The 10 Best Places to Retire in 2012

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There's nothing better for retired folks than living in a relatively new retirement
community like Del Webb's Stone Creek in Ocala, Florida. The list of activities is
numerous and most are free or low cost. There's a 18 hole golf course on the
property, beautiful indoor and outdoor swimming pools, tennis and pickelball courts, , a fully furnished gym, biking trails and a recreation center that has a multitude of functions and performances. When you live in a city you don't know
who your neighbors will be, but when you live in a retirement community everyone is looking for the same thing -- enjoyable recreation.

Bill of FL 1:54PM June 15, 2012

Sante Fe is a great place to visit but to retire well I feel differently about it. Local government invades your life, housing is outrageous, staple items are over priced and you freeze in the winter. Summer is great if you can stand all the traffic from the tourist, downtown is congested, vendors are in your face and you must buy one of those cute adobe houses whether you like it or not. Retire in Sante Fe - bring lots of money.

Spook of FL 10:53AM June 15, 2012

As a resident of Pittsfield, MA, I would love to invite anyone to relocate here.
It is a very solid community with world-class offerings in the arts. The
Barrington Stage, Beacon Theater, Colonial Theater, and Berkshire
Museum provide year round, enjoyable programming for less that half
the price of New York shows. Also, how many cities can boast of a
nice ski area within city limits?
Sure, we have had some pitfalls, especially when General Electric
left in the 1980s. Also, there is some concern about crime in small
sections of town, but the police and other government agencies
are doing a yeoman's job.
As I sit here deciding whether to go for a bike ride, pick fresh
strawberries, or play tennis, I can't think of a better place to
live.

Jim Andersen of MA 10:47AM June 15, 2012

People need to check out Diamondhead Mississippi. Although the southern portion south of I10 flooded in Katrina the remainder of this small city is the highest point of land between corpus Christi and Key West. Very low housing cost, lower gas prices than up north, big saving on electric/heating bills if u don't go crazy during the summer...DH has 4 swimming pools two golf courses, you can ride golf carts on the streets, good schools and very low taxes....no state tax on retirements. Check it out!

T. L.L. of MS 3:57PM June 12, 2012

Not sure why Port Charlotte made this list. Yes, there are homes that are very cheap to buy, but they are old and don't in any way meet current building codes or elevation requirements, so they cost a fortune to insure. Many of the canals mentioned in the article are just drainage canals that you can't get anything bigger than a rubber ducky out to the Gulf. The Florida Move Guide says get an agent that has a boat to show you any homes you buy because you want access to the Gulf. Homes with real boating access aren't cheap, many hundreds of thousands of dollars. For that, there are far better places to live, within a hour north of PC.

tony of FL 9:02AM June 12, 2012

nice post....
for more ideas visit www.getsumfun.com

ankchi of AZ 3:14AM June 11, 2012

I would love love love to retire in Santa Fe, but the taxes and cost of living is , exorbitant,

mk05 of NM 9:33PM June 09, 2012

People who retire away from ther Children move back for there grand children, so dont move to far away.
Also most older people start to suffer from sun related skin cancers so a house on the beach or desert may not be a good idea when excercise is no important.

droolingweasels of CA 10:58AM June 09, 2012

Monterey, Pacific Grove and Pebble Beach, adjacent communities along the Pacific coast (just south of San Francisco) are the absolute best places for golfers to retire.

Ron of CA 2:02PM June 08, 2012

These lists are a place to start, when looking for greener grass. Anyone who moves their life based on an article of a few pages is could be disappointed. Author Ron Stack says that moving is extremely expensive, especially if you end up in a place you find out you just can't stay and have to move again. Retire where you are and save yourself the money and heartache?

Linda of PA 6:24PM June 04, 2012