Website: Aiken is among best towns for boomers again
Aiken has been named one of the best towns for baby boomers to retire by the website Best Boomer Towns, bestboomertowns.com.
Among the features listed in the article is Aiken’s proximity to Charleston, Atlanta and Columbia, as well as being only 17 miles from the Augusta National, where the Masters golf tournament is held each year. The area was also recognized for its reasonably mild temperatures, equestrian background, historic downtown and variety of golf communities such as Houndslake and Woodside.
David Jameson, president and CEO of the Greater Aiken Chamber of Commerce, said this is the second year Aiken has been named a prime retirement area for baby boomers by Best Boomer Towns.
“I’m very pleased,” he said. “Superlatives, you always love. As a boomer myself, I agree with them 100 percent.”
According to Jameson, receiving such designations are often beneficial to the area when people are considering where to relocate or visit.
Over the past couple of years, Aiken has been recognized by several outside organizations as a great place to live. Aiken was named a Preserve America Community by the Preserve America Foundation in 2008 and one of 12 Distinctive Destinations in the County by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Aiken has also ranked No. 7 in the top 40 most preferred towns in the state by the website Carolina Living, carolinaliving.com.
Aiken was the only city in the state named in the list. Other “Best Boomer Towns,” recognized by Best Boomer Towns include Athens, Ga., Asheville, N.C., Ashland, Ore., Austin, Texas, Bend, Ore., Camarillo, Calif., Chapel Hill, N.C., Charlottesville, Va., Columbia, Mo., Danville, Ky., Fort Collins, Colo., Las Cruces, N.M., Maryville, Tenn., Paso Robles, Calif., Pinehurst, N.C., Prescott, Ariz., Reno, Nev., St. George, Utah, Tucson, Ariz., and The Villages, Fla.
According to its description, the website focuses on towns that deliver key standards that people born between 1946 and 1964 expect when considering where to relocate and retire. Key criteria for each town recognized includes: university presence, airport access, social opportunities, quality hospitals, mild climates, variety of housing costs and cultural activities.
For more information, visit bestboomertowns.com.