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A retired Kiplinger Personal Finance writer says she and her husband are leaning toward staying in Northern Virginia rather than moving to a popular retirement destination. Their decision reflects practical trade-offs: nearby health care and public transit, but higher housing costs and a need to adapt if aging in place becomes difficult.
A retired Kiplinger Personal Finance writer says she and her husband are likely to stay in Northern Virginia in retirement, rather than move to a destination they had once considered. In a Seniors Guide report, she points to nearby health care and public transportation as practical advantages, while acknowledging that higher living costs and changing needs could eventually make the choice harder.
The writer, Sandra Block, said years spent researching retirement destinations—including college towns, beach communities and overseas locations—led her to think carefully about where she would want to live. After discussions with her husband, she said they expect to remain near their current home outside Washington, D.C. The decision is their personal plan, not a recommendation that every retiree stay put.
Block cited access to medical services as a major consideration. Their home is less than two miles from a major hospital center, and the wider Washington area has specialists. She contrasted that with her rural hometown, where she said some people drive more than an hour to see a cardiologist and finding a general practitioner can also be difficult.
Transportation is another factor. The couple lives near a Metro rail station and a bus stop, and Block said ride-sharing services could provide another option if they stop driving. She also described trade-offs: Northern Virginia has a higher cost of living than many parts of the country, and rising home values have contributed to high property taxes. Virginia does not tax Social Security benefits, she wrote, but other retirement income is generally subject to state income tax, with a deduction available to eligible retirees.
Health Care and Mobility Shape the Choice
The report highlights that a retirement move is not only a decision about scenery or lifestyle. Access to doctors, transit and everyday services can affect whether someone can remain independent if driving becomes difficult or health needs change. Those factors may be especially relevant to people comparing a familiar community with a lower-cost or more appealing destination.
Staying can also preserve ties to neighbors and local services, but it does not guarantee that a home will remain suitable. Block said she is trying to build relationships in her neighborhood and help older residents, including by shoveling snow. That local support may matter over time, though it cannot replace professional care or solve every transportation need.
The financial side remains part of the calculation. A high-cost area may offer more services, while property taxes and other expenses can put pressure on a retirement budget. Block described her current plan as manageable for now, while leaving open the possibility that the couple may reassess if circumstances change.
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How Retirees Choose Where to Live
A 2024 survey by the Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies, as reported by Seniors Guide, found that 62% of retirees were living in the home they had occupied before retiring. Among retirees who relocated, the cited reasons included wanting to be closer to family and friends (36%), downsizing to a smaller home (about one-third) and moving to a community with a lower cost of living (about one-quarter).
Those figures describe the survey respondents and should not be treated as a forecast for every retiree. The report does not provide details here on the survey’s sample size or methodology. Block also recounted examples among people she knows: one couple moved to be near adult children, others relocated to reduce costs, and one couple downsized into a 55-plus community.
Block’s account follows years of professional reporting on retirement destinations and her own consideration of places she visited. It does not identify a new government policy or a change to retirement benefits. The development is a personal report that offers a view of how one couple is weighing familiar surroundings against practical and financial concerns.
“For now, I think our plan is manageable, but I’m also aware of the need to be flexible.”
— Sandra Block
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Costs and Future Needs Could Change
Block has not said that she and her husband have made an irrevocable decision, or how long they expect to remain in Northern Virginia. She said the plan is manageable for now, but that the neighborhood could change or aging in place could become impractical. The report gives no specific budget, projected health-care costs or estimate of how long their savings would support their current housing expenses.
It is also unclear how the survey’s results vary by income, health, household composition or region. The report provides the headline percentages but not the survey’s sample size, field dates or full methodology. The reasons people move can overlap, and the reported categories should not be assumed to capture every retiree’s circumstances.
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A Plan That May Be Revisited
Block described no immediate move or other deadline. She said she plans to spend more time in nearby parks and museums, take adult education classes and get to know more neighbors. For the couple, those steps are part of making their current community work while they continue to monitor its suitability.
Whether they stay long term will depend on how their finances, health needs, transportation options and neighborhood change. The report does not announce a later decision or a specific review date. It leaves the couple’s plan open to reassessment if remaining at home becomes less practical.
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Key Questions
Why does Sandra Block plan to stay in Northern Virginia?
She cites nearby health care, specialists in the Washington area, and access to Metro rail and buses. She also values the familiarity of her community, while recognizing that costs are higher than in many other areas.
What did the 2024 survey report about retirees’ homes?
The Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies survey cited in the report found that 62% of retirees stayed in the home they occupied before retirement. The report does not include the survey’s sample size or full methodology.
Why do some retirees relocate?
The reasons listed in the report include moving closer to family and friends, downsizing and seeking a lower cost of living. The cited figures are survey results, not a complete account of every retiree’s reasons.
What could make staying at home difficult?
Block said higher living costs and property taxes are current drawbacks. She also said the couple may need to reconsider if their neighborhood changes or if aging in place becomes impractical.
Source: rss
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