Ask the Readers: Where Do You Want to Retire?

Editor's Note: Congratulations to Elle, Betty, and Suz_Glo for winning this week's contest!

Retirement planning is a big deal for most of us. We want to have enough money to support a comfortable retirement — who doesn't? How much money each person needs will depend on their expected standard of living, and a major component of that is where you plan to spend your golden years.

Where do you want retire? Is it somewhere close to home, or somewhere completely different from where you are now? Do you plan to settle down, or will you be traveling the world?

Tell us where you want to retire and we'll enter you in a drawing to win a $20 Amazon Gift Card!

Win 1 of 3 $20 Amazon Gift Cards

We're doing three giveaways — here's how you can win!

Mandatory Entry:

  • Post your answer in the comments below. One commenter will be randomly selected to win a $20 Amazon Gift Card!

For Extra Entries:

  • You can tweet about our giveaway for an extra entry. Also, our Facebook fans can get an extra entry too! Use our Rafflecopter widget for your chance to win one of the other two Amazon Gift Cards:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

If you're inspired to write a whole blog post OR you have a photo on flickr to share, please link to it in the comments or tweet it.

Giveaway Rules:

  • Contest ends Monday, September 15th at 11:59 p.m. Pacific. Winners will be announced after September 15th on the original post. Winners will also be contacted via email.
  • You can enter all three drawings — once by leaving a comment, once by liking our Facebook update, and once by tweeting.
  • This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered, or associated with Facebook.
  • You must be 18 and US resident to enter. Void where prohibited.

Good Luck!

Disclaimer: The links and mentions on this site may be affiliate links. But they do not affect the actual opinions and recommendations of the authors.

Wise Bread is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.


Guest's picture
Mary Happymommy

I'd like to retire with my husband somewhere near Myrtle Beach, SC.

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Ian P

Being that I live in Florida, I'd love to be able to retire to the opposite extreme in Vermont or up-state New York. That's typically a transition that's difficult to make due to the huge difference in cost of living but it's the goal.

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Kelly

I will retire to Texas. The best state! It helps that I already live here and so does everyone I know.

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jgray1205

My wife and I both would lvd to eventually sell everything we own and just travel the world with no time pressure or agenda.

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Elena

I want to retire in Europe. I would love to travel too.

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Melissa Tibbals

Costa Rica! It has no standing army and a large Quaker community. Perfect place for this peacenik.

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Sonja Johnson

Dallas. Low cost of living but large city.

Guest's picture

Not sure I believe in retirement per se. But I'm moving aboard a sailboat next year at 49 and will be heading toward the Caribbean. Is that retirement?

Not quite since I'll still be working. But it fits into my retirement dreams, such as they are.

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Tina in NJ

Nowhere near mountains! (I'm afraid of heights.) We want to somewhere along the east coast for family, but cheaper than NJ.

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Gina

Retire in Portland then travel the world.

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Melissa Rapp

We would love to expatriate and retire in New Zealand or West Australia.

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Louly

I actually would love to be anyplace warm :)

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Elle

I don't think I'd really move somewhere away to retire - I'd want to be close to family/friends but I'd love to get a second house in FL or somewhere near the beach where it's warmer in the winter.

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Adam

The Cote D'Azur. south of France

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Ernest S.

Ideally, I would love to retire in a quiet (i.e., non-touristy) area of Hawaii. Perhaps somewhere on the Big Island. I know the cost of living is high, but I feel like the quality of life would be so wonderful.

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Florida Mom

I would love to buy a mini RV and tour around the U.S.A. As for the new place to park the RV at when (if) I stop traveling, I quess that will be where ever I had discovered that now rocks my world.

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Betty

I plan to retire in south Jersey. Homes are much cheaper. I'll be close to the beach, and my daughter will be only about 1.5 hrs away. All God willing!

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Nicole

I would love to retire in Texas, so I can be closer to my sister and her kids.

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Jennifer Marie

I would like to retire in S. Carolina.

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Guest

I just want to be able to see water: ocean, river, lake--doesn't matter.

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Diana

We hope to retire to a small town (Ligonier, PA, somewhere with a beach in FL, or in a RV so we can travel to the kids). One that we can walk to stores and restaurants (on sidewalks) and still be near the future grandkids. Right now we have 10 years to visit all the possibilities and see where the kids end up.

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lostAnnfound

On the road. We plan to sell the home, hook up the camper, and hit the highways while we are still able. Travel the USA and see some different sights. Then when driving a lot becomes too much, travel and park long-term someplace warm in the winter (Arizona? Florida? Texas?) and someplace more north for the summer (probably back to the Northeast).

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Suz_Glo

I like the area we live in now -- between the mountains and the coast of NC. I hope we can downsize considerably, keeping our quality of life/home, and travel extensively and often.

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Christie

We have talked about retirement (still quite a few years away), and we have several criteria. Small town, active art community, within a 90 minute drive of a large airport, warmer weather (we live in Nortern Michigan, I'm tired of snow!), and great restaurants. Basically, I want to transplant our town -- which we love -- to a warmer climate!! Can I do that?

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Lemoncello

I'd like to retire in southern Italy.

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Joyce

Great question! We are about 3 yrs and 3 mos away from pulling the plug. We are looking for some place near good health care with a stable supply of unpolluted ground water. We want a hobby farm! The ideal is a place we can age out in. I have lived in 10 different states and countries in my life and think I want to stay put, but who knows...

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Karen L. @love2lovemykids

I'd like to retire near the ocean with grandkids nearby

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Nancy

Though I'm not quite retired, we have already moved from super high-priced San Francisco Bay Area to our retirement location--Elk Grove, CA. It's has the advantage of much lower property values. We were able to buy a 40% bigger house for 60% less. Other advantages: Away from hustle/bustle but not too isolated, just 20 minutes to Sacramento and 2 hours to SF. Close to recreation--mountains to the west, ocean to the east. An airport nearby for travel. Easy access to great healthcare. And best of all, we are just 1.5 miles from our grandchildren.

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Dawn Melesko

I'd love to retire in a warm place, either Hawaii or another island, and open a little shop on the beach to sell something fun and creative.

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SerenityNow

I actually never imagined myself relocating to retire! But if I did, maybe somewhere in Oregon. It's a stretch for me to move there now since it's so far from family, but maybe in my golden years...

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Rebecca B. A. R.

I want to be near my side of the family with my husband, so it will probably be right where I am in southern Ohio.

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Happy Love

I wan to retire close to family.

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MELISSA HANSSON

I would love to retire somewhere at the Oregon coast, but I don't think I (or anyone in my generation) am really going to be able to retire.

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Laura J

Oh I would love to retire in Venice Florida! My grandmother lived there for the winters when I was growing up. Spent time with her walking the Venice beaches looking for shells and sharks teeth. I LOVED it there and hope to retire there someday!

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Toni B

I would love to retire in Paris, France!

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Guest

I want to be somewhere near mountains so that there is plenty of hiking and outdoor activities to do, but also somewhere south-ish so that it isn't too cold or too hot. At the moment, I've found that Clemson, SC seems to fit the bill, but there could be more places I haven't thought of yet.

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anna pry

when i retire i'd want to stay right where i've been living already but travel some if i can afford it

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Guest

a nice comfy coffin as I'll be working 'til I die.

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momkeywest

I'd like a town with a good university in it so I could audit some classes just for fun.

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Christina

I like where we live now, but maybe add a lake house.

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Sue

We'd like to retire to Volcano, HI. Property on the Big Island is cheaper than most of the other islands and Volcano is at a high enough altitude that the climate is temperate.

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Diane

I'd like to retire near home, in Louisiana~ mainly because this is where my sons live. I would consider moving to a small town nearby, but not any further, unless my sons both agreed to move. I think it's important to be near family!

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Lynda

i want to retire either in asia or portland

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BRB

The Skagit Valley if you hid on the weekends during tulip season or maybe Whidbey Island.

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Marcus

We plan on retiring somewhere in the NC mountains! Hopefully sooner rather than later.

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An G

We would love to retire on the intercoastal of North Carolina. Nothing fancy of a house but a boat would be nice.

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Deb Orr

I'd like to retire in vernon British Columbia canada. They have beautiful lakes and gorgeous weather .

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Monique

I'd like to retire in Spain to be near my family and to enjoy the leisurely pace of life (and great food).

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Holly B

I would love to retire somewhere near Portland, OR.

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J. Pario

Croatia! (Or Portugal.)

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Liz

Somewhere warm, maybe Texas or Arizona!

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Matt

I already like it where I live!

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Bethany M.

Anywhere near family.

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JustVisiting

I'm drawn to southern Utah. The natural beauty is unparalleled. Haven't visited or researched it enough to narrow down a community.

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Liisa

I would love to be somewhere by the ocean, traveling the world when we aren't at home working part time!

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Tabathia B

Since my family is mostly from NC, then I would like to retire in my area since we have a great hospital and my youngest daughter will always need some form of medical care and both of my oldest daughters will probably be employed in the hospital here

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Alissa A

I want to retire around my current area - Minneapolis, MN.

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Trista

I'm quite a ways from retirement, but I'd like the flexibility of being able to retire wherever my children are.

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JOAnn

Colorado because of its beautiful views and being close to nature, but only if I can convince my grown kids to move there too, being with family and watching my future grandchildren grow up would be the best view no matter where I'm at.

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Carmen

Same state, but we want to "retire" to a small farm.

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Dana

Central Texas

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Amanda Sakovitz

I want to retire in another country. Somewhere warm, right on the beach.

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Thomas Murphy

I would love to retire to Tampa, FL