10 Greenest Places to Retire

Parks can make even the densest and driest locales seem like cities in gardens

By Katy Marquardt

Posted: April 25, 2008

Photo Gallery: Best Places to Retire: 10 Greenest Cities

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Earlier this year, Albuquerque, N.M., purchased 420 acres in its rugged Gutierrez canyon under its Open Space program, which aims to "acquire and protect the land's natural character and archaeological resources." Cities with high-traffic parks are also creating conservancies, which are public-private partnerships that help maintain and improve the parks' appearance and facilities.

San Diego is in the midst of a civic discussion about whether to create a nonprofit conservancy to help fund millions in repairs and improvements to its landmark Balboa Park. If you're looking for a green retirement destination, you'll find these 10 cities featured in a photo gallery slideshow and profiled in Best Places to Retire:

Data source: OnBoard LLC

Why so many HOT SOUTHERN cities on this list?

My husband and I are 50 and 51 and just begining to think about where we want to go when no longer tethered to my husband's job. One of the most important things we are looking for, (after easy access to excellant healthcare), is some place green and COOL. Both of us really dislike the heat and consider the highest comfortable temp to be 85 to 90 degrees. And while four distinct seasons would be visually wonderful, the prospect of risking a slip on icey sidewalks or a heart attack shoveling snow cuts out some as well. The only city whose climate sounded great was San Luis Obispo, but I don't know about fast access to quality medical care there and what the median home prices are like. I just wanted to ask why so many of the "best" are either in the South or in the Desert??? We are actually considering emmigrating to England!

- Sweltering in the California foothills

Golux of CA @ Jul 15, 2009 10:13:35 AM

Phoenix arizona has to one of the driest city in the US what green

We don’t get green parks and some grass with out a price, Phoenix, Arizona is a desert part of the Sonora desert I think the fifth largest in the world. We get Phoenix water for all the parks in phoenix from the Colorado River from underground aquifers. The parks you mentioned that were green the water came from Colorado River from underground aquifers if you don’t water those parks once a day or twice it will dry up and go back to the desert it was before the was there.

All of phoenix is depends on Colorado River and Rain for which we get very little of we have no large trees mostly Palo Verde which means (green stick) we can’t support the water for those trees. One the biggest challenges for Phoenix Arizona and its population for the next 10 years is water. The bigger the city the more water it needs from Colorado River and any rain. This is a desert.

dave of AZ @ Apr 23, 2009 14:19:54 PM

10 greenest places to retire

What they paint their asphalt green? If you want to retire green go to small town USA.

Livin Lean of MI @ Jul 01, 2008 16:11:34 PM

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