|
x
|
|
Home
Vol VI Issue 60
August 16, 2011
Previous Issues
Retirees are Drawn to Cedar
City, Utah for its Rugged Landscape, Low Crime Rate, Fun
Festivals, Abundant Outdoor Recreation, Very Good Medical
Center, Low Humidity, Conservative Values, and, of Course, its
Tapestry of Summer Wildflowers
Cost of Living: Below the U.S. National Average
|
|
Situated in the rugged beauty of
southwestern Utah's Great Basin, the sparkling small
city of Cedar City (population 29,000) is known for its
conservative values, low crime rate, relatively cool
weather, striking natural landscape and good mix of
cultural events and outdoor recreation opportunities. It
is the gateway to two extraordinary national parks, but
it was founded by Mormon settlers as an iron mining town
in 1851 and named after the local trees (which were
actually junipers, not cedars). Both
mining and tourism, which began in 1923 with the arrival
of the railroad, have supported Cedar City for much of
its history, and it was a particularly booming place
during the first part of this century, growing by a
whopping 40% in just 7 or 8 years. The boom has
slowed a bit, but Cedar City is still growing and remains an inviting place, the kind of town people visit
and then decide to make their home. It is a
youthful metropolis, with just 22% of residents age 45 or
better, but more retirees are discovering its appeal
every day.
|
|
The cost of living is 5% below the national average, and the
median home price is $185,000, down 5% from last year.
It is true that Utah has the 5th highest foreclosure rate in the U.S., with 1
in every 61 homes statewide receiving a foreclosure notice (most occurring in
Salt Lake City, Provo and Ogden). While Cedar City's rate is still high
when compared with other parts of the country, it is well below Utah's overall
rate, with 1 in 375 Cedar City homes receiving a foreclosure notice this month
(compared to a city such a Las Vegas where 1 in 28 homes has received a
foreclosure notice). Before the Recession, many properties were bought
by young families and speculators unable afford them,
and today Cedar City prices are the lowest they have been in years.
In short, deals can be found.
Utah is not generally considered a tax-friendly state for
retirees. Social Security is taxed (at 5%), but the state does allow
seniors to take a retirement income exemption ($450). Military retirees
can take an exemption of up to $7,500. Real estate is assessed at 55% of
market value (or assessed at 35% for people age 65+ with limited
income). The annual tax on a $185,000 home is roughly $1,200 (although
people whose annual income is less than $29,210 receive a tax
credit). There is no estate or inheritance tax.
|
|
Situated on a high-altitude plain, Cedar City has an
elevation of 5,800 feet, and 2 million-acre Dixie National Forest just to the east of town provides spectacular
backcountry venues for bicycling, hiking,
fishing, rafting, kayaking, boldering, camping and skiing. And
although the immediate scenery here nourishes the soul, tourists and outdoor adventurers
from around the country venture into town primarily because amazing
Zion National Park (60 miles south) and beautiful Bryce National Park (65 miles
east) are just an hour away (Cedar Breaks National Monument, the Three Peaks
Recreation Area, Navajo Lake and Kolob Canyons are also in the area). During winter, powder at nearby Brian Head
Ski Resort is some of Utah's best. In town, there are 8
parks, one golf course, a small lake and an extensive trail system.
|
Cedar City is also known as "Festival City,"
and with good reason since no fewer than 17 fairs, events and festivals are held each
year. The Wildflower Festival celebrates the colorful tapestry of
wildflowers, including cushion phlox, aspen bluebells, scarlet paintbrushes and
Colorado columbines, that blooms each summer. The Utah Summer Games
are an Olympic-style event with 9,500
athletes and 50,000 spectators. Oktoberfest is an excuse to drink
beer. The Midsummer Renaissance Faire turns downtown into a delightful
medieval village. Skyfest brings in hot air balloonists from around the
region. The Neil Simon Festival celebrates the playwright and his
works. The Utah Shakespeare Festival, which is Tony Award-winning,
is onstage at Southern Utah University
(population 5,000) for two months each summer.
In fact, the University (SUU) contributes more than just
Shakespeare to the cultural scene. Besides having a beautiful campus with
classic architecture, its American
Folk Ballet, Halverson String Quartet and Orchestra of Southern Utah all
perform regularly. The Braithwaite Fine Arts Gallery provides
varied visual arts experiences, and the Frontier
Homestead State Park Museum chronicles Cedar City's pioneer history. All
the while, the Cedar City Arts Council works to bring in new
artists. For sports fans, SUU is a NCAA Division I
school with football and basketball teams. Cedar
City is a place where residents can revel in the solitude of spectacular natural beauty
in the morning, attend a football game in the afternoon and step out for a
concert or the ballet in the evening.
|
This is an interactive map.
Click on the arrows in the upper left hand
corner to move the map to the East, West, North or South, and
click on the +/- signs (more than once if necessary) to zoom
in and out.
|
The Cedar City Library is
well-stocked and has workshops, speakers, an interlibrary loan program, book discussion
groups and online databases. It does not have public internet access,
but several cable and DSL providers offer high speed residential internet
access.
Most necessities can be found in town (there is a Wal-Mart),
but occasional trips to St. George (50 miles) or Las Vegas (160 miles) may be
necessary. Dining is adequate, although not a reason to retire here (and
most restaurants do not serve alcohol). The downtown is cute,
historic and healthy.
Despite its Mormon roots (nearly 70% of residents identify
themselves as members of the Church of Latter Day Saints), there many
different houses of worship (although there is no synagogue).
Residents are very conservative (it is hard to find a Democrat here), and many
traditional groups, such as the Kiwanis Club, the Elks, the Lions Club and the
Masons, are active. Cedar City Senior Center provides
services for the more mature set on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
Public transportation is provided by CATS
(Cedar Area Transportation) Monday through Saturday, and there is a
Dial-a-Ride van service within town limits for people age 65 or better ($2.00
each way). Curb to curb service is also available. Cedar City
Regional Airport is serviced daily by Skywest Airlines. The nearest
international airport is 160 miles away in Las Vegas. Interstate 15 runs
through Cedar City, so while it is remote, it is not completely isolated.
Valley View Medical Center (48 beds) is
accredited by the Joint Commission and has been named a national Top 100
Hospital for three consecutive years. It is part of the Intermountain
Healthcare system which has been singled out as a health care model by
President Obama. Medicare and Medicaid patients are accepted. Two more hospitals are located within 35 miles.
For military retirees, the nearest outpatient clinic is in St. George, 50
miles away, and the nearest VA hospital is in Las Vegas.
Although it is just 20 miles north of the
northeastern edge of the Mojave Desert, Cedar City's elevation prevents it
from having blazing hot summers (daytime temperatures are in the 70s and 80s).
Winters are cold, though, and temperatures can dip into the teens.
Six to eight inches of snow fall per month from November to April,
but usually the white stuff is melting and the sun is shining the next day
(this region has nearly 300 days of sunshine and blue skies a year).
Perhaps best of all, humidity is
very, very low. The air quality and water quality are both
outstanding.
Cedar City does have some drawbacks. Winds
occasionally kick up, and the earthquake risk is 175% higher than the national
average. There are few jobs, and the ones that exist are primarily based in
tourism and health care. Ethnic diversity is practically
non-existent. Some newcomers say that it is difficult finding new
friends without belonging to the Mormon Church, but others say that,
generally, townspeople are kind and welcoming. Tourists descend in
summer. Winters are cold and snowy (but warmer weather is just 50 miles
away and 4,000 feet lower in St. George).
Despite these downsides, Cedar City beckons as a quiet,
wholesome oasis in the stark landscape of the Southwest, a place where
retirees not only enjoy amazing scenery and abundant outdoor recreation but a
bit of culture, too. Once just an iron mining town, today Cedar
City is a great place to live, retire and thrive.
Back to Top |
|
|
|
Great Retirement Spots Newsletter is
published eight to ten times a month by Webwerxx, Inc., 2770 S. Elmira St.,
Denver, CO 80231. Copyright 2006-2011. All
rights reserved. No part of this electronic publication may be
reproduced without the express written consent of Webwerxx, Inc. Many
attempts were made to verify the accuracy of the information contained in this
bulletin, but some information may have changed since publication. Webwerxx,
Inc. cannot be held responsible for information that has changed since this
publication appeared online. Please contact us at staff@greatretirementspots.com
if you have questions or comments. View our privacy
policy.
Utah Real Estate Active Adult
Developments in Utah Retirement Communities
|
|