Where Americans Can Retire 'Like Kings'

Lisa Stark identifies the top ten U.S. cities were retirees can live on less than $100 per day.

1 minute read

July 20, 2012, 9:00 AM PDT

By Jonathan Nettler @nettsj


Based on analysis commissioned by AARP The Magazine, cities including Pittsburgh, San Antonio, and Omaha have been identified as the surprising locales where a fixed income of $36,500 per year buys not just a place to live, but access to quality health care, recreation, and the arts, among other "softer quality of life issues."

In light of such findings, it seems surprising that a recent article in Business Insider claims that, "As many as 3.3 million American baby boomers are planning to retire abroad, according to figures from Travel Market Report, the industry publication."

Citing the financial damage that rising health care costs and the recession have incurred on Baby Boomers, the article claims that, "In the aftermath of the global financial meltdown that ravaged 401(k) accounts and decimated home values, a growing number of Americans-like [Dan] Prescher [who lives in Ecuador]-are stretching their retirement savings by spending their golden years overseas."

At home in the U.S., or abroad, it's clear that options for an affordable and fulfilling retirement abound.

 

Tuesday, July 17, 2012 in ABC News

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Use Code 25for25 at checkout for 25% off an annual plan!

Redlining map of Oakland and Berkeley.

Rethinking Redlining

For decades we have blamed 100-year-old maps for the patterns of spatial racial inequity that persist in American cities today. An esteemed researcher says: we’ve got it all wrong.

May 15, 2025 - Alan Mallach

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

May 14, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Rendering of California High-Speed Rail station with bullet train.

California High-Speed Rail's Plan to Right Itself

The railroad's new CEO thinks he can get the project back on track. The stars will need to align this summer.

May 19, 2025 - Benjamin Schneider

"Units for sale - contact your local realtor" sign in front of homes.

‘Displaced By Design:’ Report Spotlights Gentrification in Black Neighborhoods

A new report finds that roughly 15 percent of U.S. neighborhoods have been impacted by housing cost increases and displacement.

May 19 - Next City

Turquoise blue Pyramid Lake near Reno, Nevada.

Nevada and Utah Groups Oppose Public Land Sell-Off Plan

A set of last-minute amendments to the budget reconciliation bill open up over half a million acres of federally managed land to sales.

May 19 - Inside Climate News

Alpine Recreation Center sign in park in Chinatown, Los Angeles, CA.

More Than a Park: A Safe Haven for Generations in LA’s Chinatown

Alpine Recreation Center serves as a vital cultural and community hub in Los Angeles' Chinatown, offering a safe, welcoming space for generations of Chinese American residents to gather, connect, and thrive amidst rapid urban change.

May 19 - American Community Media

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.