Would you ever consider retiring in the city/town/hamlet of your birth?

I have mixed feelings about this possibility, for several reasons. One thing, I was born in a city hospital in one state, and my folks lived on s farm in a nearby state, which didn’t have much of a hospital facility.
I grew up in North Idaho, and I think that I will always miss it; but do not want to go back there and live in all of that winter cold, ice, and snow. The small town where I grew up is not much larger than it was back in the 1950’s (about 5,000), so except for the winter weather, it would be a nice area to live in.

Spokane, where I was actually born, I would maybe like to live there again.
Even though they have the freezing cold winters, they have some nice senior apartments with indoor pools and exercise area, and group amenities, like a library, small theater, and monthly birthday parties .
I am really isolated here, and would love to live where I could have people to visit with, plus it would be fairly close (within visiting distance) of my youngest son, so that would be nice, too.
Not likely to happen, because my husband likes living here, he has his woodworking shop, and people that he visits with; and he hates cold and snow; so there is NO way that he would even consider moving anywhere else except where we live right now, in this house.
 

I was born in Oakland California. Back in the day it was a good place. Today it seethes with crime and I wouldn‘t set foot there.

“Violent crime and other felonies fell in 2023 in America’s biggest cities. They increased in Oakland.
Robberies grew 38% last year in Oakland, according to police data. Burglaries increased 23%. Motor vehicle theft jumped 44%. Roughly one of every 30 Oakland residents had a car stolen last year, according to a San Francisco Chronicle analysis.”
https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/06/business/oakland-crime-business/index.html
 
TheOtherRick said:
It's very difficult living as a senior in small-town America.
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I feel just the opposite, I love small town life.

I lived the first three years of my life in a major city so don't remember much but for a few years in my early twenties I retuned and lived in that city. Would never ever live there again or in any city if I can avoid it.

So...I'm retired, and I live in the same country township I was raised in, after I die my ashes will be spread on this same ground so I guess I'm spending eternity here. I'm good with that.
 
Well, I was in another city when I retired. I had lived there for over 30 years. Now, I am back in my home town. Yes..only about 30 miles away, but closer to the family unit
 
Absolutely not! I was born in NY, and when I left after graduating, I never looked back. I now live in Southern California on the beach.
It does not get any better than this.
 
Wife and I were both born and raised in a small town in Iowa (population about 10,000 then and about the same now). It was a great place to grow up back in the late 50's into the 70's. A career change in the 1987 had us moving to a fairly affluent Chicago suburb were we resided for 27 years.

When retirement came around in 2014 we wanted to leave the Chicago burbs because of high COL and congestion. Plus we did not like the politics. It happened that we owned my parents house back in our home town and wife's father was still there and could use our help. We thought it might be nice to move back home as we had good memories.

After FIL passed we decided there was nothing much to keep us there since all close family were either passed on or moved away. The home town was just too small and we didn't like the winters. So after 5 years and much research we decided to move to Florida. We have now been here five years and are much happier in our new home town of 150,000.

There is that old saying that goes something like, "you can never go back home again", it is very true as it is never the same as you remember it to be.
 
And the funny part of this saying is that in our "new" community, as we move in, someone who's been living there for a while, passes us, heading out of town. It's a never ending cycle and always has been since we have the ability to be mobile.

It's only when things get out of balance with too many moving out - -or in, that it changes the complexion of the community. Anyone who previously lived in the "new" community will most likely not want to return.
 
Paco Dennis said:
I grew up in Cupertino. Ca. The home now of Apple, and other tech industries. It has 12 square miles. In 1965 the population was about 10,000. The population in 2014 was about 67,000! It was a medium sized suburb when I grew up...you could play sports out in the street. Now it has so many people and congestion that I wouldn't move back there for a million bucks. Hmmmmmmm...well maybe. :)

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Make that several million!

I'm from Santa Cruz so I get it. Ever go back? No way in h-e-double hockey sticks.
 
Remy said:
Make that several million!

I'm from Santa Cruz so I get it. Ever go back? No way in h-e-double hockey sticks.
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Did you ride the roller coaster and hang out on the pier and boardwalk? I did. Not a lot but some...especially on summer vacation from school. How about surfing? I was never any good at it...I liked to skim board on the shore line. Wasn't there some kind of surfer vs. hippie kinda dislike thing going on for awhile. I was a hippie, and I do recall running into real surfer dudes who gave us some pooh. :)
 
Feelslikefar said:
Born in a city famous for it's Golf course, but moved as soon as mom could travel.
Don't know much more about it, just one of the many stops along the way growing up.
Of the 9 cities I lived in growing up, only my time in Hawaii still has a pull.
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Ah so what's so different about Hawaii ? - I remember visiting once and it was very friendly and laid back - no one was in a rush!
 
Blessed said:
I could see that happening but the cost of living there is ridiculous, even with a lottery win. I think I would just stay here and put the money aside for the kid. You can't miss something you never had.

The son I had is still missed everyday!! He is now grown, married, with a family. He lives in the area but as we all know young adults these days have to work hard and long hours to be able to be financially secure.
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OMG don't get me on about the virtues or non virtues of the nuclear family structure - destroyed the world imo?? but will start another thread on it? - it has been weighing on my mind lately!!
 
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Happyflowerlady said:
I have mixed feelings about this possibility, for several reasons. One thing, I was born in a city hospital in one state, and my folks lived on s farm in a nearby state, which didn’t have much of a hospital facility.
I grew up in North Idaho, and I think that I will always miss it; but do not want to go back there and live in all of that winter cold, ice, and snow. The small town where I grew up is not much larger than it was back in the 1950’s (about 5,000), so except for the winter weather, it would be a nice area to live in.

Spokane, where I was actually born, I would maybe like to live there again.
Even though they have the freezing cold winters, they have some nice senior apartments with indoor pools and exercise area, and group amenities, like a library, small theater, and monthly birthday parties .
I am really isolated here, and would love to live where I could have people to visit with, plus it would be fairly close (within visiting distance) of my youngest son, so that would be nice, too.
Not likely to happen, because my husband likes living here, he has his woodworking shop, and people that he visits with; and he hates cold and snow; so there is NO way that he would even consider moving anywhere else except where we live right now, in this house.
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how about a second summer house were you were born - half and half arrangement -it's the age of equality surely?
 
ElCastor said:
I was born in Oakland California. Back in the day it was a good place. Today it seethes with crime and I wouldn‘t set foot there.

“Violent crime and other felonies fell in 2023 in America’s biggest cities. They increased in Oakland.
Robberies grew 38% last year in Oakland, according to police data. Burglaries increased 23%. Motor vehicle theft jumped 44%. Roughly one of every 30 Oakland residents had a car stolen last year, according to a San Francisco Chronicle analysis.”
https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/06/business/oakland-crime-business/index.html
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that's sad ElCastor - how did that happen fgs?
 
DaveA said:
Same town ? How about the same home that I was born in ? Been here for a lifetime.

If I did have to move (not likely at 90) I'd head north and join Myquest. Winters can be a bit tough but overall it's the place that we'd choose.
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you have full agreement on this do you??? lol!
 
C50 said:
I feel just the opposite, I love small town life.

I lived the first three years of my life in a major city so don't remember much but for a few years in my early twenties I retuned and lived in that city. Would never ever live there again or in any city if I can avoid it.

So...I'm retired, and I live in the same country township I was raised in, after I die my ashes will be spread on this same ground so I guess I'm spending eternity here. I'm good with that.
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well you been out and about and seen the rest so good to be back heh - I am talking to people in UK who have never left the small village of 6000 that I spent a few years in and still think of very fondly - left a heart broken woman behind!
 
Tom52 said:
Wife and I were both born and raised in a small town in Iowa (population about 10,000 then and about the same now). It was a great place to grow up back in the late 50's into the 70's. A career change in the 1987 had us moving to a fairly affluent Chicago suburb were we resided for 27 years.

When retirement came around in 2014 we wanted to leave the Chicago burbs because of high COL and congestion. Plus we did not like the politics. It happened that we owned my parents house back in our home town and wife's father was still there and could use our help. We thought it might be nice to move back home as we had good memories.

After FIL passed we decided there was nothing much to keep us there since all close family were either passed on or moved away. The home town was just too small and we didn't like the winters. So after 5 years and much research we decided to move to Florida. We have now been here five years and are much happier in our new home town of 150,000.

There is that old saying that goes something like, "you can never go back home again", it is very true as it is never the same as you remember it to be.
Click to expand...
I like that Tom and agree - I did keep going back to my city of birth after leaving it and it looked the same but was also becoming for me melancholic - and some of the old rellies wondered why I was doing it!!
 


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