Retiring baby boomers and urban areas

[ncwebguy]

While doing a little late Friday web browsing, I came across this article on Yahoo.

It talks about how a couple retired to Cary, and how its proximity to Duke University Medical Center was helpful. But the surviving husband moved to San Fransico, at first to be near his kids. But it goes on to explain how *not* having to drive in an urban environment is good for the elderly.

I think the Triangle has a lot of pluses attributed to SF in the article -- museums, theater, symphonies, medical institutions, continuing education, etc. The couple that posted to the relocation thread and looked at One Eleven, and a few members who lurk/occasionally post on here (not mentioning any names) are another example of this trend.

This, combined with the younger generation's attraction to downtown (West at North's Excuse me for living) could create a base of downtown residents large enough to sustain itself going forward. It is kind of hard to justify now, with no grocery store, etc. but the momentum is there and hopefully will continue for the next 5+ years as the boomers retire and their grandkids can start to afford urban living.

[RaleighRob]

The medical institutions is a big one, for sure. Also to be closer to children/grandchildren who have moved here for work.

My grandfather has had some illness in the past coupla years that has made it very difficult for him to do much. Almost no other family are left in their old hometown, so he and my step-grandmother have moved here to Ral. They got a son (my uncle) and a grandson (me) for emergencies, help around the house, etc. And he's got some specialists and state-of-the-art medical places here to help with his illnesses that he didn't really have in his small town.

They're not in a downtown/urban area, but up in north Raleigh...but then again he can't really walk much anyways. But it definitely fits a trend of older folks moving to the Triangle for various reasons.

Not the retirement location he orginally had in mind, but it kinda works out for the best.

[DB78]

There will be a fair amount of older folks following their kids here in coming years. I come across that exact situation pretty often throughout the work day. Apparently, Cary has been made it to some top 10 lists places to retire. A good amount of people look at those lists. So long as we don't start resembling Central Florida, I say the more the merrier.