Portland Makes AARP’s Top 5 List of Retirement Communities
Jul 25th, 2007 by Jody McLeod
Once again, Portland has made a list of desireable places to live. This time we have made AARP’s top 5 list of communities Baby Boomers should consider as a retirement spot. Here is the author’s (Sarah Mahoney) list of Portland’s strengths and weaknesses:
- Lifestyle vibe: European charm meets environmental nirvana
- Fitness fix: Miles of safe bike lanes
- Retirees love: The Pearl District
- Retirees hate: 155 rainy days a year
- Median housing price: $280,800
- Average temperatures: 39.9°F (January) and 68.1°F (July)
Other communities to make the list are Atlanta, GA; Chandler, AZ; Boston, MA and Milwaukie, WI.
Technorati Tags: Portland Oregon, AARP, retirement, top 5 list, Sarah Mahoney, nirvana, places to retire
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In searching for the answer to a question from a New Yorker about Portland, I came across your post about the AARP selection of the Rose City as a great place to retire.
My mother and I have a problem with one of the bullets in AARP’s list of strengths and weaknesses. Let me explain.
Mama is 81, nearly 82, and considers herself retired from paying employment; I myself am closing in on 60 and still work five days a week. We’re new to Portland, having arrived in June, 2006. Despite the stereotypical concerns of family and friends, mostly those in Mississippi, we made it just fine through our first span of wet days, gray days, winter days. Before we had even moved, I asked Mama, “What are you going to do when it rains or is just gray outside?” She replied, in all seriousness, “I’ll shut the blinds.” I asked my sons if they thought we could take the wet–one moved here in 2000, the other one in 2003–both replied, “You just have to realize that you’re going to get wet.” Life goes on.
Like Mama just said to me, most of what we had here is Portland seemed to us to be heavy, heavy mist. We admired all the people here who walk in the “rain,” who don’t let it ruin anything about their lives. We decided we here, so we’d best adapt. Walking in the rain to the bus stop, wearing a hooded raincoat and rubber boots, became the norm for me. Truth be told, I was delighted and astounded that I was doing that, instead of trotting to the car with an umbrella over my head.
I guess what I’m saying is, neither one of us would’ve voted the rainy days as a weakness. Without them, the rest of the year wouldn’t be nearly as glorious.
Thanks for giving me the chance to expound. I’m wondering if you agree? Are you a life-long Portlander?
And I absolutely love your photo of the Benson bubbler at the top of your blog.