St. Petersburg, Florida, once had the reputation of being a retirement haven - now the average age is 39.3 and it's hard to find a green bench in the city. The distorted clock seems an appropriate age for this shift in demographics.
The New York Times analyzed data from the Censur Bureau and determined that people are still moving to Florida in their 60s, but older people are reversing this move. For people 75 and older, more are leaving Florida than coming. The same is true for people over 85 - more are leaving than coming.
Much of this is due to aging and family location. Many are widowed. Some are failing in health, and no longer able to live independently. Rather than be alone here in an assisted living facility or nursing home, families are calling them home up north, where they can be closer.
We also have some younger retirees in their 50s and 60s that we call half-backs. They move half way back, so that they can be within a day's drive of their children. For those who move half or all the way back, it's often because of their (or her) grandchildren - they want to be close enough to watch them grow up. Retirees in their 20s and 30s seem to find plenty to do here (yes, some of the dot com retirees are in their 20s).
The green benches are gone, and when you walk the downtown St. Pete streets you see a great mixture of ages. Toddlers and retirees alike enjoy gelatos and ice cream, sitting at the outdoor cafes along the parks and waterfront, the arts, the entertainment, the sports. It's amazing how many choices there are of what to do and where to eat.
p.s. St. Petersburg, Florida, is known as The Sunshine City, because historically it has averaged 360 days of sunshine a year. The Evening Independent gave away newspapers any day that the sun did not shine.
Stephen - St. Augustine is a charming town.
Nick - you're right - hurricanes and tropical storms are about all the big surf we have.
Maureen - come on down, there's enough sunshine for all of us.
Tony - I don't know. I'm not aware of many people going to Arizona. Lack of humidity may also be a reason. We really don't have many people fleeing hurricanes. What kind of disasters do you have there? Tornadoes?
Sharon ~ I love the pic of the bench, do you know who the artist is? 360 days of sunshine is good. Denver claims only 300. Of course this year that stat got mixed up. Instead we got 300 inches of snow, but it is SUNNY out! :)
kk
Sharon...My family had groves near St. Pete. I grew up in those groves. WAY back then, most people who lived in St. Pete had white hair. It made me smile when I read your remark..."when you walk the downtown St. Pete streets you see a great mixture of ages. Toddlers and retirees ''...Feels like a a new energy has arrived on the scene.
I read about the snowbirds becoming 'half-backs" (they are flocking to Asheville, N.C. but when they learn what life is like on the edge of a rain forest, they may be coming home to St. Pete to "roost"...
Sharon,
Could it be retirees are moving because their fixed incomes no longer cover the ridiculously high property taxes and insurance? I'm trying to keep a home there for my disabled brother to live in but taxes and insurance just doubled. Not sure we're going to be able to hold onto it for him. Frustrating.