Why Young Seniors Are Choosing to Retire in College Towns

Even if your days as a coed are now distant memories, there are plenty of reasons a college town could be the perfect place for you to settle into your retirement years. One compelling example is the access you’ll have to exceptional culture events and exhibits—without the exorbitant costs of big city living.

If you’re not quite ready to start composing a list of college towns to retire in, consider these reasons a college community could surprise you by delivering the retirement lifestyle you’ve always imagined and more.

Uplifting Energy

Students bring a special kind of energy to a community. Their exuberance and ambition, the fresh perspective they bring to the world, and their boundless zest for life all spill over from the formal confines of campus into the shops, restaurants, and fabric of a city. That excitement can be refreshing and even contagious if it inspires you to rediscover some of your own youthful enthusiasm.

Intergenerational Experiences

As a senior, you may not have a great deal of interaction with younger generations outside your own family. Making your home in a city where a large segment of the population falls into a completely different generation can be eye-opening. It’s a sure way to discover new perspectives and ideas that differ from your own.

Ample Entertainment

A college offers rich cultural experiences for its students, but many of those programs and resources are available to the public, as well. You’re not likely to find yourself lamenting a lack of things to do when you have access to college facilities like museums and libraries, as well as cultural activities, theatrical performances, sporting events, and more. College towns are also popular destinations for national touring artists like musicians and comedians, so you won’t have to travel far to enjoy seeing big-name acts if you choose a college town to retire in.

Lower Cost of Living

College students notoriously live on fixed budgets, and many of the communities where they attend school accommodate the student lifestyle with more affordable living and lifestyle options than most major cities. Like the students who benefit from a lower cost of living, as a retiree you may find choosing a college town to retire in is a smart financial move. Housing, gasoline, groceries, and entertainment are just some examples of expenses you may be able to curb.

Greater Accessibility

While it depends on the specific community, many college towns are designed to accommodate heavy pedestrian traffic. This is a great advantage for a senior who no longer drives. Choosing a college town to retire in could be just what you need to feel comfortable getting out and about to enjoy all that a community has to offer. College towns that are less accommodating to foot traffic tend to compensate with above-average public transportation systems, so if walking isn’t an option, you still have the means to explore.

Lifelong Learning

One of the greatest potential rewards of retiring in a college town is the access to lifelong learning opportunities, which play an important role in your health as you age. You could return to school to complete a degree you never quite got around to finishing or take classes for the pure joy of learning. Some colleges even allow seniors to take classes at no cost. Guest lectures and the opportunity to forge relationships with experts in a field that interests you are also advantages of living near a university or college campus.

Ready to Join the College Crowd?

Now that you know why a college town is a great place to retire, you may be wondering where to find the best college towns for retirees. We may be a little biased, but we think Princeton is one of the nation’s best college towns to retire in. Actually, we’re extra partial to Skillman, New Jersey, just a few miles away. That’s where you can find Stonebridge at Montgomery, an independent living community where residents delight in the close proximity to the Ivy League college and all of the heritage and energy it radiates. Because of our location next to the historical Princeton University, our residents have multiple opportunities for lifelong learning. Make plans to visit us and see how rewarding retirement can be when you live near a major university.