St. George is among the top 20 places in the United States to retire, according to Money magazine's annual Money Guide published Monday.
St. George was ranked 16th by Money's editors and a group of experts assembled by the magazine to assess those towns across the United States that best met a list of criteria that included:- Low crime rate.
- Mild climate.
- Affordable housing.
- Attractive environment.
- Proximity to culture.
- Educational opportunities.
- Strong economic outlook.
- Excellent health care.
Special features of the St. George area that were cited by Money included hiking, climbing and picnicking in Snow Canyon State Park, Zion National Park and Joshua Tree Forest; concerts; ballet; and opera.
St. George also received heavy consideration for its 293 sunny days per year, bested only by Sequim, Wash., with 303 days, and Prescott, Ariz., and Durango, Colo., each with 300 days in which the sun shines.
In addition to its many sunny days, Prescott's high scores for affordable housing and cultural offerings gave it Money's first-place ranking as the best place in America to retire.
The magazine said that despite a cost of living 6 percent higher than the national average, Prescott, a mile-high mountain town 90 miles from Phoenix, was rated No. 1 largely because of its mild climate and relaxed lifestyle.
The nation's top 20 cities according to Money, ranked in order, were Prescott; Fairhope, Ala.; Mount Dora, Fla.; Las Vegas; Chapel Hill, N.C.; Naples, Fla.; Sedona, Ariz.; Palm Springs, Calif.; Aiken, S.C.; Fayetteville, Ark.; Kerrville, Texas; Brevard. N.C.; Durango; Asheville, N.C.; Myrtle Beach, S.C.; St. George; Hendersonville, N.C.; Sequim, Wash.; Charleston, S.C.; and Clayton, Ga.
Money said the top 20 all had one thing in common, an abundance of available activities. This is important, it said, because "today's retirees (are as) energetic as when they had full-time jobs."
More people now leave the work force at a younger age - the median retirement age is now 62.6 years, down from 67 in the early 1950s - and stay healthy longer. This has changed their ideas of retirement.
"Retirement used to be viewed as an extended vacation," said the Money panel. "These days it's seen as an opportunity to pursue neglected hobbies, take a part-time job or become involved in community activities."
Each year, says Money, some 500,000 Americans age 60 or older move to new towns to live - the first time in their lives they have been able to choose a home-town rather than have their residence dictated by their jobs.
In top-ranked Prescott, two-bedroom homes or condominiums cost an average of $115,000. The town has four museums, three performing arts facilities and extensive outdoor recreation opportunities, Money said.
Of the town's 28,000 residents, 22.5 percent are over 65 years old, the magazine said.
Money said St. George has a population of 38,000 of which 15 percent to 25 percent is over age 65. The cost of living in St. George was said to be right on the national average.
The average monthly rent in St. George was put at $750. The average cost of a condominium was said to be $85,000 and the average property tax $550.