The, "Well It Has Happened Once Again!" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading an online article written by Julia Hammond titled "4 Incredible Places to Retire in the U.S."  Right away I knew what I was about to read in the next few minutes for it has happened more than once in the past couple of years.  

Sarasota, Florida

Began the article reading about Sarasota, Florida where over a third of the residents in Sarasota County are over 65 years of age making it a top spot for retirees.  The big draw is the warm weather which barely drops below 60 degrees in the winter months.  There are over 35 miles of flat, sandy beaches which are perfect for early morning walks and warm water perfect for swimming.  There are over a dozen movie theaters as well as double the number of art galleries.  And, a final draw would have to be the fifty plus golf courses in the area.  

Palm Desert, California

The second place to retire would be Palm Desert, California which has a median age of 55.5 years and an increase of over seven thousand people over 65 between 2000 and 2016.  But, climate is the big factor as this city's attraction.  Summer temperatures are high, but winters are mild and the lack of rainfall is perfect for those with ailments compounded by damp conditions.  And, there are plenty of hiking trails, horse riding, tennis, golf and swimming to occupy the leisure time.  A big draw in Palm Desert is the 150 restaurants in the town plus the many more in nearby Palm Springs.  Perhaps the three large hospitals may be a big draw also.  

Kennebunk, Maine

As for the next city, Kennebunk, Maine, the harsh winters isn't what draws retirees to this location, but the high number of senior citizens ranks second after Florida.  The small town vibe, low crime rate, quiet life and good food is what makes about a third of the residents of this town retirees.  OK, now I am getting to the final city.  

Skyline of Lancaster, Pennsylvania

I know I should be proud of the fact that my town of Lancaster, Pennsyl- vania is one of the top places to retire, but after multiple other stories of Lancaster being a good place to retire, I'm beginning to get worried that there won't be enough places in my town for my wife and I to stay.  And, Lancaster wasn't just one of the top four, it was the #1 spot in the U.S. to retire.  Six factors were taken into account during the rating of places to retire.  They were: housing affordability, desirability, retiree taxes, the happiness index, job market and health care quality.  Seems Lancaster scored well in housing affordability and happiness.  The charming downtown and nearby Amish community also helped.  About the only bad thing was the fact that it is a hard city name to pronounce.  Seems we who call Lancaster home already can pick out a newbie as soon as they open their mouth and say the name of the city.  Most call our city Lan-cass-ter instead of Lanc-kiss-ter.  Hey, we really have too many old people living in our town already.  Find another place to stay!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.