Since Jacksonville the
city and its county merged together in the late 1960s,
Jacksonville is now known as the largest city in land
area in the United States as well as the 13th largest
population wise.
Jacksonville is the largest city in
Florida and has a lot of tourism related to golf so
golf-loving retirees will find it a great new home.
Jacksonville is also a major port so day cruises and
longer cruises are available for quick vacations. Jacksonville
also has many theaters and art venues so you can easily
plan day trips. Jacksonville is close to St. Augustine,
which is considered the oldest city in the United States.
Many consider Jacksonville
Florida to be among the best retirement cities in the
U.S. Here are some other reasons to choose living in
Jacksonville.
Social Opportunities:
studies have shown that a good group of friends is more
important to a happy retirement than money or health.
Jacksonville offers many opportunities with civic groups
and hobby clubs to generate a solid core group of friends.
These friends can help ward off the problems of aging
like dementia and health issues.
Public Transportation:
rural living isn't good for seniors who can't drive
since they require someone's help to get around. The
expenses of transportation add up quickly for fixed-income
seniors so the public transportation of Jacksonville
is quite beneficial. Even better is that most public
transit systems have senior rates that are much cheaper
than normal.
Access to Medical Services:
it's pretty obvious that if you live near a hospital,
you're more likely to survive a medical emergency. Despite
how your mind feels, the body starts to break down and
there's a good chance you'll need a hospital visit during
your retirement years. Living in Jacksonville is great
since there are more specialists and medical services
available and at cheaper rates.
Access to Local Businesses:
city living offers walking distance to most businesses
that you'll ever use in your retirement years. Even
if you need to travel, there are a lot more shopping
centers and discount stores in urban areas.
Fitness: exercise is
critical to keeping healthy during your retirement years.
Cities have every type of fitness facility from standard
fitness centers to niche fitness places like indoor
rock climbing walls so there's something for everyone.
Even if you want to exercise on your own, there's tons
of parks or indoor malls to enjoy walking in.
Continuing Education:
today’s seniors know the importance of exercising
their brains, as well as their bodies. Urban living
provides access to a wide range of classes, through
local universities, museums, city recreation departments,
etc. Enrolling in these types of courses can help stave
off the depression that some people feel once they stop
working full time.
Food and Entertainment:
retirement should be full of activities you never had
a chance to enjoy while working. Dinners out to fancy
restaurants or weekend getaways to a nearby city or
historical site are all possible living in a city. Usually,
cities have tons of entertainment venues like theaters
and museums and there's always something going on.
Retirement Housing Options:
In Jacksonville there are unique housing options which
include condos, apartments for rent, hi-rises, retirement
communities, lofts, co-ops, luxury condominiums, top
end townhouses and other housing for over 55 boomers
and seniors.