Baby boomers are finding that college towns are great places to retire, and it’s not just the memories that are attracting them.
“People do like to move to college towns to retire,” says Lauretta Fogg, senior vice president at Coldwell Banker M. M. Parrish Realtors in Gainesville, Florida, home to the University of Florida. “They get access to great medical care. And between sports, concerts and lectures, there are a lot of young people that stimulate them and keep them vibrant.”
[See: The Best Places to Retire in 2018.]
Some retirees return to the town where they attended college because they have a fondness for their alma matter. But there are also many other reasons people retire in college towns, including the following:
Arts and cultural activities. Many universities have major museums, big-name concerts and important speakers. “Look at the calendar of activities for practically any university and you’ll see speeches, concerts, student recitals, sports games, art exhibits, festivals and much more,” says Annette Fuller, editor of “Where to Retire” magazine. “Most of these are low-cost, and many are free.”
For example, Ann Arbor, Michigan, home to the University of Michigan, hosts a large art fair and summer festival. “It would be really difficult to get bored here,” says Alex Milshteyn, a realtor in Ann Arbor. “They will find something to do daily.”
College towns like Athens, Georgia, home to the University of Georgia, also offer access to plenty of theater productions. “Ticket prices are half of what they would be if you saw it in Atlanta and a third of what it would be in New York,” says Charlie Upchurch, president of Coldwell Banker Upchurch Realty in Athens. The Athens area also has a growing number of microbreweries.
“There’s almost too much to do here,” says Carol Bushberg, a realtor in Ithaca, New York, home to Cornell University and Ithaca College. The Finger Lakes region of central New York is also known for its wineries and a local artisan movement.
Sporting events. College sports can also be a draw. Retirees can attend a wide range of sporting events, sometimes for a fraction of what they would pay for professional sports events. Discounts are sometimes offered for seniors. “Some of the sporting events are free of charge,” Milshteyn says.
Upchurch says University of Georgia sporting events are half the price of the pro sports events in Atlanta. “If you live in Atlanta, you have the Braves in professional baseball, the Falcons in football and the Hawks in basketball,” he says. “In Athens, in a college town, you have the option of watching equestrian, women’s volleyball, national championship gymnastics or collegiate baseball, basketball or football. Or you can watch pingpong. It’s not just major sports. The University of Georgia is national champion in swimming. We can watch Olympics athletes compete right here in Athens.”
Walkability and bike trails. Baby boomers have rewritten the rules on exercise and fitness. People find walkable cities and access to jogging and bike trails just as important in retirement as they do in their working lives. That is one of the attractions of some college towns. “Typically, college towns are more pedestrian-friendly,” Upchurch says. “A lot of pedestrians like going on casual bike rides [and] walks. They also like walking to restaurants and feeling the energy of the students being there.”
Milshteyn says his clients generally like to be within a mile and a half of campus. “They are buying condos near downtown,” he says. “They can easily walk to the university or downtown. They can walk to a farmers market or the Museum of Art. They can get around the city easily.”
College towns are notorious for parking hassles anywhere near the campus, so they are often a better fit for those who enjoy walking. “On the flip side, the towns typically have reliable mass transit, and many college towns are among the most walkable cities in the U.S.,” Fuller says.
[See: 10 Affordable Places to Retire on the Water.]
Education. Many colleges provide free or low-cost classes for retirees. For example, Georgia residents who are age 62 or older are eligible to take classes tuition-free at the University of Georgia. “Many universities have continuing education classes or an Osher Lifelong Learning Institute,” Fuller says. “What a great way to keep active intellectually.” Some universities also offer retirees the ability to audit classes at no cost.
Volunteer opportunities. Colleges often need volunteers to help staff their museums and events. “Consider that you possibly could join a board of advisers for various university departments or functions, or even get a part-time job as an adjunct professor,” Fuller says. “Universities always need volunteers, from docents at a museum to ticket takers at concerts.”
Hospitals and medical centers. Access to quality medical care is often a top priority for baby boomers, and they can find that at many of the medical centers associated with major universities in college towns. “The quality of medical care is really quite excellent,” Bushberg says. A college town could have a medical school, dental school or teaching hospital.
[See: 10 Tips for Finding a Great Place to Retire.]
Home prices. There are a range of prices, but home and condo prices can be lower in a college town than in a major city. “Our price range will be a little lower than you might find in a metropolitan area,” Upchurch says. “They can get a really nice house at a very fair price.”
But those who retire in college towns should be prepared to have younger neighbors. “Are you sure you want to be surrounded by young adults all the time? Will it make you feel older or younger?” Fuller asks. “And don’t forget the rowdiness. Will drunken revelries wake you up at 2 a.m.?”
Some retirees return to the place they went to college, only to find it has changed. If it’s nostalgia you’re after, you may not find what you were expecting in a college town. “You’ll see and experience some of the same cheers, traditions and ambience, but don’t expect it to be all deja vu,” Fuller says. “College town retirees must celebrate how the town is different from when they were a student, and not be disappointed by those changes.”
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Baby Boomers Are Retiring to College Towns originally appeared on usnews.com
