Texas becoming less attractive destination for retirees: study
HOUSTON - After years, maybe even decades of work, retirement seems like the best way for workers to kick back and enjoy the fruits of their labor. However, a recent survey suggests Texas might not be the best place for people to retire.
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Researchers at Metal-Res.com looked at retirement rankings across a five-year span that involved calculating the rise or fall numbers to find states showing improvements and declines in retirement destinations, as reflected in additional studies.
It found Texas to have a significant drop within five years, now ranking 7th in the 10 least attractive destinations for retirees. In fact, the report says Texas dropped 22 places, which researchers are quick to reassure the assessments are relative.
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However, some of the factors making Texas less considerable could be the climate and weather conditions. The intense, scorching hot summers in Houston certainly don't help the case either. Another, the study argues, could be the state's healthcare system, which has seen immense challenges in rural areas, but also patients have experienced limited availability of quality healthcare facilities, long wait-times and high costs which might affect retirees' ability to access medical care.
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Virginia, meanwhile had the most remarkable improvement as a retirement state over the half-decade period, jumping 38 places.
"Over the last five years, we've witnessed a substantial shift in the retirement landscape across the United States," Barry Landry of Metal-res.com said. "It's not merely about where retirees are heading now; it's about recognizing consistent improvement in factors that matter to retirees. This data gives us a deeper understanding of retirement trends and showcases how states are striving to better accommodate our aging population."
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To see the full report and how other states compared, click here.