RISMEDIA, March 9, 2010—(MCT)—Where do you want to live in retirement? Most folks age in place, but there are those who spend their golden years in dreamy locales.
The 100 most popular retirement towns for 2010 are—no surprise—mostly located in the Sun Belt states, according to TopRetirements.com. In fact, 68 of the 100 top positions were occupied by warm-climate towns. Florida dominated the list, taking 23 of the spots, followed by North Carolina (11) and South Carolina (8).
But there are 25 new towns on the list, according to John Brady, editor of the second edition of 100 Best Retirement Towns. Some of the 25 new cities on the list include Boulder, Colo.; Eugene, Ore.; Santa Fe, N.M.; Chattanooga, Tenn.; Cheyenne, Wyo.; Portland, Maine; Smyrna, Del.; and Cape Coral, Fla.
According to Brady, the 100 most popular retirement towns list is compiled by calculating the 100 towns with the most online visits of the 450 cities reviewed at Topretirements.com. The list is essentially a popularity contest; it reflects the towns that site visitors are the most interested in for retirement. “One thing is clear,” Brady said of the trends he’s noticed in this year’s list. “The Sun Belt is so dominant because people are interested in retiring to where it’s warm.” In addition, he said, this year’s list is dominated by college towns. People are looking for a place to retire where they have access to intellectually challenging activities.
The towns with the most online visits include:
Asheville, NC
Asheville is a long-time favorite. Part of its ongoing appeal is its climate (it’s mild year round); its location (it’s in the Blue Ridge Mountains; there’s water everywhere for fishing and boating, and its downtown is walkable and dynamic); its housing stock (there’s a wide range of upscale housing opportunities for seniors). What’s not so special is that Asheville gets crowded in the summer and overdevelopment is coming.
I must add here BrevardNC: This is not part of the original article, yet Brevard a small, quaint town out of the hustle and bustle of Asheville, yet only 35 minutes away has so much to offer. Known as the Land of Waterfalls and home of the white squirrel in TransylvaniaCounty, we have in my opinion far more natural resources to offer than most of the top 10!
The Pisgah National Forest with the cradle of forestry, looking glass falls, and a mountain bikers dream. Not to mention I love riding my motor cycle through the twiste’s and stopping at overlooks to see some of the finest untouched by man views west of the Mississippi. Then there is the DuPont State Forest with its Triple Falls 40 plus miles of hiking trails, mountain bike trails and horseback trails. If you want to get away from the big city, traffic, horns blowing, light pollution at night and see all the Glory that God gave us then you must visit TransylvaniaCounty and BrevardNC. I have a feeling if you don't make Brevard your next home, second home or retirement, you will return year after year for vacation. I found Brevard some 40 years ago after relocating from MiamiFlorida, and I assure you I have found my home till....
Sarasota, Fla.
Sarasota is the cultural capital of Florida. Part of its appeal is that is has one of Florida’s best downtowns, a downtown that includes an impressive array of cultural facilities such as the John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art. On the downside, there are a lot of tourists and traffic in winter, and summers are hot. Of note, the Ringling Brothers located the winter quarters of their circus in Sarasota.
Prescott, Ariz.
An old mining town, retirees choose this location for its warm climate and interesting setting. The town, which borders the Prescott National Forest, features 525 buildings on the National Register of Historic Places and Whiskey Row. On the downside, there are a lot of tourists. At an elevation of 5,400 feet, the winters are colder here than the rest of Arizona. Plus, there are watering restrictions, according to TopRetirements
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