Why Bridgeport Isn’t A Top Pick For Retirees

When you scroll through those “best places to retire” lists, the highlights are always the same: affordable living, good hospitals, low taxes, and things to do when you finally have time to actually do them.

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But not every city makes the cut, and some actually get highlighted as places you may want to avoid.

According to a new report from FinanceBuzz Money/MSN, Bridgeport, Connecticut, ended up on that list. Sure, Bridgeport’s got one thing going for it — a solid health care system, and that’s a big deal if you’re thinking about retirement. But the upsides pretty much stop there, because at the end of the day… it’s still Bridgeport. Let’s be honest, the name alone doesn’t exactly scream “relaxing retirement haven.”

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And it’s not cheap either. For a city its size, the cost of living is sky-high, and when it comes to taxes, well, we all know how bad it is here in Connecticut. As for activities, let’s just say the city doesn’t offer much in the way of retiree-friendly fun — unless your hobbies happen to include late-night street takeovers at 75 years of age.

To be fair, Connecticut as a whole has a mixed reputation when it comes to retirement. A Bankrate study ranked the state in the middle of the pack nationally, giving it high marks for health care and safety but some of the lowest scores for affordability. Meanwhile, towns like Mystic, Old Saybrook, and West Hartford regularly land on “best in Connecticut” retirement lists thanks to their charm, culture, and slower pace of life.

So, while Bridgeport may not be the dream destination for your golden years, other Connecticut towns could be worth a second look.

My suggestions include but are not limited to:

• New Milford
• Kent
• Washington
• Litchfield
• D-Block (Danbury)

Those are all expensive by the way but that is a constant here in the Nut-house.