Monday, April 21, 2014

Where to Retire Near St. Louis, Missouri

Many people in the mid-west have deeply established roots in the area where they currently live ... including their relatives, churches and community involvement.  While they may enjoy spending time vacationing in the warmer states to the south, they don't want to permanently stray too far from home.

Because of the strong feelings these people have about staying near their current location, I want to include retirement information on this blog about a wide variety of cities throughout the United States.  The first one of these will be the area around St. Louis, Missouri.

Climate in St. Louis

Missouri clearly has four seasons.  In January the average daily high is 42 and the average low temperature is about 21; at the other extreme, in July the average daily high is 90 and the average low temperature is 66. The temperature extremes can be even greater than is indicated by these averages.  For example, in the winter the weather can hover around 0 to 10 degrees; in the summer, you will occasionally see days when the temperature rises to nearly 100 degrees.

Missouri gets enough precipitation to remain lush and green throughout the summer.  There are a multitude of lakes and rivers in the region which makes the state very appealing for people who enjoy water sports in the summer such as fishing and boating.

Cost of Living in Missouri

The cost of living in Missouri is lower than in many locations along the east and west coasts.  The state sales tax is 4.225%, and food is only taxed at a 1.225% rate.  State income tax rates range from 1.5% to 6%.  Property taxes are typically about 1.1%.  High income Social Security recipients may have to pay state income taxes on half their benefits.  Pensions are taxed if they are greater than $6,000 a year.

Retirement Communities and Independent Living Apartments

There are at least 30 independent living communities in and around St. Louis, including some on the Illinois side of the Mississippi River.  Virtually all of them are independent living apartment complexes, which enable residents to have greater security than those who live in the general population of the city. In addition, residents of these complexes do not have to worry about dealing with snow, yardwork and home maintenance.  While you can find a fairly complete list at the website for "A Place for Mom," here is a selection of some appealing ones that are either within St. Louis or its nearby suburbs:

McCormack House at Westminster Place
Tower Grove Manor
Homer G. Phillips
Alexian Court Apartments
Pacific Place Retirement Community
Tesson Heights
Orchard Terrace
The Rockwood
Crestview Senior Living
St. Catherine Retirement Community
The Hallmark of Creve Coeur
Desmet Retirement Community
The Villa at Riverwood
Lakeview Park
Fairwinds - River's Edge
The Gatesworth
Aberdeen Heights

For those retirees who wish to live in an over-55 community that has private homes, the closest one I could find was the upscale and beautiful Heritage of Hawk Ridge, a community of privately owned homes built by Del Webb in the Lake St. Louis area.  The amenities in this community include a 10,000 square foot clubhouse, a 9-hole par 3 executive golf course, swimming pool, fitness classes, bocce ball and more.  Home prices start at around $175,000.

Another option for people who are looking for an affordable retirement community in Missouri is the Village of Boulder Creek, which is located near Cape Girardeau, about two hours south of St. Louis.  They offer the privacy of single-family, maintenance-free, 2 bedroom rental homes in an over-55 age restricted community.

For seniors who wish to age in place in the homes where they currently live in the city, St. Louis also has seven senior activity centers which offer a variety of services including exercise classes, dances and other programs designed to assist senior citizens.


Sources:

If you are interested in retiring in the St. Louis, Missouri area, you will also want to check out the information available on the websites listed in this resource section.  I've compiled this list to make it easy for you to find the information you need quickly and easily.

http://www.aplaceformom.com/independent-living/missouri/st-louis
http://www.thegatesworth.com/
http://www.retirenet.com/location/communities/122-st-louis-metro/53-all-active-retirement-communities-and-homes/
http://www.delwebb.com/retirement-communities/missouri

Book:  "Where to Retire: America's Best and Most Affordable Places" (See ad in the sidebar of this blog.)

If you are preparing to retire, you will also want to check out the tabs at the top of this page.  They contain links to hundreds of articles about where to retire in the US or overseas, financial planning, medical issues and more.

You are reading from the blog:  http://www.baby-boomer-retirement.com

Photo credit:  www.morguefile.com

1 comment:

  1. I've never been to Missouri but you made me realize all it has to offer. Nice article.

    ReplyDelete

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