We want to retire to a place where our children and grandchildren would also like to live. Our budget is $7,000 a month: where should we go?

We want to avoid high humidity summers, but we also try to stay away from the desert heat. Also trying to avoid shoveling a lot of snow.

We enjoy gardening, cycling, hiking, boating and fishing, so access to water would be a blessing. It would be great to afford half an acre or more.

Our next two generations May follow us, then job opportunities for them would be an extra advantage.

I’m stumped on where to go, so your help would be greatly appreciated.

Russian

Dear Russo,

Congratulations on being on the brink of retirement and starting a new adventure.

I heard you say both the south and southwest are out, given the weather. There are still plenty of options, but you may have to compromise with winter weather. (How much snow? How much rain?)

If you want the next two generations to follow, you need an area where unemployment is lower than average (at least before the pandemic). A rapidly growing area could be an advantage. You might ask them what compromises they are willing to make before choosing a place. I hope this isn’t just wishful thinking on your part.

A thought: Why not look for a townhouse or 55-plus community where homeowners’ association dues include snow shoveling? Maybe even mow? That might mean giving up a half-acre, but you can still do a lot of gardening on less land. Just check those HOA rules. A community garden could be a backup plan. Regardless, don’t underestimate how much work half an acre can be!

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Here are three very different places to consider. MarketWatch’s “Where Should I Retire” tool can tell you more options.

Salem, Oregon

You’ll be able to escape the summer humidity in Oregon’s capital, home to 175,000 people. Plus, you won’t have to shovel much, although the downside is rainy winters.

You’ll find these fishing opportunities on the Willamette River within the city limits, but you can also drive less than 45 miles to Silver Falls State Park, considered a crown jewel in the state park system. Two hours east is beautiful Detroit Lake, 400 feet deep and more than 9 miles long. It’s located in the Willamette National Forest, which covers 1.6 million acres in eight wilderness areas, so you’ll have plenty of hiking options, too. And when you want to bike, start with the 11-mile paved trail at Minto-Brown Island Park in Salem.

Salem is located in the center of the Willamette Valley, so vineyards are not far away. If grapes can thrive, so can your garden.

Housing costs are slightly higher than the national average. Here’s what’s on the market now, using listings on Realtor.com (which, like MarketWatch, is owned by News Corp.). You can easily browse to see rentals.

An alternative could be Corvallis, suggested here.

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Johnson City, Tennessee

This part of Northeast Tennessee could make the fisherman in you very happy.

You would also be just west of the Blue Ridge Mountains, so there are plenty of hiking opportunities. In fact, the Appalachian Trail isn’t far away if you want to hike a few segments. Riding a bicycle? Start with the 10-mile Tweetsie Trail to Elizabethton.

Blue Ridge Outdoors magazine described the readers’ choice winner of its 2018 Best Midsize Cities list as a relatively new adventure town with a “woke downtown.”

You will have moderate summer humidity and average July highs in the mid 80s. The average snowfall in January is 3 1/2 inches, so there’s not much to do.

Away from outdoor activities, Johnson City boasts its own live music scene. Eastern Tennessee State University, which is here, has a major bluegrass music program.

Monetarily, Tennessee has no state income tax and the phase-out of the investment income tax (known as the Hall Tax) will be completed on January 1st. Housing costs are well below the national average; they are the cheapest of my three suggestions.

Here’s what’s on the market now, using Realtor.com.

Johnson City is also the smallest of the three proposals, with about 67,000 residents. The larger three-city metropolitan area, spanning southwestern Virginia, is home to more than 500,000 residents.
If this is too small for the younger generation, they may want to settle in Knoxville (suggested here) less than two hours away.

If Johnson City isn’t quite right, an alternative might be Roanoke, Virginia, recommended here.

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Columbus, Ohio

You can find your half-acre lot here in Ohio’s capital city, or you can search the suburbs of Franklin County.

Fast-growing Columbus has 900,000 residents and is home to The Ohio State University. The larger metro area is over 2 million, so you’ll find a wide range of communities, as well as home prices and rents. The website Livability described Columbus as “quickly becoming one of the most popular cities for millennials” when it named it to its list of the 100 best places to live in 2019. It jumped to 11th place in 2020, when l The list has been reconfigured for our COVID-19 emergency. 19 world and the increased ability to work from anywhere.

One reason is work. Younger generations will find corporate headquarters for companies like Cardinal Health, Nationwide Insurance, and L Brands, as well as many other big names.

For the water lover in you, check out Griggs Reservoir on the west side of the Scioto River in Columbus, toward the suburb of Hilliard, and the boat club there. Or head to one of the numerous lakes north of the I-270 loop.

I know… you’re thinking it’s the Midwest, so what kind of excursions are there? Options in the woods abound. Start with Christmas Rocks State Nature Preserve, 40 miles southeast of town. . Or tackle the Buckeye Trail, more than 1,400 miles that encircle the state.

You’ll find numerous bike paths, including the 25-mile Alum Creek Greenway Trail. This is also part of the 326-mile Ohio to Erie Trail between Cincinnati and Cleveland, if you want to keep riding.

As for the weather, it’s no surprise that you will have four seasons. January is the snowiest month, averaging nearly 7 inches. Average summer highs reach the mid 80s and humidity is moderate. Your garden will love it.

Despite its size, housing on average doesn’t cost much more than in Johnson City. Find out what’s on the real estate market in Columbus and throughout Franklin County using Realtor.com.

Readers, where do you think Russ and his wife should retire? Leave your suggestions in the comments section.

Now read: We want to leave the cold Midwestern states for “hotter, drier climates” and affordable healthcare on $44,000 a year – so where should we retire?