Geriatrics gaffe
Retirees hate Houston, ranking the city undesirable
- Houston's traffic and the picturesque ...
- Bayou aren't enough to lure retirees.
- Most senior citizens are lucky for a quieter place to spend their golden years.
- We may not have beach views and balmy clime...
- and heat enough to fry an egg (sunny-side up, of course).
- Like to gamble? Many retirees do and don't find that here.
Houston may be a big hit among ambitious 20-somethings, but when it comes to retirement, the city's not exactly a prime destination. In a recent report by Portfolio.com, the Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown metropolitan area ranked No. 753 among 940 cities in terms of popularity among Americans who clock in at 65 years of age or older.
Is it the pollution, car dependency or Washington Avenue ruckus that's keeping the curmudgeons elsewhere? According to the study, which was based on four statistical categories derived from U.S. Census Bureau data, retirees simply don't find many major urban centers appealing. Even in stereotypical retirement states Arizona and Florida, the old folks avoid cities like Phoenix, Miami and Tampa in favor of "micropolitan" areas.
These towns frequently cater to a retired clientele, which is why you probably haven't heard of the top three cities on the list: Pahrump, Nev.; Crossville, Tenn.; and Oak Harbor, Wash. Many of these micropolises feature themed retirement communities based around beautiful beaches or picturesque mountains — Houston has neither.
The study also burned the Dallas-Fort Worth area with a ranking of No. 741, and low-key Austin scored a sad No. 719. That's not to say Texas doesn't have its geriatric enclaves. Border pueblo Del Rio is No. 19. Hill Country sleepy towns Kerrville and Fredericksburg are popular places to await death, earning the No. 22 and 23 spots, respectively.