Baby boomers among you (those aged 57 to 76) may be thinking of where you want to set down stakes for retirement.
Clever, a real estate data company, put together a list of the top cities for your golden years.
Healthcare, of course, is a major issue. “We found the best cities to retire are those with a high volume and quality of health care options and more affordable premiums for comprehensive health coverage,” Clever said in the report that includes the list.
“Due to the lack of universal health care in the country, retirees have to prioritize living in a state that not only has a quality health care system but also affordable Medicare costs.”
On the downside, “some metros in our study, such as Las Vegas, really stand out by having zero quality hospitals, defined as having a four-star rating and above on Yelp.” Yelp’s ratings go up to five stars.
Clever analyzed government and private-sector sources to measure 18 combined metrics that are part of cost of living, healthcare and quality of life.
Health Care Superiority
The top 15 cities on the list “not only have a higher volume and quality of health care options compared to other metros, but they also have more affordable premiums for comprehensive health coverage,” the report said. “They're more tax-friendly and affordable, too.”
When it comes to Medicare, the top 15 metros have an average monthly premium of $15.90 at the state level. That's 22% cheaper than the average city in our study ($20.30).”
As for taxes, the average estimated property tax is 1% for the top 15 metros. That compares to a 1.2% average for all cities in the study.
Looking at home values, the typical value of single-family homes in the top 15 cities has increased an average of 108.2% since 2012, compared to a 126.2% average in cities as a whole. That means cheaper prices for the prospective homebuyers among you.
Condos are cheaper in the top 15 metros too. The average value for condos and co-ops in the top 15 cities has climbed an average of 94.3% since 2012, compared to 116.1% for cities overall.
Here's Where Baby Boomers Want to Retire
- New Orleans
- Birmingham
- Louisville
- St. Louis
- Denver
- Richmond
- Tampa
- Oklahoma City
- Miami
- Nashville
- Indianapolis
- Milwaukee
- Kansas City, Mo.
- Providence
- Pittsburgh
New Orleans
“New Orleans earned a perfect recreation score of 100, which is 29% higher than the average metro in our study,” Clever said.
Also, Louisiana doesn't tax Social Security and has income-level limits on tax rates for 401(k), individual retirement account (IRA), and pension distributions.
Birmingham
It has seen only a 78.7% increase in single-family home values since 2012, compared to 126.2% on average for cities overall. As part of Alabama, Birmingham's estimated monthly Medicare premium is $11.21, compared to the all-city average of $20.30.
Louisville
Retirement homes in Louisville have a 3.6 rating from Yelp, compared to the all-city average of 3.1. Louisville has an estimated annual property tax rate of 0.9%, compared to 1.2% for cities as a whole. And a monthly public transit pass is only $35 in Louisville, compared to the all-city average of $72.36.
