|
Best Retirement Spots |
||||||||
Best Retirement Towns and Cities Interested in How to Earn Retirement Income?
|
Ft. Myers, Florida Fort Myers, on the Gulf Coast, is a retirement haven famous for its quartz, sand beaches. It, along with its barrier islands, Captiva and Sanibel, offers beauty, charm, and upscale living. Cape Coral is a lovely, nearby resort. Tall Royal Palms line streets of southwestern architecture, and both private and public golf courses, 25 in all, dot the area. The palms were introduced to the city by Thomas Edison who spent his winters here. His home is now a museum as is the home of another famous inventor, Henry Ford.
This area is a typical retiree’s dream with its warm weather, beautiful beaches, and abundance of golf courses. Fort Myers’ fame has spread, however, and in winter there are more snowbirds than natives. Streets are crowded and land prices have risen with the population. Still, with all those golf courses, Ft. Myers might just be your cup of tea. Statistics Population and Location: Located in southwestern Florida, 120 miles south of Tampa, Ft. Myers has a population of 406,326. Climate: The area is low and subtropical. It averages 113 days a year of higher than 90 degree temperatures and receives more than 50 inches of rain annually. Most of this falls between June and September. Its average humidity is 56%. Ft. Myers also suffers frequent thunderstorms, averaging 93 a year, and hurricanes have occurred. The temperature drops below freezing for only 3 days out of the year. Cost-of-Living: Fort Myers ranks 103 on the AACRA scale that designates 100 as the national average. A three-bedroom house costs an average of $131,000. Utilities run about $1,500. Rents average $600 per month. Florida has no state income tax. State sales tax is %6, and property taxes are low, averaging $1,069 on a $130,000 house. There is no estate tax up to $600,000.Health Care: Four major medical facilities serve the area, three with special programs for seniors. Lee Memorial Hospital offers the Older Adult Share Club which has wellness programs and social activities. Southwest Florida Regional Medical Center has the only kidney transplant program in southwest Florida along with a heart institute and chest pain unit. Columbia Gulf Coast Hospital offers deep discounts to seniors; and, Cape Coral Hospital has all private rooms and free transportation. Safety: The crime rate is relatively low with an average of 70 crimes per 1,000, mostly burglary. Some of these, in certain areas, are attributed to drug abuse, but, overall, Ft. Myers is quite safe. Education: Edison Community College offers a variety of classes at $3-$5 an hour. It also hosts an Elderhostel program with a commuter option. The Lee County School District offers adult courses for $10 to $35 a class. Transportation: Lee County Transit offers half-price fares to seniors with Medicare cards. Monthly passes are $18. I-75, US 41, and highway 80 are the major roads in and out of the area. Southwest Florida Regional Airport is served by 11 airlines and 397 scheduled flights per week. Senior Services: The City of Fort Myers Senior Center and the Dr. Ella Piper Center provide services to all seniors. Lake Kennedy Senior Center in Cape Coral also offers day and overnight trips, as well as an Elder Helpline. Contact: Greater Ft.
Myers Chamber of Commerce, 2310 Edwards Drive and
A-11, 6900 Daniels Parkway,
|
