Retiring to the City

There are a lot of good reasons to live in the suburbs. It’s often quieter, homes are often larger and frequently cheaper than in the city, and there are big backyards to host family gatherings. These are just some of the benefits of suburban living. However, while the suburbs are great for growing families and people who want or need to drive to their job and rush around doing errands, they tend not to be the best for walkability or public transit.

Of course, this is a sweeping statement and a generalization, but it tends to be true that many suburbs are more spread out and often require a car to get around. 

As a retiree, this might not be what you’re looking for. That may sound confusing at first. After all, why wouldn’t you want to retire to a quiet area with a lot of space. This is true, but there are also many reasons why some retirees are looking towards the city as their retirement destination.

Why Retire in the City?

While it’s true that many cities are busier and sometimes louder than the suburbs, they can also be the perfect place to retire. Why? The main benefit is walkability. Most suburbs are designed around driving, which means it can be tough to get around without a car. 

Retirement doesn’t necessarily have to mean spending less time driving and more time walking, but there are a lot of good reasons for doing so.

Exercise

It can be hard to stay active when you’re retired, and not just because you’re getting older. It’s because life tends to be slower. When you’re working, you manage to get some physical activity just by rushing around all the time. This doesn’t happen when you’re retired. Living in the city gives you ample opportunity to be active.

It’s often much faster and more convenient to walk five or ten minutes to run an errand than it is to drive. In most cities, businesses and residences are closer together, so it makes sense to walk to them. You can easily meet your daily step count just by going to stores and appointments. 

Socializing

Socialization is also an important part of retirement. When you leave work, you leave a lot of natural social connections behind. Talking to others and forming relationships is important for mental health and happiness.

Living in an urban area allows you to meet more people because you’ll be out and about more often. When you’re driving in your own vehicle, it’s possible to go through your entire day without ever interacting with anyone. This is much more difficult when you’re living in a city and walking everywhere.

Cities naturally have more people than suburban areas, so you’ll also have an easier time finding groups, clubs, and classes you can take. This will help you engage in your hobbies and meet new people. 

You’ll also probably be closer to museums, art galleries, and other social and cultural institutions. Many will have discounted rates for seniors and a lot will have groups and clubs that you can join to meet likeminded people. 

Cost

Driving can be expensive. Not only do gas prices fluctuate often (and can increase quite a lot without much notice), but you also need to pay for maintenance, insurance, and other costs such as general upkeep and care. 

These costs make sense if you’re using your vehicle to get to and from work. When you’re commuting, you likely need a vehicle in most areas. However, once you’re no longer at work, you’ll probably naturally find yourself driving less. That can change the situation and make it so owning a car is no longer worth it. This isn’t practical in most suburbs, but it’s entirely possible in the city. 

Not Needing to Drive

It sounds odd to say, but one of the benefits of walking is that you’re not driving. This matters because many seniors eventually have difficulty driving. For some, it gets harder to see clearly or drive at night. For others, knee and hip pain cause problems and make it difficult to get in and out of the vehicle. 

Whatever the reasons, there may become a time in your life when driving isn’t possible or practical. Urban living makes this conversion much easier. 

Closer Hospitals

Many cities have a number of great hospitals and other medical facilities. You may even be near universities that have teaching hospitals. This can be a big benefit as many of these facilities offer specialized care and advanced therapies. A lot of specialists are located in cities as well.

You may not need to get this kind of care now, but it could be helpful or even necessary in the future. Many people find themselves traveling to larger urban areas to get treatment as they age. If you’re already living in the city, you won’t need to commute as far and potentially stay in a hotel or make other living arrangements while you’re receiving care.

Building Amenities and Comforts

Life changes as you age. If you have children, they are likely grown and have their own families at this point. That means they might not come “back home” as often, and holidays and other social gatherings might not always happen at your home. These events might rotate around to different family members, or your kids might be visiting the other side of the family during some years.

This means you may no longer need the big home with the three bedrooms and the large dining room. In fact, a lot of seniors decide to downsize for this exact reason. 

Living in a big house doesn’t just feel unnecessary in retirement, it can also be a hassle. Cleaning the place is tiring and maintenance can be difficult and costly. If you’re going to downsize for those reasons, moving to a city makes a lot of sense.

Yes, it may not save you much on housing costs (since many cities are more expensive to live in than suburban areas), but the other cost savings (such as less driving and less money on maintenance) can make it worth it.

However, one of the biggest benefits to downsizing to a condominium or townhouse in the city is that many of these properties have amenities and maintenance services. You won’t need to worry about raking leaves or taking care of a lawn if you’re in a high-rise or a townhouse, for example. 

Many condominium properties have common areas like party rooms, gyms, exercise studios, swimming pools, or even movie theatres that you can access if you live there. These areas are perfect for socializing, staying active, or joining clubs and groups. 

It’s also easier to travel when you live in a condo or apartment, since these properties often have their own security set ups to keep your location safe while you’re away. 

Moving to a City in Retirement

There are lots of good reasons to live in an urban environment when you retire. While they can be costly and busy and even loud, there are also a lot of benefits. The most important thing to know about retirement is that it’s very personal. Your retirement is your own and it doesn’t have to match someone else’s idea of a “perfect retirement.” By looking at the pros and cons of living in an urban area, you can decide if this is the right retirement for you.