Since Jacksonville the city and its county merged together in the late 1960s, Jacksonville is now known as the largest city in land area in the United States as well as the 13th largest population wise.

Jacksonville is the largest city in Florida and has a lot of tourism related to golf so golf-loving retirees will find it a great new home. Jacksonville is also a major port so day cruises and longer cruises are available for quick vacations. Jacksonville also has many theaters and art venues so you can easily plan day trips. Jacksonville is close to St. Augustine, which is considered the oldest city in the United States.

Many consider Jacksonville Florida to be among the best retirement cities in the U.S. Here are some other reasons to choose living in Jacksonville.

Social Opportunities: studies have shown that a good group of friends is more important to a happy retirement than money or health. Jacksonville offers many opportunities with civic groups and hobby clubs to generate a solid core group of friends. These friends can help ward off the problems of aging like dementia and health issues.

Public Transportation: rural living isn't good for seniors who can't drive since they require someone's help to get around. The expenses of transportation add up quickly for fixed-income seniors so the public transportation of Jacksonville is quite beneficial. Even better is that most public transit systems have senior rates that are much cheaper than normal.

Access to Medical Services: it's pretty obvious that if you live near a hospital, you're more likely to survive a medical emergency. Despite how your mind feels, the body starts to break down and there's a good chance you'll need a hospital visit during your retirement years. Living in Jacksonville is great since there are more specialists and medical services available and at cheaper rates.

Access to Local Businesses: city living offers walking distance to most businesses that you'll ever use in your retirement years. Even if you need to travel, there are a lot more shopping centers and discount stores in urban areas.

Fitness: exercise is critical to keeping healthy during your retirement years. Cities have every type of fitness facility from standard fitness centers to niche fitness places like indoor rock climbing walls so there's something for everyone. Even if you want to exercise on your own, there's tons of parks or indoor malls to enjoy walking in.

Continuing Education: todays seniors know the importance of exercising their brains, as well as their bodies. Urban living provides access to a wide range of classes, through local universities, museums, city recreation departments, etc. Enrolling in these types of courses can help stave off the depression that some people feel once they stop working full time.

Food and Entertainment: retirement should be full of activities you never had a chance to enjoy while working. Dinners out to fancy restaurants or weekend getaways to a nearby city or historical site are all possible living in a city. Usually, cities have tons of entertainment venues like theaters and museums and there's always something going on.

Retirement Housing Options: In Jacksonville there are unique housing options which include condos, apartments for rent, hi-rises, retirement communities, lofts, co-ops, luxury condominiums, top end townhouses and other housing for over 55 boomers and seniors.

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Jacksonville FL Retirement Living - Best Retirement Cities