TL;DR
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A Kiplinger writer who once researched retirement destinations says she and her husband currently plan to remain in Northern Virginia. She cites nearby healthcare, public transportation and local ties, while acknowledging higher living costs and that aging in place may not remain practical.
A former Kiplinger Personal Finance writer says she and her husband currently plan to stay in Northern Virginia in retirement, after weighing the appeal of other destinations against access to healthcare, public transportation and their community. Her account highlights the practical trade-offs behind a decision many retirees make: a 2024 Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies survey found that 62% of retirees stayed in the home they lived in before retiring.
The writer says her work profiling college towns, beach communities and overseas destinations prompted her to imagine where she might retire. Travel also led her and her husband to consider places they enjoyed visiting. After discussion, they decided that remaining near Washington, D.C., was likely the better fit for them—for now.
She points to living less than two miles from a major hospital center and having access to specialists across the metropolitan area. Public transit is another consideration: their home is less than two miles from a Metro station, with a bus stop a block away. She says those options could help them remain mobile if driving becomes difficult.
The choice has costs. The writer describes Northern Virginia as more expensive than many parts of the country and cites high property taxes. She says Virginia does not tax Social Security benefits, while most other retirement income is taxed at a top rate of 5.75%; eligible retirees can claim a deduction of up to $12,000, according to her account. She also says she is trying local activities and building relationships with neighbors while keeping open the possibility of moving later.
Healthcare and Transit Shape the Choice
The account shows why retirement location decisions are not only about housing prices, scenery or a change of pace. Healthcare proximity and transport options can affect whether a person can maintain independence as their needs change. Those considerations may weigh more heavily over time, particularly if someone can no longer drive or needs regular specialist care.
Staying also has trade-offs. The writer acknowledges that housing and taxes are costly in her area, so the decision is not a claim that aging in place is always cheaper or preferable. It is a personal calculation based on services and relationships available where she lives. Readers considering a move may need to compare the costs and practical access to care in each location rather than relying on broad claims about a destination.
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Most Surveyed Retirees Stayed Home
The writer cites a 2024 survey by the Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies, which found that 62% of retirees remained in their pre-retirement home. Among retirees who relocated, the survey reported that 36% wanted to be closer to family and friends, about one-third moved to a smaller home, and about one-quarter chose a community with a lower cost of living.
Those figures describe reported reasons in the survey; they do not establish that one retirement choice works best for everyone. The writer also mentions friends who moved nearer to adult children, relocated to the Midwest to reduce living costs, or downsized into a 55-plus community. Her own decision differs because she places particular weight on medical services, public transit and local connections.
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Whether Staying Will Remain Practical
The writer does not describe a final, lifelong decision. She says the neighborhood could change and that she and her husband may decide that aging in place is no longer practical. The source does not provide a detailed household budget, healthcare forecast or comparison of specific alternative destinations, so it is not possible to determine how the financial trade-offs would compare for other retirees.
The survey figures are presented as findings from the 2024 Transamerica study, but the supplied report does not give details about its sample size, methodology or field dates. Those details would be needed to assess how broadly the results apply. The writer’s account is a personal report, not evidence that staying put is the right choice for retirees generally.
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A Flexible Plan Close to Home
For now, the writer says she plans to remain in Northern Virginia while making fuller use of what is nearby, including parks, museums and adult education classes. She also plans to get to know more neighbors and maintain the local ties she hopes will matter as she and her husband grow older.
She gives no timetable for reconsidering a move. Whether they stay will depend on how their needs, the neighborhood and the costs develop. Her stated approach is to treat the decision as revisable rather than assume that today’s access to services will make staying feasible indefinitely.
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Key Questions
Why did the Kiplinger writer decide to stay in Northern Virginia?
She cites nearby hospital and specialist care, Metro and bus access, and ties to her neighborhood. She and her husband currently see staying as manageable, though not necessarily permanent.
How many retirees stayed in their pre-retirement home?
A 2024 Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies survey found that 62% of retirees stayed in the home they had lived in before retirement, according to the writer’s report.
What are the drawbacks of staying where she lives?
The writer says Northern Virginia has a higher cost of living than many areas and that property taxes are high. She also describes state taxes on most other retirement income, alongside a Social Security exemption and a deduction available to eligible retirees.
Does the writer rule out moving later?
No. She says she intends to stay flexible and could reconsider if the neighborhood changes or aging in place stops being practical. The source gives no date or specific trigger for a possible move.
Source: rss
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