The New Retirement Home: Former Vacation Homes

The second homes that once laid dormant much of the year, waiting for the next summer or winter vacation getaway, are now a desirable location for baby boomers to retire.

1 minute read

September 9, 2015, 5:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Archie Ingersoll reports that "over the next 10 years, as the baby boomer generation ages, more seasonal residents are expected to transition into year-round lake life, according to a University of Minnesota report released last year."

"Through a survey, researchers found that 56 percent of second-home owners in Otter Tail, Becker, Aitkin, Cass, Crow Wing, Hubbard, Pope and Douglas counties -- an estimated 46,000 households -- have plans to eventually live there full time," reports Ingersoll of this collection of counties in the state of Minnesota.

The article goes into more detail about the consequences of these trends, including a strain on healthcare resources in these areas. Another consequence: home remodels that add more "impervious surfaces like rooftops, driveways and sidewalks, and leaves less natural vegetation to filter rain and keep runoff containing sediment and fertilizers out of the [area's lakes]."

Monday, September 7, 2015 in Grand Forks Herald

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

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

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.

July 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Blue and silver Amtrak train with vibrant green and yellow foliage in background.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail

The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

July 14, 2025 - Smart Cities Dive

Worker in yellow safety vest and hard hat looks up at servers in data center.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power

Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

July 18 - Inside Climate News

Former MARTA CEO Collie Greenwood standing in front of MARTA HQ with blurred MARTA sign visible in background.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns

MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

July 18 - WABE

Rendering of proposed protected bikeway in Santa Clara, California.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant

A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.

July 17 - San José Spotlight