Best Places to Retire and Row

In 2008, I received an email from a man named Gary. His wife is an avid rower, and he was searching for the perfect place to retire with her. At the time I did not have any advice for him. I knew about rowing clubs in cities and towns all over the country, but were they good places to retire? I had no idea. Thus was born the idea for this survey: the Best Places to Retire and Row in the United States.

We looked at a number of factors besides Gary’s list of small, warm and walk-able. Our survey methodology parsed three primary categories: Economics and Area Statistics, Rowing Statistics, and Quality of Life statistics. Each of the three categories was weighted equally in the survey, with five indicators per category,

for a total of 15 indicators. The scores were normalized to a scale of 100. Over the past six months, we reached out to the rowing community to solicit nominations from boathouses and boathouse communities around the country. In all we received 15 nominations (not bad for the first year) and went about the task of analyzing, assigning a score, and ranking the results.

Of course, not everyone likes the same thing. Some value small-town character over big-city culture. Some rowers want miles of empty water; others like to have a pack of fellow scullers to race or plenty of teammates to row with. Some want year-round sun; others prefer seasons. Whatever your ideal, you’ll find something close to it in the 11 communities ranked below. We plan to make this an annual feature, so if your little slice of heaven didn’t turn up, please be sure to submit a nomination for next year’s survey.

Gary, if you are reading, I hope you and your wife find your “little dream town.”

— Karen Solem Derringer

1 - Sarasota, Florida

2 - Austin, Texas

3 - Cape Coral, Florida

4 - Raleigh, North Carolina

5 - Columbia, South Carolina

6 - DeLand, Florida (tie)

6 - Tempe, Arizona (tie)

7 - Klamath Falls, Oregon

8 - Natchitoches, Louisiana

9 - Lakeport, California

10 - Greenwood Lake, New York

Data and statistical analysis support provided by Erika Kuswa Higley M.B.A., M.P.P. Erika is a member of Potomac Boat Club in Washington, DC and performs statistical analysis and design in marketing and fundraising for a conservation organization.