Longer life spans and a turbulent economy have completely transformed the average individual's life following retirement. Those who are considering retirement now have to plan much further into the future than those who were doing so a few decades ago, and their preferences are likewise divergent from those of the past.
Let's take a look at some of the trends taking place in the retirement living realm today.
Regions of note
Certain states tend to have a higher rate of retirees than others, and the favorite regions have changed a bit in the past decade or so. MarketWatch, a major online publication, ranked the top 10 cities to which retirees are flocking this year. Interestingly, the news provider pointed out Oregon has surpassed its West Coast neighbors, with Washington and California seeing a decline in the number of retirees. One of the more surprising additions to the publication's list was Georgia, which made the grade because it has the more preferable tax conditions for retirees in the country.
On the other hand, the top two were not surprising at all: Arizona in at second and Florida at the best. According to MarketWatch, these states not only have the highest population of retirees in the country, but also the highest satisfaction rates among those who have moved to these areas following retirement. Now, while this list covers states broadly, there is a trend in the types of environments retirees are beginning to desire.
Comfort in the community
The New York Times recently reported that the average retirees are increasingly looking for a retirement community that allows them to get around without a vehicle. In fact, the news provider went so far as to assert this type of environment - a highly walkable community - is likely to be the most desired area of all among retirees in the near future, especially those that are preferably positioned in urban centers. This latest movement is a far cry from the traditional retirement communities that were often out of the way and somewhat isolated from the rest of the world, even if they did have good amenities.
The Times went on to note developers and other members of the construction community are catching on to this trend and planning accordingly. Retirees who have not explored walkable, urban retirement communities might want to look into this trend. As the source noted, Asheville, North Carolina, has a popular area among retirees who want this type of living space. Regardless of what community you live in, you will need to consider the actual home in which you will reside.
The beauty of tiny homes
Another major trend involves tiny homes, or houses that boast maximum efficiency. Citing data from Tinylife.com, Kiplinger reported just under one-third of individuals who currently live in tiny homes are around retirement age, or between 51 and 70 years old. Considering the average cost of a tiny home is $23,000, or $45,000 should you wish to build your own from scratch, a tiny home is an affordable and increasingly trendy approach to housing among the retirement community.
Let's take a look at some of the trends taking place in the retirement living realm today.
Regions of note
Certain states tend to have a higher rate of retirees than others, and the favorite regions have changed a bit in the past decade or so. MarketWatch, a major online publication, ranked the top 10 cities to which retirees are flocking this year. Interestingly, the news provider pointed out Oregon has surpassed its West Coast neighbors, with Washington and California seeing a decline in the number of retirees. One of the more surprising additions to the publication's list was Georgia, which made the grade because it has the more preferable tax conditions for retirees in the country.
On the other hand, the top two were not surprising at all: Arizona in at second and Florida at the best. According to MarketWatch, these states not only have the highest population of retirees in the country, but also the highest satisfaction rates among those who have moved to these areas following retirement. Now, while this list covers states broadly, there is a trend in the types of environments retirees are beginning to desire.
Comfort in the community
The New York Times recently reported that the average retirees are increasingly looking for a retirement community that allows them to get around without a vehicle. In fact, the news provider went so far as to assert this type of environment - a highly walkable community - is likely to be the most desired area of all among retirees in the near future, especially those that are preferably positioned in urban centers. This latest movement is a far cry from the traditional retirement communities that were often out of the way and somewhat isolated from the rest of the world, even if they did have good amenities.
The Times went on to note developers and other members of the construction community are catching on to this trend and planning accordingly. Retirees who have not explored walkable, urban retirement communities might want to look into this trend. As the source noted, Asheville, North Carolina, has a popular area among retirees who want this type of living space. Regardless of what community you live in, you will need to consider the actual home in which you will reside.
The beauty of tiny homes
Another major trend involves tiny homes, or houses that boast maximum efficiency. Citing data from Tinylife.com, Kiplinger reported just under one-third of individuals who currently live in tiny homes are around retirement age, or between 51 and 70 years old. Considering the average cost of a tiny home is $23,000, or $45,000 should you wish to build your own from scratch, a tiny home is an affordable and increasingly trendy approach to housing among the retirement community.
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