation system. The more walking you do, the more healthy and fit you’ll be. In addition, the less you have to rely on a car to get things done outside the house, the longer you can maintain your independent living lifestyle.
In addition, healthier cities have mild temperatures. Hot and cold temperatures take their toll on senior health, but a mild climate will keep you going outdoors—and getting exercise.
A culture of health is another factor that makes a difference. If the population in a city is generally health-conscious, there’s likely to be a strong market for organic food stores, healthy supermarkets, and healthier restaurants that will make it easier for you to make healthy choices yourself.
Here are a few cities in the US that keep its residents young—no matter their age.
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Choosing a retirement town is never easy. But it can get easier if you can narrow your choices by public transportation, mild weather, and a healthy culture.
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With its bustling downtown and excellent public transportation system, Austin is an easily walkable city. It’s also home to plenty of cultural attractions, including the South by Southwest Festival, the Austin Film Office, and a wealth of music festivals throughout the year. The population of Austin tends to be young and active, and there are plenty of outdoor activities to enjoy year-round. The mild weather will keep you going outdoors.
Portland, Oregon
Portland is full of beautiful communities that are safe and eminently walkable. In addition, the city has a great public transit system allowing continued access to downtown Portland’s outstanding restaurants, museums and shops. The city is full of organic food stores, outdoor farmers’ markets, and fit, active residents. With the beautiful mountains and forests of Oregon nearby and continuously mild weather even in winter, there are always plenty of opportunities for outdoor recreation here.
San Diego, California
San Diego offers coastal clients that are extremely mild—temperatures in the winter can be as high as sixty degrees, and summers rarely get above 80. There are plenty of golfing, biking, hiking, boating, fishing, and surfing opportunities to enjoy year-round—so San Diego residents can keep fit and active long into their retirement years.
Portland, Maine
Portland is a charming coastal town with a surprisingly vibrant culture. It attracts its fair share of tourists in the summer months; they come for the outstanding outdoor activities as well as the interesting shops, museums, antiques and artists’ studios downtown. Portland is a seafaring town, and you’ll find plenty of boating and fishing enthusiasts here. You’ll also find cultural attractions such as the Portland Museum of Art and the Center for Maine History.
Honolulu, Hawaii
Hawaii might be an expensive place to live, but if you can afford it, it’s an outstanding retirement state. The weather is consistently in the 80’s year-round, and it’s rated high for clean air and environmental quality. The outdoors here are some of the most beautiful in the country—from stunning beaches to jaw-dropping cliffs, volcanoes, coral reefs, and more. Plenty of hiking, boating, fishing, snorkeling, and other outdoor activities keep residents here young.
Pensacola, Florida
Pensacola culture is beach culture—and the beaches are fine white sand. People here love boating, fishing, and walking on the beach—as well as the many music and art festivals, fishing tournaments, and art galleries, shopping, and cafes to be found downtown. The mild weather year-round will keep you outside, active, and enjoying the beach.
Montpelier, Vermont
Montpelier has only about 8,000 residents—making it the smallest state capitol in the country. And many retirees love its small-town feel. While the weather isn’t mild in the winter—Vermont winters are cold and snowy—there are still plenty of reasons to get outdoors in the wintertime, including the state’s many ski resorts and miles of forested trails for cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and snowmobiling. The downtown is easily walkable, with plenty of eclectic shops, cafes, and galleries.
Choosing a retirement town is never easy. But it can get easier if you can narrow your choices by public transportation, mild weather, and a healthy culture. If you can find a city that offers all of these things, you may have found a perfect place for a healthy, youthful retirement.
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