Finding the Best Places to Retire Since 2006!
Indian Harbour Beach, Florida
Casual Indian Harbour Beach Sits On a Barrier Island on Florida's Central East Coast and Has Waterfront Homes, Sea Turtles, Manatees and a Long Pinkish/White Oceanfront Beach
Like many of the towns on Florida's middle east coast, Indian Harbour Beach has strong ties to the space industry. It sits on a barrier island between the calm Indian River Lagoon and the Atlantic Ocean and was developed more than 50 years ago as a residential community for workers at the Kennedy Space Center.
A casual place popular with nesting sea turtles, Indian Harbour Beach is known for its long stretch of powdery white oceanfront sand mixed with pinkish seashell sand. Not much of a downtown exists, but shopping centers are located along busy Eau Gallie Boulevard (more shopping and services are in neighboring Melbourne). The exclusive Eau Gallie Yacht Club, sponsor of the International Moth Class Regatta, is based here. Gleason Park has an outdoor year-round heated pool and is the site of the Senior Leisure-Time Club. The town is the first "tsumami ready" metropolis in Florida, and its well-equipped, well-trained police department and volunteer fire department are a particular point of pride.
On the Atlantic side, both modest and elegant condominiums line the beach, while on the river side single family homes back to canals that manatees like to frequent. Sebastian Inlet State Park, 20 miles to the south, has swimming and scuba diving areas, as well as some of the best saltwater fishing in Florida. Snook, redfish, bluefish, and Spanish mackerel are in good supply.
Population: 9,000 (city proper)
Age 45 or Better: 52%
Cost of Living: 15% above the national average
Median Home Price: $495,000
Climate: Summer temperatures are in the 80s and 90s, and winter temperatures are in the 60s and 70s. On average, the area receives 52 inches of rain per year.
At Least One Hospital Accepts Medicare Patients? No, but Holmes Regional Medical Center, five miles away in Melbourne, accepts Medicare patients.
At Least One Accredited by Joint Commission? No, but Holmes Regional Medical Center, five miles away in Melbourne, is accredited (and is a Level II adult trauma center).
Public Transit: Yes, although it mainly travels along the main boulevard and Route 1A along the water.
Crime Rate: Below the national average
Public Library: No, but Melbourne has several branches.
Political Leanings: Conservative
College Educated: 45%
Is Florida Considered Tax Friendly for Retirement? Yes
Cons: Hurricanes can happen. In fact, Irma in 2017, Dorian in 2019 and Nicole in 2022 flooded some streets, uprooted trees and eroded the beach.
Notes: Indian Harbour Beach has grown 8% within the last decade. Home prices have increased 3% since a year ago.
Recommended as a Retirement Spot? Yes
Florida:
Named Pascua Florida by Juan Ponce De Leon, the Sunshine State did not enter the Union until March 3, 1845. Balmy mild winters began attracting snowbirds to the state in the late 19th century. Retirees continue to flock to the state. It's not hard to see why tourism has become the leading industry.
International trade and citrus are also major contributors to the state's economy. Eighty percent of the nation's oranges and grapefruits are grown here, and 40 percent of all U.S. exports to Latin America flow through Florida.
Florida's landscape includes uplands and coastal plains. It contains more than 11,000 miles of waterways and about 4,500 islands spread across 10 acres.
The state has 1,250 golf courses, more than any other state in the Union. The 47 mile Pinellas Trail is the longest urban trail on the east coast. Orlando theme parks attract more visitors than any other theme parks in the U.S. The only place in the world where alligators and crocodiles co-exist is in National Everglades Park.
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