Chattanooga named top destination for retirees

Brian Lazenby

Jun. 28, 2008 (McClatchy-Tribune Regional News delivered by Newstex) -- Pat Miller and her husband, Bill, frequently vacationed in Florida, and as she neared her retirement date from TVA they considered buying property and moving to the Sunshine State.

But that idea didn't last long.

"Why in the world would we want to live anywhere else," said Ms. Miller, 60, who also is a volunteer with AARP Tennessee. "We think this is a great place and wonder why no one else has discovered it."

The secret may be out.

MSN Money recently named Chattanooga as one of the top destinations for retirees looking to settle down but not ready for a sedentary lifestyle of retirement communities and shuffleboard.

J.Ed Marston, vice president of marketing and communication for the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce, said the city has much to offer retirees.

"Chattanooga offers a cosmopolitan city atmosphere, and it is just minutes from tremendous outdoor recreational opportunities," Mr. Marston said. "On top of that, it is a very affordable place to live."

MSN Money named Chattanooga along with Asheville, N.C.; Austin, Texas; and Massachusetts college towns as some of the top "nontraditional" retirement destinations.

AARP, a nonprofit organization for older Americans, recently named Chattanooga area attractions such as the Civil War battlefields at Point Park and Chickamauga as favorite places for retirees to visit.

Mr. Marston also pointed out that Chattanooga, unlike much of Florida, has four distinct seasons and is minutes from hiking, mountains, rivers and lakes.

Greg Vital, president of Independent Healthcare Properties, which operates multiple retirement communities in the area, said he is pleased to see Chattanooga get the attention it deserves.

He praised the city's beauty, low cost of living and forward thinking.

"I think it is evident that people who are thinking about retirement are realizing what we have been saying about Chattanooga all along," Mr. Vital said. "It is a great pace to live, work and retire."

Officials said many baby boomers, like Ms. Miller, are retiring earlier and still enjoying a healthy lifestyle.

Ms. Miller said the couple enjoy going downtown and walking along the riverfront.

"It suits us," Ms. Miller said about living in Chattanooga.

Mr. Marston said the face of retirement is changing.

"What we are seeing is not a group of people who are necessarily moving to a segregated retirement community with a gate," he said. "We are starting to see people who are making decisions at a younger age and choosing a variety of different options for the way they want to live moving forward."

Mr. Marston said Chattanooga's popularity with retirees began as a result of the Choose Chattanooga Initiative, which was launched to market the Scenic City to retirees.

"(Chattanooga) really creates a fantastic backdrop for people of all ages for both living and visiting," he said.

Newstex ID: KRTB-0202-26307268