 |
Home |
Get Informed |
 |
Financial
|
|
Get Involved
|
|
Healthy Body
|
|
Home Life
|
Where to Retire: Boulder, Colorado |
|
What You Need To Know Before Buying Property Overseas |
|
Where to Retire: Charlottesville, Virginia |
|
Before You Retire Abroad |
|
The Snowbird Life for Me |
|
Live Like an Organized Person |
|
Rating Retirement Places |
|
Retirement Living |
|
Where to Retire: Asheville, North Carolina |
|
Where to Retire: Chapel Hill, North Carolina |
|
Where to Retire: Bellingham, Washington |
|
Where to Retire: Austin, Texas |
|
Where to Retire: Burlington, Vermont |
|
Where to Retire: Brevard, North Carolina |
|
Where to Retire: Bloomington, Indiana |
|
Secret Life of a Snowbird |
|
Is an Active Adult Community for You? |
|
Times are tough: How Can I Retire Now? |
|
Sperling's Best Places |
|
Changing Lights at Home |
|
Is Hawaii Truly the Ultimate Dream Retirement Location? |
|
Where to Retire: Chico, California |
|
Where to Retire: Colorado Springs, Colorado |
|
Preparing for a Green Holiday Season |
|
Where to Retire: Eugene, Oregon |
|
Do Not Toss My Memories in the Trash |
|
Where to Retire: Fayetteville, Arkansas |
|
Where to Retire: Fort Collins, Colorado |
|
Where to Retire: Ithaca, New York |
|
Create Your Personal List of The Best Retirement States |
|
Unstuffing Freezers and Pantries |
|
Where to Retire: Hendersonville, North Carolina |
|
Humorous Perspective on Notorious Real Estate Ad |
|
Digital Survival from Electronic Crimes |
|
To Have a Residence in Florida, That is the Question |
|
Active Seniors Guide to Adult Retirement Communities in Arizona |
|
Where to Retire: Hot Springs, Arkansas |
|
Where to Retire: Lexington, Virginia |
|
Digital Survival from Electronic Crimes |
|
Where to Retire: Madison, Wisconsin |
|
Where to Retire: Medford Ashland, Oregon |
|
Where to Retire: Olympia, Washington |
|
Where to Retire: Oxford, Mississippi |
|
|
Learning
|
|
Leisure
|
|
Life Planning
|
|
New Aging
|
|
Newsletters
|
|
Relationships
|
|
Spiritual
|
|
Start a Business
|
|
Travel
|
|
Work
|
|
|
The RLM Experts |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
Where to Retire: Madison, Wisconsin
|
| |
| |
Ed. Note: Where to Retire shares desired destinations for those wishing to relocate after retirement. Provided by author Warren R. Bland, these summaries offer a quick overview of the most desired retirement communities.
By Warren Bland
Little more than a place on a map when it was selected as territorial capital in 1838, Madison struggled along as a remote frontier village until Wisconsin attained statehood and established the University of Wisconsin in 1848. Today, Madison is a lively and progressive town offering outstanding cultural and recreational amenities in an unspoiled environment.
Landscape: Centered on a natural isthmus between Lake Mendota and Lake Monona, Madison’s site is magnificent. The land is gently rolling and well wooded, and the lakes offer a scenic backdrop.
Climate: Winters are long and cold; summers are relatively short but delightfully warm and sunny. Average annual snowfall approaches 40 inches. Rapid changes in weather occur in all seasons.
Quality of Life: Excellent. The city is well planned and progressive. Downtown’s tree-lined State Street Mall is a gem. An abundance of city parks and miles of bikeways add to the city’s peaceful ambiance.
Housing: Housing costs are about 10% above the national average. Madison offers a good variety of resale housing at moderate prices.
Goods and Services: Health care, utilities and miscellaneous goods and services are priced slightly below their national averages whereas groceries and transportation are slightly above.
Taxes: State and local taxes are about 11.7% of income compared to the U.S. average of 9.7%. Property and income taxes are above national norms whereas sales and excise taxes are lower than average.
Transportation: Residents drive or bicycle. Madison Metro Transit provides local bus service; Metro Plus offers dial-a-ride service. Dane County Airport provides jet service; Badger Coaches, Greyhound and Val Galder Bus Company provide bus service; and Amtrak service is available from Columbus.
Retail Services: Downtown’s State Street Mall, a revitalized, pedestrian-friendly shopping street, is a favorite. Shop also at Madison’s twin malls—East Towne Mall and West Towne Mall—and Wal-Mart and Target discount stores.
Health Care: Excellent health care is provided by the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics, Meriter Capital Hospital, St. Mary’s Hospital Medical Center and William S. Middleton Memorial Hospital.
Community Services: Excellent public services and a wide variety of activities are provided by the Madison Senior Center and the Northside and Westside Senior Centers.
Cultural and Educational Activities: The University of Wisconsin, Edgewood College and Madison Area Technical College provide many educational choices. The performing and visual arts are flourishing in Madison thanks to numerous venues.
Recreational Activities: More than 21,000 acres of lakes, 150 parks and miles of bike trails provide numerous water and dry-land activities. The University of Wisconsin competes in a variety of varsity sports. Madison boasts a massive farmers’ market and a good selection of movie theaters and restaurants.
Work and Volunteer Activities: Some jobs exist. Plenty of volunteer opportunities are available.
Crime Rates and Public Safety: Madison is one of the safest cities of its size.
Conclusion: Greater Madison has several times been rated among the best places to live in America. Madison’s strongest assets are its gorgeous physical landscape, excellent quality of life and superb health care and community services. Madison also offers very good transportation and a plethora of cultural and recreational choices. Answering the question, where to retire, Madison provides many features making it an ideal place to retire in style.
Ratings courtesy of “Retire in Style, 60 Outstanding Places Across the USA and Canada” by Warren R. Bland, PhD (www.nextdecade.com)
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
