For the next 20 years 10,000 Americans will reach retirement age every day. For the right person this can represent an enormous opportunity for creating senior retirement living jobs. Millions of baby boomers will need some type of long term care services in their lifetime. After you retire from your career you can invest in a nursing home, senior living center, retirement community or assisted living facility and serve your fellow baby boomers along with ensuring you have a comfortable retirement income.

You can also use your managerial or executive expertise and apply for a director position at a retirement home. Or you could be a business office manager at a senior living community.

There will be a need for nursing, LVN, RN and CNA positions.

If you have a strong culinary background you can become a culinary director and make sure the residents of your retirement village enjoy healthy, nutritious as well as delicious meals.

Have a background in health care administration. There will be plenty of job opportunities available for you. As baby boomers get older they will need more complex health care and you can advise them on the best ways to pay for their medicines and health care.

Have a strong financial background? You can become a retirement advisor or financial planner and help your clients stretch their retirement savings as much as possible and maximize their Social Security benefits.

Do you like talking to people? There will be plenty of sales jobs for all the nursing homes, retirement villages and retirement communities to sell their prospective properties.

There will be plenty of jobs for products and services related to baby boomers and future retirees. You can make a second career out of serving your fellow Americans.

If you are about to retire or looking for an expanding career field check out the opportunities available for serving the baby boomer generation. Millions of people just like you will need to supplement their income due to smaller retirement savings. You can help others and ensure you and your family have a comfortable retirement.

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With the recession today, a lot of people have been looking for cheaper places to live somewhere else in the country. Looking for the perfect location for you and your family to live in is not the easiest thing to do. Aside from expensive prices, you need to consider the quality of living on the area as well. Having said that, there are a lot of great places in the United States that offer a good quality of living but it does come with a cost. There are states in the country though that can offer a great standard of living at a lower price. When looking for a place to live, you also consider the cost of living in that area. Factors like transportation, basic commodities, utilities, and most importantly, health care must be taken into careful consideration as well. Here are some of cheap places to live in the US.

Texas is one of the cheapest states to live in the United States. Some areas in Texas may be expensive but if you go to the southwestern region of the state, you can find a small metro area known as Brownsville. The Brownsville area includes San Benito and Harlingen which are known areas for cheap costs of living. First, rental in these areas are almost 4 times lower than the cost in New York. Housing cost is also lower in Harlingen compared to other areas. Transportation and the cost of groceries are low too. Gas prices in the Brownsville area are lower compared to other places since it is much closer to refineries. When the gas price is low, the transportation cost also goes down. As the transportation becomes cheaper, prices of basic commodities and groceries also becomes cheaper as well. But people who are considering this area need to know that utility prices may be pricey. There are also fewer colleges in the area and the income is relatively low. The median household income in Brownsville is $30, 034.

Ft. Hood is also another area in Texas considered to be cheap. A U.S. Army Base is located in the area so soldiers and their families are the common occupants there. Housing prices are very competitive. Because of the presence of the army base, healthcare is expected to be of high quality. Great schools are also present in the area for the kids of those who are in the military. The median household income in Ft. Hood is $46,183. Sherman is also a cheap place to live in Texas. The population is mostly composed of families and living in this area is great since basic commodities and utility charges are cheap. The major employers in the area are health care related which pays higher compared to the paychecks of other cheap places to live in.  Gas prices in Sherman are also relatively low. The low cost of gas produces a chain reaction which affects the prices of commodities to go lower as well. Median household income in Sherman, Texas is $45,171.

Another cheap place to live in the United States is Pueblo, Colorado. Pueblo is a great area to consider since according to statistics, there are more better paying jobs here than in Harlingen. Cost of housing is also very affordable and since it is a metropolitan area, there are major employers situated there. Based on the data collected by the Council for Community and Economic Research or C2ER, housing costs in Pueblo are 30 percent lower than that of the national average.  Pueblo, Colorado also enjoys an average of 300 days of sun each year. The weather is great and there is lesser snow compared to other cities. A good reason why Pueblo is considered one of the cheap places to live in the country is the fact that there are good schools and hospitals in the area. Healthcare is accessible and the amenities are updated too. Recreation and shopping areas are located in key areas of the city as well. Compared to Brownsville, the prices of groceries and basic commodities might slightly be higher but this is balanced out by getting a small raise in your income. Median household income in Pueblo, Colorado is $40,805.

If you are looking for a budget friendly area in the Arkansas area, then Fort Smith is the place for you. Cost of housing is low and the prices of basic commodities are very affordable too. Utilities are cheap and rental rates are reasonable. Transportation is also cheap and the area is generally low-tax. Aside from that, there are a number of companies in Fort Smith that can offer employment opportunities. Median household income in Fort Smith is $37,363. This is a bit lower compared to Pueblo, Colorado or Sherman, Texas but the cost of living in Fort Smith will balance this. The area is not similar to other big cities in the country and if you want quality education and other recreational activities, you would need to drive to other cities like Fayetteville.

Springfield in Illinois is another great place to live. 65% of the populations in the area are families. Housing costs are average but income is higher compared to other cheap cities. Rent is also affordable and usually averages to $556. There are a number of large employers situated in the city which increases the chances of being employed. Most of the jobs in the area are at the state government since it is the state capital. According to statistics, there are around 17,200 employees by the State of Illinois. There are also hospitals in the area which are capable of performing procedures like cardiovascular operations. Median Household income in Springfield is $51,001.

Generally, these cheap places to live are all great areas if your family knows how to adjust. These areas may not have the perfect scenario of great quality living but with the income that these cities offer, they provide a living that is suitable to that rate. It is always advisable to do research and check employment opportunities before making a decision to make sure you and your family get the best deal out there.

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Europe is a remarkably varied continent, for one so small. Some may dismiss it as a retirement option on the grounds of cost, but there are many parts of it which are highly affordable. While some parts might be a little chilly for some, others have a beautifully warm climate. Some parts are rather densely populated, but there are other areas which are wild and isolated. Essentially, whatever you are looking for, you will find it in Europe. Language can be a problem unless you go to the UK or Ireland, but many people speak at least some English, so you can muddle through until you learn the local lingo. If you are looking for culture, good food and a temperate climate, Europe might just be perfect for you. Here are our top European retirement destination picks:

1) Cyprus

If you choose this option, you certainly won’t be the only one: Cyprus is a very popular retirement destination, especially for people from the UK. It used to be a British protectorate, and there is a large community of Brits of all ages there. That means you’ll find English speaking facilities (such as doctors) and a ready-made group of fellow ex-pat friends. Make sure you get holiday home insurance. The sun shines for ten months a year and the cost of living is low: you can live the high-life in Cyprus without necessarily having a high-life income.

2) Spain

Like Cyprus, parts of Spain have lots of English-speaking (mostly British) retirees, mainly in and around the southern resort towns, so if you want to be part of an ex-pat community you can be. Alternatively, you could escape up into the mountain villages, or enjoy a second youth in vibrant cities like Barcelona or Madrid. There is a long coastline and skiing in the Pyrenees. Spain is a great destination for almost anyone as it is so varied. If you’re unsure what you want from your retirement, you could move around here quite easily while you decide.

3) Scotland

Retirement in Scotland is the perfect choice for anyone who has a yearning for open skies and wilderness. It is of course, English-speaking, so you don’t need to worry about language issues (much). It is also generally cheaper than much of the rest of the UK. The highlands and islands are the place to head if you’d like tranquillity and freedom. You could find yourself living on the shores of a vast loch, or looking out over valleys filled with purple heather. If you are into hiking, then Scotland is ideal and attracts visitors from all over the UK. Winter-sports fans can head to the Aviemore and Glencoe areas for ski resorts.

4) Croatia

Croatia is not somewhere that many people would immediately consider when thinking of retiring in Europe, but it is a surprisingly attractive option. It has grown in popularity as a holiday destination in recent years, but is a good retirement destination too. It has a beautiful Mediterranean-style coast, both mainland and islands. Modern villas have sprung up in these areas in recent years. It is relatively unspoilt compared to some parts of Europe, which have suffered from over-development. It also has stunning cities with buildings and city walls dating make to the medieval era, such as Split and Dubrovnik.

5) Italy

If you love art and culture, then a retirement in Italy is for you. Cities like Rome, Venice and Florence have a rich and long history of art and architecture going back to Roman times. If you’d rather get out of the cities, you can either head up to the cool of the lakes and mountains (such as the area around Lake Garda), or to the wonderfully long coastline. Many parts of Italy are impossibly romantic – such as the dramatic and colourful Amalfi coast area. And of course, if you are a foodie, Italy has one of the world’s best cuisines.

Wherever you choose, retirement in Europe has many potential benefits. If you settle somewhere and then change your mind, remember that you could always just get some insurance for your home, rent it out and then travel: that’s the beauty of being in a part of the world where travel between countries is quick and easy.

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USAA.com and Military.com jointly released the 2011 top 10 best places to retire for second careers for military retirees. If you are in the military and approaching retirement you could find this list useful as you decide where you want the next stage of your life to take place.

USAA and Military.com used data from Sperling’s BestPlaces to find what would be most useful to retirees as they transition from military life to retired civilian life.

They looked at things like military skill related jobs, volume of DoD contracts, number of small businesses, veteran’s affairs hospitals, affordability, military pension taxation, climate, crime level to name a few.

Here is the listing for 2011:

1.    Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
2.    Norfolk, Virginia
3.    Richmond, Virginia
4.    Austin, Texas
5.    San Antonio, Texas
6.    Madison, Wisconsin
7.    Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
8.    Raleigh, North Carolina
9.    Omaha, Nebraska
10.    Manchester, New Hampshire

San Antonio already has a large military base presence so it’s easy to see why it is also one of the best places to retire. Many people fall in love with the city and surrounding areas, the low cost of living, affordable housing, numerous golf courses, plenty of things to do, good Mexican food, and the Riverwalk.

Not to mention plenty of sporting activities including college football – UTSA, Incarnate Word, Trinity, minor league baseball – Missions, and professional basketball – Spurs.

San Antonio and south Texas as a whole can have hot summers though.

But it has a lot to make up for as far as job opportunities for military retirees. You can try out a mini retirement or part time retirement and see how well San Antonio or Austin will suit your retirement needs.

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If you’re thinking about where to retire, you’ve probably stumbled on at least one of those Best Places to Retire lists online, in magazines, or in books. But which lists are credible? And which suit your circumstances? To find out, MoneyWatch.com reviewed them and came away with surprising results.

Since you shouldn’t choose a place to live using outdated information, our analysis of retirement-places lists excludes any created before 2008. That left five leading raters: U.S. News, Money, Smart Money, TopRetirements.com, and RetirementLiving.com; together, they name 454 places.

The key thing to remember: The rankings vary widely in the scope of the places they consider and the statistical rigor they bring to their ranking. Some of the rankers, such as TopRetirements.com and RetirementLiving.com, consider a wide variety of reasonable criteria to get at a more rounded picture of “livability.” Others focus on one or two key factors to produce a very narrow sense of what makes a place “best.” U.S. News, for instance, lists best-retirement places ranging from ones that lean Republican (hello, Cincinnati) to ones filled with parks (Albuquerque).

Perhaps the best way to use the “best retirement places” rankings is to start with a narrowly focused list (such as cities dotted with golf courses or ones with affordable homes) and find a handful of potential winning destinations. Then, use other lists and Web sites to see how these places stack up on broader criteria, such as livability or recession resistance.

Here’s how these “best places to retire” raters rate on MoneyWatch.com’s scale of one to five stars. (Another site, FindUtopia.com, doesn’t compile rankings but has a wealth of useful information about choosing a place to retire.)
TopRetirements.com

How it rates places: This site’s Best 25 Places to Retire list is essentially a popularity contest. It includes the towns with the most online visits among the 208 featured at TopRetirements.com. The site also sells an eBook of its Top 100 Retirement Towns ($12.95).

What’s good: Site editors and members of the public have visited the winning places. Zagat-like descriptions note the negatives, too. So although No. 1 Asheville, N.C., gets high marks for climate, water activities, downtown, and senior housing, a commenter warns that “overdevelopment is coming.” Top places include the familiar (Sarasota, Fla., and San Diego) as well as the not-so-familiar (Paris, Tenn., and Green Valley, Ariz.).

What’s not good: The fairly small database of places limits possible winners. You can’t sort the list to find places matching your own criteria.

Best for: Finding places that other retirees like.

MoneyWatch.com rating: 4 Stars.

U.S. News

How it rates places: U.S. News doesn’t have one grand Best Places to Retire list. Instead, working primarily with Onboard Informatics, a data-gathering firm, the magazine regularly churns out narrowly defined Top 10 lists from its database of 2,000 retirement places. Its latest lists: Healthiest Places; Low-Tax Places; Places for Swinging Singles to Retire; Cities for Job-Seeking Retirees; Brainiest Places; Outdoorsy Places; Places for Golf Nuts; Places for Winter Sports Nuts; Places for Football Fans; Greenest Places; Places for Foodies; Places for Democrats and Republicans.

What’s good: The data-driven picks are reasonable and worth reading if you’re looking for places matching their screens. The Best Cities for Job-Seeking Retirees list, created with RetirementJobs.com, is especially timely. (Winners: Bellevue, Wash.; Bismarck, N.D.; Charleston, W.Va.; Charlottesville, Va.; Ithaca, N.Y.; Huntsville, Ala.; Lubbock, Texas; Oklahoma City; Rochester, Minn.; and State College, Pa.)

What’s not good: U.S. News doesn’t reveal its data, so you can’t tell whether the magazine’s criteria would match yours. Some lists are anecdotal and random: Best Retirement Places for Foodies, for instance, came by asking “a handful of chefs and culinary experts” for recommendations and surprisingly includes McMinnville, Ore. A few choices seem way off: Clearwater, Fla., is a great place for “winter sports nuts?”

Best for: Choosing a place based on one factor that matters a lot to you.

MoneyWatch.com rating: 3 Stars

Money

How it rates places: Money created its three lists by selecting discrete criteria – towns near water, affordable homes, and long life expectancy – and layering on additional data.

What’s good: The 6 Terrific Towns on the Water list factors in livability factors such as crime, weather, and activities. (Winners: Dunedin, Fla.; Sequim, Wash.; St. Joseph, Mich.; Beaufort, S.C.; Durango, Colo.; and Marble Falls, Texas.) The Affordable Homes winners have Google Maps showing homes for sale and the prices of recent sales. Winners on all three lists have data displays showing how they fare on key measures such as weather, property taxes, crime, movie theaters, and libraries, as well as how the areas compare with Money’s Best Places Averages.

What’s not good: The Best Places for a Long Life and Affordable Homes lists don’t include livability data. The Long Life list’s criteria seem strange: Counties with the longest life expectancy at birth but whose median family income was not more than 5 percent below the state median.

Best for: Anyone looking for pleasant towns near water or places with either low house prices or long life expectancies.

MoneyWatch.com rating: 3 Stars

Smart Money

How it rates places: Smart Money’s article, “7 Places to Retire During an Economic Downturn,” had experts choose “recession-proof” places.

What’s good: College towns typically are recession-resistant, so winners Gainesville, Fla., (University of Florida) and Ithaca, N.Y. (Cornell University), whose unemployment rates are around 6 percent, make sense.

What’s not good: The list needed more rigorous criteria. Two winners – Portland, Ore., and Orlando, Fla., – are facing rough times with double-digit unemployment rates.

Best for: People who care most about healthy local economies.

MoneyWatch.com rating: 1 Star

RetirementLiving.com

How it rates places: This site, from Retirement Living Information Center, lists 210 Top Retirement Destinations in 33 states, based on its research and visits. The site also lists 94 Great College Towns for Retirement in 38 states.

What’s good: Each Retirement Destination listing is information-rich and packed with related links, saving time if you want learn more about an area’s arts, recreation, senior programs, hospitals, weather, or taxes.

What’s not good: There are no rankings, so every place seems equally “great.” Hawaii has no listings, and many Midwest and Mid-Atlantic states are left out. You need to pay $24.95 to gain access to the detailed Top Retirement reports, which omit drawbacks. The College Town list is just a series of links to the towns’ and colleges’ sites.

Best for: Learning about places already popular with retirees.

MoneyWatch.com rating:1 Star..

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The thought of Retirement can often mean something different these days. For some it indicates new options and journeys.

It is possible to look all over the world for a greatest location for you to retire. Let us head across the pond and take a appear at Europe, in Spain and Portugal. This locations are ideal in particular in case you love the coast or delight in fishing or other aquatic activities. Spain offers practically five,000 km of coastline and Portugal offers just about 1800 km.

Spain – One Of The Best Places To Retire In the World

Spain provides the future retiree gorgeous climate and landscapes too as several of the very best fine dining inside the globe. Her surroundings are numerous, weather likely the most beneficial in Europe, with the probable exemption of the Greek islands, there is a wide Yank population which promises friendship for those who can not find it among the Spanish people, as well as the luxuries too as the necessities of life are available.

Living in Spain is also a pleasure with quite a few everyday living expenses far lower than you’d discover within the UK. You will be able to appreciate fine meals generally. There are so many options for Spanish and Mediterranean dining.

By having a lower price of living compare to the US, your retirement savings and income will get you more in Spain. Compared to other European countries, Spain continues to be reasonably priced.

This really is just a modest sample of what makes Spain one of the best locations to retire within the globe.

Portugal – One Of The Best Places To Retire In the World

Portugal is on the western border of Spain. So you could travel to each when on the lookout for a very best location to retire.

Portugal is now one of the best 20 countries when it comes to top quality of life.

As an American expatriate you are able to enjoy a beautiful culture from all of the civilizations which have enriched Portugal all through the centuries.

Fine dining might be one of the best draws for a baby boomer to remain in Portugal. Portuguese food from the restaurants and nearby stores, featuring Mediterranean seafood will maintain you coming back each night.

Portugal gives peace and quiet on the beaches plus the contemporary amenities you anticipate from a modern day country.

Now you have a beginning point for your investigation on a number of the best places within the world to retire for Expatriates.

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Are you a baby boomer looking to retire soon? Do you know how much you can expect to receive from Social Security when you retire? It’s a good idea to check how much you can expect to receive each month as you approach retirement so you can get an idea of where you can afford to retire.

Maybe you will be able to move overseas to beautiful Spain or Italy, learn a new language, start a second career, start a small business you have always dreamed of, or just travel the world.

Image via Wikipedia

Or maybe you can stay closer to home and move closer to the grandkids and spoil them as you have been meaning to do. You can spend more time with them and go to grandparents day at their school so you can see what they are learning in school.

Knowing your estimated Social Security benefits can help you make these key decisions as you approach retirement age.

Who knows, maybe you will get enough benefits to live in some of the best places to retire around the world.

Here is where you want to go to get started:

1. Social Security Retirement Planner:

http://www.socialsecurity.gov/retire2/

“This planner provides detailed information about your Social Security retirement benefits under current law. It also points out things you may want to consider as you prepare for the future.”

1. Social Security Retirement Estimator:

http://www.socialsecurity.gov/estimator/

“The Retirement Estimator gives estimates based on your actual Social Security earnings record. Please keep in mind that these are just estimates”

These two sites can help you know what to expect as you get closer to retiring.

What to do if your estimated retirement benefits are not as high as you would like? You can keep working and delaying your benefits til a later date. This will allow you to increase your benefits the longer you put off taking them.

Or you can take your monthly Social Security check and find a second career in a beautiful tropical Latin American country like Costa Rica or Panama. You could become an ESL teacher. You could become a travel writer to supplement your income.

There are many ways you can supplement your retirement benefits online so you can afford to retire anywhere in the world. It will not be easy. But it will be worth it if you can wake up each morning with a beautiful sunrise in your backyard.

Keep in mind that the cost of living in South America or Central America is usually much lower than the United States so even if you have a smaller Social Security benefit than you expected you may be able to live comfortably down south. These are countries where you can afford to retire cheap.

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Have you ever thought about retiring in Texas? Maybe not. That is, unless you already live in Texas. You can certainly understand what makes it one of the best places to retire in America.

The problem for a lot of people nearing retirement is that most everything they think they know about Texas just isn’t true.

Texas is flat as a pancake, right? Wrong. It has some beautiful hill country and some great beaches. Texas is just a bunch of dusty, old ranches right? Wrong. Texas has some great cities like Austin, Houston and Dallas that offer all the culture anyone could ever ask for. However, neither are great places to retire as they offer all the good things but also all the negatives of any large metro area.

Here, then are three of the best places to retire in Texas.

San Antonio

This city has several special attractions, not the least of which is its River Walk.  The Walk is actually a public park that is open 365 days a year. The river that flows through the part is lined with hotel attractions, restaurants and more. It boasts lush landscapes, waterfalls and quiet pathways.

In addition to the River Walk, San Antonio has Six Flags Fiesta Texas, SeaWorld San Antonio and the McNay Art Museum. It also sports Mexican markets, unique crafts, flea markets, farmers markets and antiques and enough restaurants to please even the choosiest of foodies. If local art and antiques is your thing, there is Artisans Alley, El Mercado and La Villita.

Here is a fact that might surprise you. San Antonio is the second largest city in Texas with a population of 1.33 million. It has a strong armed forces presence, including Fort Sam Houston, Lackland Air Force Base, Randolph Air Force Base, Camp Bullis and Camp Stanley.  It is home to five Fortune 500 companies and to the South Texas Medical Center

San Antonio lies near the edge of the humid subtropical climate zone. Its weather may be dry or human depending on prevailing winds. As you would imagine, it turns hot in the summer but has warm to cool winters. It is comfortably warm and rainy in the spring and fall.

Austin

Austin is both the capital of Texas and the home of the University of Texas. It’s located in central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest. It is Texas’s fourth largest city and it is named for Stephen F Austin who is known as the father of Texas.

The city has become quite a technological center as it plays home to many high-tech companies, including Freescale Semiconductor and Dell computers.  In fact, it has so many development centers for technology corporations that in the 1990s, it adopted the nickname “Silicon Hills”. In terms of population, the city offers a diverse mix that consists of students, politicians, state employees, high-tech workers, blue-collar workers, and university professors.

The city has a humid south tropical climate characterized by very hot summers with prevailing humid winds from the Gulf of Mexico. However, it does have mild winters. Austin receives 33.6 inches of rain per year on the average with most of it coming in the spring. The summers are usually hot and humid with average July and August temperatures in the mid-90s.

Austin hosts one of America’s largest festivals called South By Southwest (SXSW) and has more than 50 public swimming pools. Austin has parks throughout the city and offers activities such as rock climbing, swimming, kayaking, exploring and hiking along its greenbelt.

Marble Falls

Marble Falls, Texas may just be the best places to retire you’ve never heard of. It’s a little city (population 4959 at the 2000 census) located about 40 miles northwest of Austin. Lake Marble Falls is part of the Highland Lakes, which is the largest chain of lakes in Texas.

The city is a popular vacation spot for boaters and fishermen, campers and hunters. If you’re interested in sort of offbeat sports, you might like to know that Marble Falls posts one of the largest drag boat races in the United States.

The median income for a Marble Falls household was $30,880 and the median income for a family is $38,382.

Lake Marble Falls is the result of a dam being built on the Colorado River. Before the dam was built there were falls of marble, which gave the city its name. However today, the falls are underwater and only visible on rare occasions when the lake is lowered for repairs.

The city boasts approximately 111 acres of parkland and 13 parks. Two of these parks, Lakeside and Johnson Part are next to one another and are used for some of the city’s largest special events such as Springfest and, of course, the Lakefest Drag Boat Races.

Naturally, there are other cities in Texas that represent good places to retire but Austin, San Antonio and Marble Falls are certainly places worth considering as best places to retire in Texas.

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Today we present 3 of the best places to retire in America…

Key West, Florida

Maybe not all of Florida is a good place to retire but you simply can’t overlook Key West as it offers many of the same advantages as places like Belize and Panama but is right here in the good, old USA.

When you retire to Key West, you won’t have to learn a new language or master a new currency. You can enjoy a tropical climate and great beaches but still be only a short plane ride away from your friends and family back home in Elmhurst, Illinois or where ever it is you’re retiring from.

Key West is the southernmost city in America and has a really interesting history. At one point the city tried to secede from the US and become the Conch Nation. It was the home of world-renowned author Ernest Hemingway and also at least one of the wildest festivals in America.

Living in Key West is not cheap (we said best places to retire not cheap places to retire). It is on a par with other southern cities such as Charleston South Carolina or Raleigh, North Carolina. However it offers some positives that neither of these cities do, Not the least of which are its superb weather and Duval Street which boasts 22 bars and restaurants within walking distance of one another, including Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville.

Hendersonville, North Carolina

Our choice for a small town to retire in is Hendersonville, North Carolina. It lies in the foothills next to the North Carolina Mountains, the Blue Bridge Parkway and the Great Smokey Mountains National Forest. Hendersonville has become a magnet for retirees due to its mild climate, the diversity of its topography, its charming downtown area and all of the outdoor activities it has available, which includes horseback riding, water sports, fishing, skiing, cycling and just about anything else you can do outside.

Hendersonville’s downtown features historic Main Street, which is charming, vital and a place for every generation. In fact, the city’s downtown area has been designated a National Historic District.

As of 2009,  Hendersonville’s population was 12,223. Its architecture reflects the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries and there has been much revitalization of the town since the early 1990s. The city’s largest street festival is its annual North Carolina Apple Festival, which culminates in the Apple Parade that regularly draws as many as 50,000 spectators. The city’s climate is moderate–due to its elevation, Its temperatures range from a mean high temperature of around 47° in January to a high of 84° in July.

Maui, Hawaii

Throwing all money concerns to the wind, we  choose Maui as another great place to retire. It’s the second largest island in the Hawaiian islands. The seat of Maui County is Wailuku and its largest city is Kahului with a population of 20,146.

Maui’s climate is characterized by a two-season year, but with mild and uniform temperatures almost everywhere except its higher elevations. Maui has a wide range of climactic conditions and weather patterns that are determined by the ocean, elevation and orientation towards the Tradewinds. It has a rugged, irregular topography that produces large variations in conditions.

Throughout 2007, Maui experienced rapid population growth and its city of Kihei was one of the fastest growing towns in United States. The island has attracted many retirees and people who came to provide services to them. There’s also been a big upswing in the number of tourists visiting the island.

Maui offers some amazing beaches, including Kiaka Beach Park, Waimea Bay Beach Park  and Offers Surfing Support Park on the island’s North Shore. Its East Shore has Makaua Beach Park and Temple Beach among many others. And Maui’s South Shore has Diamond Head Beach Park, Wai’alae Beach Park, Fort DeRussy Beach and numerous others.

As we warned you up front, this is a sort of dream list of places to retire and is totally subjective. The magazine International Living has a report that lists what it considers to be the 100 Best Places to Retire and you probably wouldn’t find any of our choices on that list. But this should give you some things to think about and maybe start you dreaming about your ideal best place to retire in the world.

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The AARP website (www.AARP.org) includes a page titled Best Places to Retire Abroad. It is a list of 10 countries that AARP thinks would be excellent places for retirement.

The site also includes links to an array of information on topics such as health, money, work and retirement, personal growth and relationships. The page that includes information about retiring abroad (http://www.aarp.org/home-garden/livable-communities/best_places_to_retire_abroad/) also has links to home and garden resources, the association’s driver safety program, mobility guides, housing and other topics that might be of interest to seniors.

Its 10 best places to retire abroad in alphabetical order are:

Argentina–the AARP likes Argentina because it considers it to be both scenic and sophisticated. It suffered an economic meltdown in 2002 and has been the retiree radar screen ever since then. The country’s economy is on the rebound and prices are edging up. but the country still offers a rich culture and European ambiance at a bargain price.

Belize - One of the 10 best places to retire

Belize – this Central American country offers beaches, beauty and what the AARP describes as a fast track of residency status. It is the only Central or South American country where English is its official language. The country is sparsely populated and generally regarded as a paradise with tropical jungle vegetation, beautiful white beaches that stretch as far as the eye can see, the aqua marine Caribbean and a number of the world’s best reefs for snorkeling.

Costa Rica–according to the AARP, this is where you go to live the lush life. It’s a country that’s lush with nature–including extraordinary wild life, active volcanoes and fabulous beaches. It also offers amenities such as malls, supermarkets, restaurants, social clubs and museums. US retirees have been moving there for years drawn by its climate and its prosperity.

France–offhand, you might not think of France is a great place to retire but according to the AARP, it really is. The Association says that if you avoid area like Paris, the Riviera and Provence, the cost of living is not outrageous. France offers much in the way of culture with its plentiful museums, concerts and festivals. But it is also great if you love the outdoors with its beaches along the Mediterranean and its rocky, picturesque hills. Needless to say, France offers amazing food and also boasts excellent healthcare.

Italy–if you enjoy wine and good food, what’s not to enjoy about Italy? As the AARP points out, it offers an amazing combination of fine vineyards, snow capped mountains and gorgeous Adriatic coast beaches. The country also has incomparable culture. Savvy ex-pats tend to settle in less publicized and pricey areas such as La Marché, which offers more pristine beauty for the money than anywhere else in central Italy. The AARP reports that if you exclude the cost of housing, you can actually get by in the area for about $20,000 a year.

Mexico–the AARP strongly recommends the Puerto Vallarta region of Mexico with its rich Indian and Spanish culture, spectacular beaches and charming hill towns. The area offers some real bargains in real estate and is close to the United States. Without question, Mexico is the number one destination for American retirees. It has friendly ex-pat communities in Lake Chapala near Guadalajara San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato in the Baja and Cancun on the Yucatán Peninsula. However, the Puerto Vallarta region is AARP’s #1 choice due to its combination of first-class amenities and charming palm-fringed villages.

Nicaragua – the AARP says that this country is a good place to retire because the dollar goes a long way in Granada and there is breathtakingly beautiful landscape. It also says that while it’s one of Central America’s poorest countries, it capitol, Managua, now has shopping malls, casinos and SUVs. The AARP articles go on to report that Nicaragua has beautiful beaches, lakes, volcanoes and a natural rain forest. Plus, it offers some remarkable housing bargains.

Panama – According to the AARP, Panama is a great place for retirees “who want it all.” It is not only an attractive retirement destination, it also offer an unbeatable combination of benefits and discounts. Its currency is tied to the American dollar and

Portugal - One of the 10 best places to retire

retirees pay no tax on income that comes from outside Panama (read Social Security and pensions).

Portugal–while American retirees have long overlooked Portugal, the AARP says this is changing. It has a plethora of beaches, resorts, golf and trendy cafés. This makes Portugal one of Europe’s most lovely surprises for retirement locations. The country’s low cost of living is lower than in many other parts of Europe and the country prides itself on having a more civilized and relaxed pace of life than its neighbor Spain.

Spain – Spain is home of some of the most well known cities in all of history including Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Toledo and Seville. The AARP says it offers an interesting mixture of attractions including snowcapped mountains, a magnificent Mediterranean coastline, fantastic cuisine, near-perfect weather and ancient hilltop towns. The AARP says there’s another reason to seriously consider Spain as a best place to retire. Its recent economic slump has cut home sale prices in many areas, sometimes by as much as 40%.

In summary – good but not great

While this website definitely provides good information on 10 best places to retire abroad, it’s only 10 places. Any “10 best places” list basically comes down to someone’s (or some people’s) subjective opinion of what’s the best. While the 10 places on this website are certainly good places to retire, there are other countries – for example, Panama, Brazil, Argentina and Croatia – that might make someone else’s top 10 list. So, in summary, the site gives good information but before you make a decision to retire abroad, make sure you research more than just this site.

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