Should You Retire in Michigan? Here Are Some of the Many Reasons to Say Yes!
When you think about the usual retirement destinations, the Great Lakes State may not immediately come to mind. For generations, it’s been Florida, Arizona and other states in the Sun Belt region that have been popular among seniors who relocate after retiring.
But factors such as changing weather — including extreme summer temperatures and catastrophic storms — are causing some to reconsider where they envision their retirement.
If you’ve been contemplating where to retire, maybe you’ve wondered, “Is Michigan a good state to retire in?”
According to various analyses, the answer to that question is a resounding “Yes!” In recent years, Michigan has ranked near the very top of multiple lists of the best places in the U.S. to retire.
This may be no surprise to those already living in Michigan, but if you haven’t been to our scenic state, you may be curious about what Michigan can offer to older adults.
Affordability and Access to Health Care
Relative to other states, Michigan’s affordable cost of living and low taxes landed it in the top spot on Bankrate’s most affordable states for retirement in 2022. (The state ranked third among best states for retirement overall.) Southwestern Michigan, which is where you’ll find Kalamazoo, boasts an especially attractive cost of living.
Michigan has a flat individual income tax rate, which means all taxpayers pay the same rate, regardless of their income level. For 2024, the rate is 4.25%.
Bank Locations, a banking and credit site, used 18 metrics within three categories — cost of retirement living, quality of life and access to health care — to rank the best states for retirement in 2023. Michigan placed second on the list, after Texas, with a score of 73.43 out of 100. Michigan ranked ninth in both affordability and access to health care, according to MLive.com.
Speaking of health care, Michigan placed 11th among the 50 states in U.S. News and World Report’s rankings for health care quality and sixth for Medicare quality in 2023. The Medicare quality component measured the percentage of the state’s Medicare Advantage enrollees whose plans had at least a 4-star rating from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
Natural Splendor for Outdoor Recreation
Bordering four of the five Great Lakes, Michigan has the longest freshwater coastline of any state, at 3,288 miles.
The state also has more than 11,000 inland lakes, as well as more than 82 public harbors and over 1,000 public boat launches, so if you’re into boating, fishing and other recreational activities on the water, you’ll feel like you’ve hit the jackpot in Michigan. According to MLive, in Michigan, you’re never more than 6 miles from a body of water.
If you prefer to stay on land, you’ll find more than 4,000 miles of hiking trails and nearly 2,100 miles of biking trails among the 13,400 miles of state-designated trails overall. Other trails are designated for horseback riding, cross-country skiing and snowmobiling — and, yes, there are water trails as well.
Distinctive Seasons
People who move to places like Florida sometimes find they miss the changing of the seasons, but you can enjoy all four seasons in Michigan.
Summers are moderate, with average temperatures in July ranging from the mid-70s to the mid-80s, depending on what part of the state you’re in. That’s ideal for strolling around the local farmers market, taking in the sights at a neighborhood festival or enjoying live music at one of the state’s many outdoor venues.
Springtime and autumn bring their own vibrant beauty to Michigan, presenting the perfect opportunity for a scenic afternoon drive. And when snow turns the landscape into a winter wonderland, as a retiree, you can choose to get out and go, or stay in and stay warm!
Best Places to Retire in Michigan
U.S. News and World Report named six cities in Michigan among its 2024 Best Places to Retire in the U.S. The company rated the nation’s 150 largest metropolitan areas on criteria such as the happiness of local residents, housing affordability, tax rates and health care quality. Ann Arbor, Grand Rapids, Lansing, Detroit, Kalamazoo and Flint were all in the top 100.
Detroit is by far the largest city among the six, with a population of more than 600,000. Grand Rapids has just under 200,000 residents, while Ann Arbor and Lansing, the capital, both have more than 100,000 residents. Flint and Kalamazoo both have approximately 75,000 residents.
Could Kalamazoo Be Right for You?
With its small-town feel and urban amenities, Kalamazoo ranked 66th on U.S. News’ list of best places in the U.S. to retire and fourth on the company’s list of Best Places to Live in Michigan in 2023-2024. Calling the city “fun and quirky,” U.S. News made note of Kalamazoo’s cultural scene (specifically, its theaters, museums and live music), as well as its variety of community events for people of all ages. Affordability factored heavily into the ranking, too.
Kalamazoo scored well on the quality-of-life index, according to MLive, which included factors such as crime rate and education. The city is home to Western Michigan University and several colleges; the 274-acre Asylum Lake Preserve and the Kalamazoo Nature Center; fantastic museums such as the Kalamazoo Valley Museum and the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts; and more than a dozen fabulous craft breweries.
If all of that isn’t enough to make you sit up and take notice, in 2021, PureWow named Kalamazoo the country’s No. 1 coolest city with the lowest cost of living!
Easy-Peasy Trips to Chi-Town and the Motor City
Even with all there is to do in and around Kalamazoo, you might enjoy a change of scenery once in a while. On those occasions, you’ll be happy to know that countless other opportunities are just a short trip away.
The Kalamazoo-Battle Creek International Airport is just four miles from downtown Kalamazoo, where you can get a direct flight and be in Chicago or Detroit in about an hour. You could also take the train from the downtown Amtrak® station and begin your adventure in either city in less than four hours.
Your Home in the Heart of Kalamazoo
As a Life Plan community, Heritage Community of Kalamazoo offers the full continuum of care — from independent living and assisted living to memory care and skilled nursing care. What’s more, we’re the area’s only locally owned and operated, not-for-profit senior living community.
What can you expect life to be like in our community? Well, between our activities calendar that’s overflowing with life enrichment opportunities and the array of amenities you’ll find just beyond your door — like The Seasons Salon & Spa — you may never want to venture off campus. Yet our proximity to downtown Kalamazoo (we’re just a mile and half away) makes it oh-so easy to venture out and see what else is going on.
If you’re still wondering, “Is Michigan a good place to retire?” we invite you to come have a look at our community. We think once you do, you’ll find the answer is an emphatic “Yes!”
To learn more about our community, you can reach us at (269) 364-6560. Better yet, contact us and we’ll arrange a time for you to visit.
Featured Image: Sean Pavone / Shutterstock
