Finding the Best Places to Retire Since 2006!
Flagler Beach, Florida
Primarily tucked along a narrow barrier island between St. Augustine and Daytona Beach on the northeastern Florida coast, sleepy Flagler Beach (population 5,300) started out as a fishing village. Today, it has a funky, mellow vibe and is often overlooked by tourists and vacationers as they head to Daytona and points farther south.
Once a Fishing Village, Sleepy Flagler Beach Sits on a Barrier Island and Today Has a Funky Vibe and Gorgeous White Oceanfront Beaches
The cost of living is 16% above the national average, and the median home price is $500,000, reflecting a 3% decrease since a year ago. The crime rate is below the national average. Residents lean to the right politically, and 63% of them are age 45 or better. Thirty five percent have at least a four year college degree. Flagler Beach has grown 13% during the last decade.
The Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) flows along most of the west side of town. On the east side, six miles of pretty oceanfront white sand beaches await. Toward the north, some houses have views of both the ICW and the sea.
Boating, fishing and all kinds of other water recreation are a way of life here. The actual beach itself is usually quiet, and parts of it welcome dogs and their humans.
From December through March, Right Whales migrate to Flagler Beach, and mother whales and their calves are seen playing as close as a quarter mile from the shoreline. From April to September, three species of sea turtles nest on the beach. This town is also a great spot for birdwatchers, with 200 bird species, including osprey and great blue heron, making their home here.
With mostly mom and pop restaurants and retailers, Flagler Beach exudes an Old Florida small town ambiance. Thanks to a moratorium, tall buildings are few, and most structures come in pastel blues, oranges and greens. Businesses that line scenic route but busy A1A, which runs along the east side of town, are just a few steps from the beach.
Not a lot goes on in Flagler Beach. Nightlife is minimal, although "happy hours" sometimes attract a boisterous surfing crowd. There are a few art galleries and a history museum. The Flagler Farmers' Market is open Saturday and Sunday year-round.
First Fridays bring residents together for band concerts, chili cook-offs, holiday festivals and other fun activities. The Flagler Auditorium, 10 miles away in Palm Coast, hosts a wide variety of professional performances, everything from an evening with Elvis to the State Ballet Theatre of Russia.
There is no fixed route, public transportation system, but Flagler County Public Transportation is, however, a pre-scheduled, demand-response van system that offers rides to non-emergency medical appointments, nutrition centers and "quality of life" venues (wheelchair assistance available). It operates Monday through Saturday.
The Flagler Beach Public Library sits next to a lovely park. Free wifi is available for laptop users, and there are a couple of public access computers with Internet access.
The popular George Wickline Senior Center is managed by Flagler County and provides hot congregate noon meals Monday through Friday. It also has a lending library, a computer center, a pool table, guest speakers and a variety of educational and recreational programs.
Florida Hospital Flagler is not actually in Flagler Beach but is just 10 miles away in Palm Coast. It has 99 beds and is accredited by the Joint Commission. Medicare patients are accepted.
Summers bring temperatures in the 80s and 90s, and winters primarily bring temperatures in the 50s and 60s. On average, the area receives 50 inches of rain each year. The tornado risk is 40% above the national average, and hurricanes and flooding are always a possibility. In fact, 2016's Hurricane Matthew wiped out parts of Highway A1A (although few homes or businesses were damaged). Hurricane Ian in 2022 damaged the pier and the dunes, but Hurricane Idalia did little damage in 2023.
Recommended as a Retirement Spot? Yes | Is Florida Tax-Friendly at Retirement? Yes
Flagler Beach has a lot going for it, from clean, quiet beaches to an easy lifestyle with Old Florida charm. It should be considered as a retirement spot.
Florida:
Sticking out into Hurricane Alley, Florida was a land no nation seemed to want. Ruled successively by Spain, France, England, and the Confederate States of America, the state had a backwater reputation. Other than St. Augustine and Pensacola, there were few cities. The area was rural and populated by frontier farmers.
In the late-1800s, changes came when railroads began chugging down both coasts. Industrialist Henry Flagler's Florida Easy Coast Railway even made it all the way to Key West. The Great Florida Land Boom, the build-up to World War II, and the space industry also helped turn Florida into one of the nation's most populous states. In 1900, there were about 500,000 residents. Today, there are more than 20 million, almost 351 people per square mile.
Why do people keep coming? Tourism marketing is one reason. Annually, millions visit Orlando's theme parks and the state's 663 miles of white sand beaches. Taxes generated by the billion dollar vacation industry allow Florida to prosper without a personal income tax. Budget-sensitive retirees have flocked to its cities and shorelines.
If you can ignore the hurricanes, the state's climate is relatively mild. Only five other states are sunnier. Florida's system of state universities and community colleges is sizable, and its big cities are meccas for culture and the arts. Sarasota is a good example. Its Ringling Museum Complex contains internationally known art museum, a circus museum, an historic theater, and a 66-acre garden. Museums near Orlando range from a Zora Neale Hurston gallery to a Madame Tussauds.
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