Retirement Communities

The United States has more retirement communities per capita than other countries. The reasons for this situation include availability of undeveloped land for communities, Sun Belt areas that are attractive, the wide acceptance of physical mobility, and a standard of living for many people that enables mobility and in some cases permits a second home in a retirement community.

Other countries have adapted to the demographic trends of an increased life expectancy, and to pension plans that enable older persons to retire and have an adequate income. Canada has some retirement communities in British Columbia, a province that includes areas with a milder climate than most of Canada. There is also a large seasonal migration of Canadians to retirement communities in warmer climates in the United States. Australia has a thriving retirement community industry in which retirees move to small communities located on the outskirts of the large cities. Retired Europeans who live in northern countries are often seasonal migrants who live in enclaves of fellow countrymen during the winter: e.g., Germans come to Spain, British to Portugal and so forth.