Worldzilla Journal

While it’s fine to dream of that perfect retirement community or place to raise your children, there are many factors which may be important to you, yet will never appear on the list of desirables. Choosing your best place to live is a bit more complex than these lists can represent. It’s up to you to do some research to find the community and region that is perfect for your situation.

Every year, consumer groups survey the U.S., measuring certain criteria that average people find desirable in their community. These groups select cities and towns that profile resources and characteristics that meet our wish lists, from safety to cultural attractions. Communities which are found to be outstanding from a number of perspectives are the ones that make the A-list.

When searching for your best place to live, a good starting point is choosing between an urban or rural community. Are you the country dwelling types, who enjoy the great outdoors? Do you want plenty of cultural events only found in the metropolitan areas? How about your kids? Will they be able to fulfill their educational goals close to home, while still having a social context that is exciting enough? You need to think about sources of income too. Housing prices figure prominently in your plans.

For example, let’s say your family consists of you, your husband and two teenage kids. Your husband is an engineer and you’re a stay-at-home Mom. The kids will be heading off to college soon and your husband plans to be in the work force for another ten years. You want to relocate to maximize your options. Your objectives need to satisfy the kid’s education goals, a certain level of income and latitude in your plans for retirement. You want to find affordable housing in a safe community with resources sufficient to keep the kids close by and happy with what that community has to offer in ways of entertainment. Your best place to live, for your particular situation, may never make the lists.

Finding your perfect, best place to live requires lots of flexibility in your plans. Satisfy your immediate, short term objectives as best you can, while financing your long term plans with savings you’ll invest down the road. Your best place to live today may well change ten years from now. The key to successful transitions is good planning.

If you add up all of the factors which play into your personal best place to live, you may find that another move is in your future. Your life in retirement might mean the kids have grown up and married and your priorities have changed. Today’s mobile society allows for such adjustments. It may be better for you to have this decade’s best place to live be followed by another, best suited to your changed circumstances.