10 Greenest Places to Retire

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If the hot south does not appeal to you consider Portland Oregon, I moved here from California 18 years ago. I am so glad I did.Providence Health system consistently scores in the top of the top 100 hospitals. Portlanders as a group are just plain NICE. You can actually merge on to a freeway without taking your life into your hands. The only downside is that I need to take a winter break someplace sunny because it can be dismal for 3 months in the winter but the remaining 9 are beautiful. If you do decide to make the move change your license plates quickly (45.00 per year) because Oregonians are not too fond of the California lifestyle. It won't take long for you to get used to 0 sales tax $2.99 actually means $2.99 !

Trish Williams of OR 11:25AM March 09, 2010

Jacksonville FL is a freaking dump!

You of FL 3:25AM December 28, 2009

Jacksonville FL is a freaking dump!

You of FL 3:24AM December 28, 2009

My husband and I are 50 and 51 and just begining to think about where we want to go when no longer tethered to my husband's job. One of the most important things we are looking for, (after easy access to excellant healthcare), is some place green and COOL. Both of us really dislike the heat and consider the highest comfortable temp to be 85 to 90 degrees. And while four distinct seasons would be visually wonderful, the prospect of risking a slip on icey sidewalks or a heart attack shoveling snow cuts out some as well. The only city whose climate sounded great was San Luis Obispo, but I don't know about fast access to quality medical care there and what the median home prices are like. I just wanted to ask why so many of the "best" are either in the South or in the Desert??? We are actually considering emmigrating to England!
- Sweltering in the California foothills

Golux of CA 10:13AM July 15, 2009

We don’t get green parks and some grass with out a price, Phoenix, Arizona is a desert part of the Sonora desert I think the fifth largest in the world. We get Phoenix water for all the parks in phoenix from the Colorado River from underground aquifers. The parks you mentioned that were green the water came from Colorado River from underground aquifers if you don’t water those parks once a day or twice it will dry up and go back to the desert it was before the was there.
All of phoenix is depends on Colorado River and Rain for which we get very little of we have no large trees mostly Palo Verde which means (green stick) we can’t support the water for those trees. One the biggest challenges for Phoenix Arizona and its population for the next 10 years is water. The bigger the city the more water it needs from Colorado River and any rain. This is a desert.

dave of AZ 2:19PM April 23, 2009

What they paint their asphalt green? If you want to retire green go to small town USA.

Livin Lean of MI 4:11PM July 01, 2008

Having lived in 13 states, 23 cities and one foreign country, whoever wrote about rude New Yorkers never lived there. From my experience of having lived there, New Yorkers are the most generous, courteous people of any city I have lived in and I made more friends which have stayed in touch since having lived there than any friends I ever made in any other city. Try living in Washington, DC which I have done on three occasions if you want to find really rude people.

Alex of OH 11:37AM June 19, 2008