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4 great places to retire

Fortune Editors
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Fortune Editors
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Fortune Editors
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Fortune Editors
Fortune Editors
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June 1, 2011, 9:00 AM ET

For the baby boomers, there is no one-size-fits-all answer. Here are four distinct (and distinctly appealing) options for where this most individual of generations should spend the golden years.

By Jim Rendon, contributor





FORTUNE — The oldest baby boomers have begun turning 65 this year. While some have already retired and others will work for years to come, they stand to reshape retirement, just as they did every other stage of their lives. That’s especially true when it comes to where to live: While the previous generation might have been happy to put aside careers and seek out an endless summer in Florida or Arizona, no single approach to retirement is going to work for this diverse bunch. They have too much going on: They’re educated; many love to travel; they’re active, curious, and social. So this year as we went in search of the best places to retire, we identified four archetypes of next-generation retirees and found a place for each of them: a college town for the academically minded, a city for the urban-inclined, a mountain town for lovers of the outdoors, and an overseas destination for explorers. After all, if baby boomers hate one thing, it’s being boxed in. Now, even in their golden years, they don’t have to be.


4 GREAT PLACE TO RETIRE

[NEXT] For the lifetime learner: College towns

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