Bankrate has ranked Charlotte among the nation’s top retirement cities along with Raleigh, Pittsburgh, Los Angeles, and Denver. The Queen City landed the 13th spot on the website’s rankings based on the following criteria:
- Cost of living
- Crime rate
- Healthcare
- Public transit
- Taxes
- Population over 65 years old
- Weather
- Things to do
- Well-being
The rapidly growing city of roughly more than half a million residents has seen a 46% increase in its population between 1990 and 2006. A good number of these new arrivals are retirees who have been captivated by Charlotte’s laid-back atmosphere.
The weather is pleasant year-round, making Charlotte ideal for outdoor recreation. Spend your days boating, swimming, and fishing – Lake Norman is only 20 miles away from Uptown Charlotte. Play golf or tennis in your own time. Enjoy life to the fullest.
There’s also plenty to do indoors – the NASCAR Hall of Fame is a must-visit for car racing enthusiasts. There’s also the Carolinas Aviation Museum for aviation fans.
Cultural venues include the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art and Levine Museum of the New South.
Getting ready for retirement
It’s never too late to plan for your retirement. Here are a few tips:
Set aside an emergency fund – Set aside at least three months’ worth of retirement expenses in a savings or checking account. It’s necessary to have an emergency fund in case of delays with your pension or Social Security. The money can help cover your bills and other expenses.
Set a retirement budget – Learn to anticipate your retirement expenses and analyze how much you’ll be spending. This will help you come up with a good estimate of how much you’re spending now and how that will change once you enter retirement.
Pay off debt – Pay off your mortgage, car loans, and student loans as soon as possible. You can consolidate debt to make it more manageable. If you can, refrain from taking on new debt as well. This will allow you to enter retirement free of debt.
Stay in touch with friends and family – Retiring doesn’t mean being isolated from friends and family. Stay in touch with your loved ones through phone calls, emails, and social media.
Define retirement – Retirement allows you to pursue hobbies that you didn’t have time for. Think about what you’d like to do with all your free time. You can attend classes, do volunteer work, start a new career, and more. Retirement is also a good time to meet individuals that share your interests.
Retiring in Charlotte
Enjoy the best years of your life here in Charlotte. The city’s retirement communities are also a huge draw for those who want to remain active in their golden years.
Among the most notable age-restricted communities here are:
- Cresswind Charlotte
- The Vineyards on Lake Wylie
- Regency at Palisades
- The Polo Club at Mountain Island Lake
- The Meridians
- Ridge Road Villas
If you want to explore your options in any of these and other 55+ communities, get in touch with David Dunn at 704.999.3591 or send an email to David(dotted)Dunn(at)SothebysRealty(dotted)com.