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Gentle Mediterranean Climate,
Endless Array of Activities, Seventy Miles of Beaches and Excellent
Medical Facilities are Reasons Why Retirees Come to Scenic San Diego,
California
Cost of Living: Well Above the National Average
| San Diego (population 1.3
million with 2.8 million in San Diego County), just
twenty miles north of the U.S./Mexico border, is
California's second largest city and the eighth largest
city in the United States. It is also one of the
most affluent cities in the nation. Known only to
the Kumeyaay Indians for thousands of years, that
forever changed in 1542 when Juan Rodriguez
Cabrillo, sailing for the Spanish crown,
stumbled upon what is now known as San Diego Bay and
claimed it, along with the rest of the western coast,
for Spain. The first presidio was built on a hill
in 1769, and as residents later left the safety of the
military fort to settle in the surrounding area, San
Diego began to grow. Old Town San Diego, not
far from where the original presidio stood, is now
recognized as the birthplace of California and is a
state historical park. San Diego continues to
boom, growing nearly 7% in the last decade alone, and
although it is not without problems, this ethnically
diverse, cosmopolitan city by the sea still beckons to
the young and the more mature demographic alike.
In fact, 35% of the population is age 45 or better.
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Despite the Great Recession, San
Diego's cost of living remains high, nearly 32% above
the national average. And although real
estate prices have fallen from the high prices typical
during the run up to the housing crash, the current
median price for a single family home is $390,000, well
above the national median (the median price of an
attached home is $270,000). Prices have
risen from a year ago, but 35% of active home listings
are still foreclosures or short sales. Most of
these are priced below $400,000, and zip codes 92114,
92115, 92102, 92105, 92114 and 92115 have been
particularly hard hit. Above the
$400,000 price point, inventory opens up, and
"deals" are harder to find.
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San Diego has one hundred or more named neighborhoods, each with
its own character. Some are planned neighborhoods; others
sprouted as the city blossomed. Generally speaking, the nicer
areas are those closest to the beach and north of downtown and Balboa
Park (the city's sprawling cultural and environmental urban oasis),
while some areas on the southern end of the city can be a little
dicey. A few of the city's best-known neighborhoods include La
Jolla, Scripps Ranch and Rancho Bernardo (which suffered fire damage
in 2007).
San Diego's architecture is varied, evoking
distinct eras from the city's past. Golden Hill and the Gaslamp
Quarter boast resplendent
Victorians; North Park is known for its Craftsman bungalows; Old Town
is home to red-roof adobe structures that date from the city's
earliest days, and Mission Hill is comprised primarily of
well-restored homes from the 1920s and 1930s. Other
neighborhoods are known for their inhabitants. Pacific Beach is
home to surfers and has an active nightlife. Hillcrest is
an older, now-gentrified neighborhood with diverse, gay and educated
residents (37% have a college degree). Linda Vista is home
to the University of San Diego (and the very first shopping mall in
the U.S.) and is peppered with college students.
Age-restricted communities are in good supply.
In Rancho Bernardo, northeast of downtown, Oaks North is a large 55+
community with 1,963 condos, town homes and single family ranch-style
residences with red tile roofs. Homes here were built in the
1980s and start in the $200,000s; they top out in the $500,000s.
Seven Oaks, also in Rancho Bernardo, has homes built in the 1960s and
1970s. Prices begin in the $200,000s and $300,000s.
HOA fees are $250 per month (but homeowners do most of the
maintaining). Generally, these developments attract older
residents.
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.
Ocean Hills, a 55+ community about 30 minutes from
downtown and four miles from the ocean, has 1,600 homes, all
whitewashed with red tile roofs, a huge recreation center and
clubhouse, a concert hall, an actual library and has won awards for
its architecture. Homes here start in the high-$200,000s and top
out in the $700,000s. HOA fees are $380 to $415 per
month. Villa Trieste is one of San Diego's newest active
adult developments and is small with roughly 150 duplexes. Only
two miles from the ocean, prices are start in the $300,000s.
HOA fees are $250-$270 per month.
Rentals in retirement communities are scarce, but San
Diego has a large variety of apartment complexes. The average
rent for a two bedroom apartment is $1,400 per month.
There are also more than 100 mobile home/manufactured home
communities, in all shapes and sizes, most of which are in the
northern areas of the county. In 55+
parks, prices range from approximately $75,000 to $200,000 for a
mobile home without land and from around $150,000 to more than
$300,000 for a mobile home with land. In general, prices along
the coast are higher than those inland. Parks where
homeowners do not own land typically charge $300 to $600 per month for
space rent; in parks where homeowners do own land, monthly homeowner
fees range from $75 to $200 per month.
The maximum amount of tax on real
estate is limited to 1% of the full cash value of the home.
Under a homestead program, the first $7,000 of the full value of a
homeowner's dwelling is exempt from state tax (without the exemption,
the taxes on a $400,000 home would be $4,000 annually).
Other tax assistance programs that were in place have
been suspended due to California's current economic situation.
Regarding retirement income, Social Security and railroad retirement
benefits are exempt from state income tax. All private,
local, state and federal pensions are fully taxed.
Personal income tax rates range from 1.25% to 10.5%.
Health care in San Diego is extensive.
There are more than two dozen general hospitals, several of which are
award-winning and provide care for every medical ailment imaginable.
The University of California San Diego Medical Center
ranked among the best in the nation in six adult specialty areas
in 2009 (U.S.
News and World Report's annual “Best Hospitals” issue).
The University of California San Diego School of Medicine
conducts leading-edge medical research which benefits the entire
region and is ranked #16 on U.S. News and World Report's list
of the top medical schools in the nation for 2010. Scripps
Mercy Hospital has won HealthGrades.com' Distinguished Hospital Award
for Clinical Excellence™ for 2010. Sharp Healthcare
operates six acute care hospitals and offers community and medical
resources specifically designed for San Diego's senior population.
They also operate two Senior Health Centers staffed with
geriatric-trained physicians and nurse practitioners who take as much
time with their patients as needed, a welcome change from sometimes
rushed appointments. Sharp also received the Patient
Safety Excellence Award™ for 2010.
San Diego's main attractions, which bring tourists
from around the world, are Balboa Park (home of museums, theaters,
gardens, the famous Spreckels Organ - the world's largest outdoor
musical instrument - and the wonderful San Diego Zoo),
Sea World, the Birch Aquarium, Old Town and the Wild Animal Park where
the inhabitants roam freely. Sports fans enjoy major
league baseball (San Diego Padres) and professional football (San
Diego Chargers), as well as the opportunity to golf at more than 90
private and public courses in and around the area. The ponies
run at Del Mar Race Track, and boating, deep sea fishing, surfing,
sailing and every other water activity one can think of are just
minutes away (most homes are within 30 minutes of some portion of the
area's seventy miles of beaches).
When not at the beach, the San Diego Museum of Art,
which houses collections of Dutch Old Masters and works from the
Italian Renaissance, the La Jolla Playhouse, a Tony-award winning
theater, the California Ballet Company, the San Diego Opera, the San
Diego Repertory Theater and the Joan B. Kroc Theatre at Kroc Center's
Performing Arts Center provide opportunities to enjoy a little
culture. San Diego is also home to several military
installations and has one of the largest naval fleets in the world.
Bases are open for public tours. Excellent restaurants are
in abundance, and shopping, particularly in trendy La Jolla and
historic Old Town, is world-class. Downtown, while
not as spiffy as might be expected or desired, has been undergoing a
bit of a renewal, and some new hotels and restaurants have opened.
And for a city its size, it is nice to report that San Diego's crime
rate meets the national average.
The San Diego Parks and Recreation Department operates
Senior Citizen Services, an organization that manages eleven senior
centers throughout the city. Low cost health screenings,
transportation assistance, legal guidance and social activities
(dances, trips and special events) are just a few of the services
offered. Meals on Wheels is also active. The
vast San Diego Public Library has 34 branches and an excellent menu of
services, from hosting more free cultural events (guest speakers,
piano recitals, book clubs, movie discussions and much more) than any
other organization in the city to providing computers with Internet
access and free wifi for laptop users.
The Metropolitan Transit System provides buses
throughout San Diego, but the light-rail trolley system is often more
efficient. People age 60+ ride for $1.10 to $2.50 one-way,
depending on the type of transportation (bus or trolley).
Monthly passes are available for $18 to $25.
Volunteer opportunities are in abundance, as would
be expected in a city this size. Seniors' time and talents are
needed to mentor children at the N.A.I. Legacy Corps; to help man the
gift shop at the Greater San Diego Science and Engineering Fair; to
tutor students at the San Diego School Unified School District (22,000
volunteers) and to perform a variety of jobs in the huge San Diego
Parks and Recreation Department. The local RSVP (Retired
and Seniors Volunteer Program) is also alive and well and has more
than 1,000 volunteer opportunities in its database.
Few places in the world can match this area's arid
Mediterranean climate. Summers are warm and dry with
temperatures in the mid-70s, and winters are mild with temperatures in
the 50s and 60s (but inland, even just a few miles, temperatures
fluctuate more). They say it never rains in Southern
California, and that is almost true as the average annual rainfall is
less than ten inches (most of this moisture occurs from November
through March during the "rainy season"). In
May and June, fog often parks along the coast, and this "June
gloom" can bring gray skies. On average, though, the sun
shines 266 days of the year, and humidity stays in the 60% range.
The air quality is below the national average, but the water quality
is well above the national average.
At its heart, San Diego is just an overgrown beach
town (with high-tech and biotech industries, a large military
presence, a major university, etc.) and is laid-back and vibrant at
the same time. Yet California has lost some of its glow, and a
San Diego retirement has drawbacks. Wildfires and mudslides in
the surrounding hills are an ongoing threat. The chance of an
earthquake, while below the California state average, is still 623%
greater than the national average. The air quality is not
great. Traffic is congested. Class and racial
lines are evident. Some sections of the city are not in
great shape. Illegal immigration is an issue, although
much of the migration activity has moved east to Arizona since
Operation Gatekeeper was launched in 1994. And
California, as everyone knows, is in an economic crisis.
Despite these problems, and they are
not minimal, San Diego and the California lifestyle still beckon.
With its miles of white beaches, scenic setting, temperate climate,
average crime rate, very good medical facilities and nearly endless
amenities, San Diego can prove hard to resist for many a retiree.
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