Top Five best cities to spend retirement

**stateofmind** · 05-12-2011, 11:30 AM

Watching the Today show this morning... I know, but it was on at Bob Brown GMC in Ankeny. You won't believe who made the list. TODAY Video Player

AMES!

**Tornado man** · 05-12-2011, 11:35 AM

That's not surprising to me - Ames consistently makes lists of the top cities in the country on various critieria.
As a college town with a low cost of living, low crime, great health care, and many recreational and entertainment options, I can see why it's #2 in the nation for retirees.

**jj-cyclones** · 05-12-2011, 11:39 AM

HAHA just don't know what to think of that. Cool to get the pub though...

Anyone have a update on the Ames survey they just took place? I am wondering if they will share what they found out???

**2forISU** · 05-12-2011, 11:53 AM

Too damn cold!

**Al_4_State** · 05-12-2011, 11:59 AM

I can't imagine retirees being wild about living next door to drunk college kids. Something about "college town" and "retiree community" that doesn't jive.

**BD4CY** · 05-12-2011, 12:04 PM

These seem more like the top 5 cities to leave upon retiring.

**Judoka** · 05-12-2011, 12:13 PM

Originally Posted by BD4CY

These seem more like the top 5 cities to leave upon retiring.

I wish, then maybe the city residents would stop hating the university so much.

**bpmcclain** · 05-12-2011, 12:53 PM

Originally Posted by Tornado man

That's not surprising to me - Ames consistently makes lists of the top cities in the country on various critieria.
As a college town with a low cost of living, low crime, great health care, and many recreational and entertainment options, I can see why it's #2 in the nation for retirees.

The housing market is more expensive in Ames than most places in central Iowa. Ive lived in Ames for 15 years and its a nice place, but it has no business being on this list

**psycln11** · 05-12-2011, 01:29 PM

Originally Posted by Tornado man

That's not surprising to me - Ames consistently makes lists of the top cities in the country on various critieria.
As a college town with a low cost of living, low crime, great health care, and many recreational and entertainment options, I can see why it's #2 in the nation for retirees.

Plus the public transportation for those seniors that can't/shouldn't drive.

**dmclone** · 05-12-2011, 01:35 PM

If you've lived your whole life in Ames than I can see retiring in Ames. However, I can't imagine anyone choosing Ames as a retirement choice unless they had to.

**Hawkeye11en1** · 05-12-2011, 01:37 PM

Originally Posted by dmclone

If you've lived your whole life in Ames than I can see retiring in Ames. However, I can't imagine anyone choosing Ames as a retirement choice unless they had to.

Agree completely. Was just in Sun City, AZ. 55+ retirement community with about 10 golf courses and amazing weather 9 months out of the year. Seems to be a little more logical choice...

**Senolcyc** · 05-12-2011, 01:40 PM

Originally Posted by stateofmind

Watching the Today show this morning... I know, but it was on at Bob Brown GMC in Ankeny. You won't believe who made the list. TODAY Video Player

AMES!

Ames is a great place to live. But no way can any city in Iowa's climate be a top five place to retire. Nothing senior citizens need more than warm, dry air. It can add a lot of years to life and improve the quality of that life. I'm not looking forward to moving to Arizona.....but I'm going anyway when that day comes. I'd rather be 90 in Mesa than dead in Des Moines.

**chewbocka** · 05-12-2011, 01:47 PM

The criteria for selection was strictly financial.

If you're curious, here's how Ames scored:
state income tax - 9%
sales tax - 6%
median property tax - $1,945
median home price - $160,000
state bond rating - AAA
(state) budget shortfall - none

**besserheimerphat** · 05-12-2011, 02:01 PM

Originally Posted by bpmcclain

The housing market is more expensive in Ames than most places in central Iowa. Ive lived in Ames for 15 years and its a nice place, but it has no business being on this list

Ames is really no more expensive than any other city in central Iowa that offers the same opportunities. Try looking at comperable houses in Ames and Marshalltown - M'town is more expensive AND has higher taxes. I just moved to Ames and work in Marshalltown. We also looked at Ankeny and Bondurant. Sure we could have moved to Nevada, Colo, State Center etc, but we'd spend most of our time driving to Ames or Ankeny (whichever would have been closer) anyway. And the housing in those smaller towns wasn't significantly cheaper anyway.

**dmclone** · 05-12-2011, 02:03 PM

Originally Posted by chewbocka

The criteria for selection was strictly financial.

If you're curious, here's how Ames scored:
state income tax - 9% = Terrible
sales tax - 6%= Average
median property tax - $1,945 Average to high for the median home price
median home price - $160,000 Better than average
state bond rating - AAA Does this really matter to retires?
(state) budget shortfall - none Does this really matter to retires?