With some 10,000 baby boomers reaching retirement age every day over the next 20 years, more potential retiree havens are rolling out the red carpet in an effort to attract them. Favored hotspot Florida may be groaning under the strain of development and comparatively high real estate prices while facing stepped-up competition from other retiree-friendly states, but for many on the verge of retiring, the Sunshine State is still the destination of choice.
Communities through the state know, all too well, that retirees come with a nest egg and often the proceeds from the sale of their homes in search of year-round sun, sand and surf and a social- and leisure-heavy lifestyle.
Hugging the Gulf Coast near Tampa is Clearwater, a city of just over 100,000 and a perennially popular choice. With a beautiful, vibrant downtown district overlooking an aquamarine harbor, clean powdery white-sand beaches and a large stock of affordable properties, Clearwater draws a steady stream of budget-conscious retirees and second-home owners.