There’s no shortage of balmy places in the South to consider when it comes time to plan your retirement—or to shake things up if you’re already retired.
We all know about Boca Raton, Palm Springs, Tucson, and plenty of other prime locations for retirement. This time around, let’s take a look at three great places—all complete with four seasons—that may not yet be on your radar screen when it comes to picking out the best location to enjoy your retirement years.
Of course, there’s probably not one best place for your retirement. Even if there is, there are plenty of other places just about as good. It really doesn’t matter much whether a retirement location is ranked first or eighth on one of those “best places” lists—and there are hidden gems across the country that no one but the locals seem to know about … and that’s usually how the locals want to keep it!
Without a doubt, there are more places than you can count that will provide everything you need for an exciting, fulfilling retirement. But with that said, let’s shine the spotlight on three great locations you might not have considered yet.
1. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
That’s right. Pittsburgh … one of the most misspelled and misunderstood cities in the United States. Ask people around the country who haven’t been to Pittsburgh lately what that city is about, and you’ll probably hear comments like:
• industrial wasteland
• long past its day
• center of the Rust Belt
• bitter, cold winters
• no place to retire
In case your name is Van Winkle and you’ve slept away the last few decades, you may be surprised to learn that Pittsburgh has made great strides since the days its claim to fame was as a center of steel production in the US. After a concerted retooling effort, Pittsburgh now is a major financial and cultural center with a variety of important service industries and modern technologies providing thousands of jobs and opportunities. New residential and business areas have sprung up throughout the city to replace former industrial sites. The result is that Pittsburgh in recent years has placed high on lists of the most livable cities in the USA—and even the cleanest.
US News recently selected Pittsburgh as one of the best places in the USA for retirement on an income of under $40,000. Considering that housing costs in Pittsburgh are more than reasonable, that’s no wonder when you consider all Pittsburgh has to offer. If you’re on a tight budget, US News reports that people over 60 in Pittsburgh living in rented accommodations average less than $600 for their monthly rent. In Pittsburgh people 65 and over can ride free on the bus—and in Pittsburgh there’s no shortage of places to go. If you’re a pro sports fan … well, you already know what Pittsburgh has to offer sports fans. Whether you’re interested in museums, colleges, the zoo, ballet, shopping, or Pittsburgh’s acclaimed symphony, you’re not likely to get bored in this vibrant city. True, you will have to bundle up in winter, but if you’re from the North you won’t have much of a transition to make as far as weather goes. And if you’re from the South, you might just find the Pennsylvania winter a welcome change. You may find time for a little skating or skiing—and you may find that the opportunity to experience a “real” winter makes you enjoy the other three seasons even more.