North Carolina #1 Relocation Choice Among Nation

[DCMetroRaleigh]

Boomers

North Carolina has held a strong national position as a retirement destination for almost two decades, but a detailed new survey shows that North Carolina is the number one future retirement choice among the 41-49 age group.

Among all participants aged 41-69, North Carolina was the number three retirement destination choice behind Florida and Arizona.

[wscruiser]

North Carolina has been a retirement haven for many years for folks coming down from the northern and upper mid-western states. The cost of living here is so much cheaper than what they were acoustomed to in those areas of the country.

A lot of those retirees worked for "unionized" companies where they earned very large salaries as compaired to salaries paid in southern states. Those that did not work in a union company were still paid larger salaries than what we see in our area of the country. Most of them have at least one, if not two or three healthy retirement/pension plans that they can start drawing after retirement.

The average house in those areas are 2 to 3 times the cost of a comparable house here.

So, they sell off their $400,000 home, take their $40,000 - $50,000 per year retirement pension(s) and head to NC where they can live very comfortable.

I think is great for our state. I can't help but feel that it has allowed areas like the Triangle and Triad to get stores, resturants, and other entertainment to locate here that otherwise may not have came. I think a good example of that could be the Carolina Hurricanes.

[JDC]

If my mom, who lives in metro Boston, were to retire today and sell her house (a modest 3-bedroom ranch on a half-acre of land), she could buy the same house here in NC for less than half the price and live (comfortably) off the rest. It's no wonder people are retiring here.

Luckily it's not all 50 and 60-somethings coming to the Tar Heel State (like Florida!). Plenty of young bucks are coming here seeking cheaper housing, warmer climates and a growing economy.

[MZT]

Although the article is citing the tail-end boomers, word is "getting around" among existing Florida retirees that NC and TN are reasonable compromises as retirement areas. IE "not too cold" and they can get away from the hurricanes, high insurance costs, and land costs of Florida.

There's a nickname for them. "Half-backs". Because they're moving "half way back" to where they were originally from.

I've also read of families leaving Florida, and school districts puzzlingly noticing that enrollments have dropped this year. The reasons are the same.

[nowensone]

So, they sell off their $400,000 home, take their $40,000 - $50,000 per year retirement pension(s) and head to NC where they can live very comfortable.

I think is great for our state. I can't help but feel that it has allowed areas like the Triangle and Triad to get stores, resturants, and other entertainment to locate here that otherwise may not have came. I think a good example of that could be the Carolina Hurricanes.

Hmmm...... Are the retirees really the ones responsible for the Hurricanes fanbase???

I think too many people attribute hockey in this state to the northern transplants. Yes, it is certainly a factor, but not to the degree cited, IMO. That rationale indicates that any southern team has a similar fanbase because of Northern migration, but typically the transplant would pull for their old teams, not some new team that is probably looked down upon for being inappropriate in an area that has little cold weather. We certainly get more cold weather here than Florida, Texas and Arizona at any rate.

Regarding the stores, restaurants and entertainment, that is not really due to Northern migration, but affluence and a changing world. The past 2-3 generations in the country (world wide as well) are more united by television, education and other factors, and so desire and expect these things previously more common elsewhere. The northern migration as a cause is a factor, but a small one. I too think the migration is great for our state, but more for the diversity than anything. That, ane we can't let Georgia continue to surpass us, we're better than they are.

[Jerseyman4]

Many retirees relocate to Pinehurst, Whispering Pines, Seven Lakes, Woodlake and Foxfire Village for rural living.

[DCMetroRaleigh]

They won't be rural much longer.

[JerseyBoy]

As many of you probably know and it was mentioned, alot of retirees are moving back from the Central & South Florida areas to the mountains to areas such as Boone, Blowing Rock, and Asheville. I noticed when I was down in South Florida visiting with some family this summer that almost every person I talked to whether it was in Publix or at Mizner Square said they had family or friends that had just recently moved from South Florida to here (NC). They couldn't stop saying that North Carolina was such a beautiful state and love it here. I would say that 85% of the people I talked to said they hated South Florida and can't wait to "get out of there" and "why I ever moved down here?" But, mind you these were primarily Northeners and Midwesteners that said this.

[Jerseyman4]

As many of you probably know and it was mentioned, alot of retirees are moving back from the Central & South Florida areas to the mountains to areas such as Boone, Blowing Rock, and Asheville........... They couldn't stop saying that North Carolina was such a beautiful state and love it here. I would say that 85% of the people I talked to said they hated South Florida and can't wait to "get out of there" and "why I ever moved down here?" But, mind you these were primarily Northeners and Midwesteners that said this.

I dont get how Florida is such a big draw, id rather be in the Carolinas.

They won't be rural much longer.

I doubt that, the immediate Pinehurst-Southern Pines area is changing but the rest of the county will not.

[hauntedheadnc]

This would not be a bad thing is more local governments were willing to manage their growth in a responsible way. As it is, the growth is killing the very things that draw it to us. Henderson County, which I am very familiar with, is mutating into a nasty, sprawling hellhole -- it seems the entire basis of the local economy is turning tourists into residents, each in a vinyl-sided McMansion on an acre. Every day you look out and see another new red clay scar gouged out on a mountainside where some developer is clearing the forest to make way for The Villas at Mispelled Pointe.

It's disgusting and heartbreaking.