New Jersey has been known for being a place where retirees flee.

High property taxes, steep cost of living, potential harsh winters all factor in making New Jersey a place where retirees would like to leave behind.

Not so fast! Let us look at this further, This Old House Reviews Team did a survey of the top 400 suburbs throughout the country that ranked high overall for retirees.

Overall, not one New Jersey suburb, ranked in the top 10, or the top 50 or top 100, or top 200.

A downtown street in Union City
A downtown street in Union City (Google Maps/Townsquare Media illustration)
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So, what is my point? Union City ranked number one in the country in retiree amenities. What factored into that ranking was the location on the Hudson River, the abundant number of community and activity centers serving the retirement community.

Amenities are bigger than most notable factors that went into the overall ranking. Factors in the overall ranking included percentage of people 65+, percentage of people aged 65+ living below poverty line, percentage of income spent on insurance and property tax, life expectancy and number of residents per one physician.

Troy Towers, with a view of the Hudson River from Union City.
Troy Towers, with a view of the Hudson River from Union City. (Google Maps)
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My belief is that if you can survive the insurance and property tax, you will need adequate amenities to serve the retirement community. Union City ranked 340th in the overall survey.

Sicklerville, New Jersey, ranked 297th in the study, Sicklerville was hovering around the median including a 76.2-year-old average life span and 996 residents for every one physician.

So, if you’re a retiree and thinking of heading out of New Jersey, consider Union City, you’ll still be in the Garden State and enjoy the many amenities.

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The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 weekend host Big Joe Henry. Any opinions expressed are Big Joe’s own.

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