BY STEVE DINNEN
In the last issue of dsmWealth, we wrote about retiring in Italy. But Iowa’s not such a bad place, either – Bankrate.com has ranked us as the nation’s second-best state in which to retire.
The personal finance information provider looked at five aspects of retirement living, giving them percentages of the total ranking:
· Affordability (40%). A new home in Des Moines costs around $200 a square foot. My daughter in Boulder, Colorado, is looking at $500 per square foot. For $975,000, you can pry yourself into a one-bedroom, one-bath condo in Manhattan, or spread out in a four-bedroom, 4,650-square-foot home South of Grand.
· Wellness (25%). This score looked at the percentage of people who needed to see a doctor, said Bankrate analyst Adrian Garcia. Other factors include access to quality physical and mental wellness facilities.
· Culture (15%). We have opera, symphony, theater, art shows, thoughtful inquiry coming from our many universities. I think even the State Fair and the butter cow have a place at this table.
· Weather (15%). Yes, there are milder climes around. But do you really favor a perpetual steam bath, like Miami, or rain, rain, rain in Seattle?
· Crime. It’s pretty safe around here.
Bankrate says he top state for retirement is – Nebraska! Missouri and South Dakota are right behind us.
