Why retire to a college town? There a lots of reasons, explore them in this retirement article.

Retiring to a College Town has Become a Popular Thing to Do (for good reasons)

Retiring to a college town has become very popular these days for both the nostalgia and culture factors. Here are some other factors for choosing a college town as a retirement community.

1. Location near Family and Friends- with many boomers choosing college towns for retirements, there’s an increasing chance that some of your friends will have made that choice too. Perhaps you could even retire there together with some of your closest friends. With many grandchildren of boomers getting closer to college, retiring to a college town to be close to your undergraduate grandson or granddaughter also is an attractive option.

2. Weather- even though many college campuses are located in colder climates, there are many located in warmer destinations. Las Cruces, New Mexico is home of New Mexico State and has a warm (sometimes hot) but dry climate. Many college towns have mixed seasons with lots of foliage as well. State College, Pennsylvania, home to Penn State University is in the middle of a valley called “Happy Valley.” With one of the biggest alumni networks, someone you know is ly to be a Penn State. This community ranks highly in almost all “retire to a college town” guides due to unique weather of being in a valley, proximity to mountains and skiing, and a gorgeous landscape.

3. Friendly People and Lower Cost of Living- although some colleges are located in big metropolises there are many located in smaller towns that are cheaper. With a small town feel and cheaper housing than the big city, it’s possible to downsize into a smaller, friendlier community and save money from big city prices.

4. Rich Cultural Life Full of Fun Activities- college towns are full of theaters, comedy clubs, bars and restaurants, lectures, and many other intellectual pursuits. With so many students congregating in one area, there is bound to be lots of inexpensive or free entertainment throughout town. The simple ability to walk “Main Street” in any college town is a quality of life that many people in the bigger cities don’t experience. A college town Ashland, Oregon, home to Southern Oregon University, is a quick drive from either the ocean or the mountains and is home to the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Athens GA, home of the University of Georgia, could be among the best college towns with its unparallel setting, big time sports, thriving music scene, arts and entertainment, healthy economy and favorable climate. With activities this in abundance, “retiring” to a college town could be a lot busier than your previous life working.

5. Access to High Quality Medical Care- with many college campuses home to medical schools, medical care is usually of higher quality found in similarly-sized communities that don’t contain a university. 

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