Weighing country vs. city living in retirement
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But even if housing in San Francisco costs more than in Cary, Entine believes the convenience and variety of a big city is ultimately worth what you pay for it.

The allure of the country
Big cities don't faze Clark Pettit. From the time he was a child, Pettit lived all over the world, from Paris to Hong Kong, London to Los Angeles. When he decided to put down roots, he didn't turn to New York or Rome. Instead, he headed for the outskirts of Prescott, Ariz.

Pettit, a media consultant who travels frequently in his job, is only 42 and not yet ready to give up his frequent flier account. But living where he does -- on a 10-acre horse-friendly tract -- hasn't dampened his appetite for a rural lifestyle. In fact, he's right where he plans to stay even after he stops dashing through airports.

"We wanted land sufficient for horses; we wanted quiet," Pettit says.

Originally, Pettit and his wife bought land in Mexico with the intention of retiring there, but changed their minds and investigated western areas, such as California and Montana, eventually opting for Arizona. Although Prescott, located at the convergence of three cities (Prescott, Prescott Valley and Chino Valley, all in Yavapai County), is booming with retirement opportunities, Pettit and his family live in an area developed by LV Ranch Estates about 25 minutes from the nearest grocery store, 30 minutes from the nearest major medical center and 35 minutes to the center of Prescott (which is about 75 miles from Phoenix).

"We do have a small town near us called Skull Valley that has a general store, but it's not a lot closer to us -- maybe 20 minutes," he says.

But while driving to the store to pick up a half-gallon of milk might be inconvenient when you settle in the boonies, Pettit points out that in many ways, living in the Los Angeles area isn't particularly more convenient.

"It takes two hours to get to the airport from almost any of the outskirts of L.A., plus substantially longer if the traffic gets in the way," Pettit says. "Even a medium-sized city, which I consider Phoenix to be, isn't going to give us that quality-of-life balance." Plus, he says, the rural lifestyle helps him keep stay fit and healthy.

A 'European experience'
Kyle Ezell, an urban planner and principal of Get Urban America, as well as author of "Retire Downtown," believes seniors thrive in urban settings. In fact, Ezell says all the hustle and bustle that make some people want to flee the city might be exactly what keeps them young as they age.

"In some ways they're like fountains of youth," Ezell says.

In addition, Ezell says most retired city-dwellers can easily reduce a two-car household to one car -- or no cars at all, which frees up the cost of payments, repairs, insurance and gasoline. And, as San Francisco's Entine points out, although mass transit isn't free, there are often deals available to older residents.

Ezell says living in a metropolitan environment isn't for everyone. Some think of cities as "cold" experiences, but he says many now offer reasons for seniors to head downtown.

"The people who decide to move to their downtowns, whether it be the one closest to them or if they want to experience a life adventure and move to Manhattan, Chicago, San Francisco or some other place near their grandkids, they know what they want, and they know that city living is such an unusual choice for Americans in general that they are expecting a more European experience," he says.

But Ezell doesn't believe "downtown" or "city" refers only to huge metro areas. Smaller ones qualify, too. Whether it's New York City or Prescott, metropolitan areas are gearing up to make older Americans feel welcome. In addition to revamping downtown, making signage easier to read and adding senior discounts to city services, colleges and universities are offering programs that help keep older adults "lifelong learners."

Ezell, who says his mother lives in a smaller town, doesn't like retirement communities. He believes it's healthier for older Americans to integrate with people of all ages -- and he says cities offer more variety as well as good value for the money.