Is Erie, PA, a good place to move to for retirement?

Question

If a married couple, about to retire, wants to get away from big cities, and find a place that has reasonably nice weather and is economical, is Erie, PA, a good place?

The reasons for choosing Erie are that it's a medium sized city, not close to a big city, and that it doesn't get hot very much there in the summer. A lot of other cities the same size have summer daytime highs averaging 90F. Erie sometimes gets to 90F, but not as often, and doesn't stay that hot for very long.

Some people like snow, and dislike summer heat. A good winter low is 20F. If some nights go below zero, that would be tolerable, as long as it's only some nights, and not the whole winter.

Does Erie have a bad mosquito problem? Does it ever get flooded by Lake Erie? What other problems should people be aware of when deciding whether to move there?

Answer 1

Wow, never thought of Erie as a retirement spot.

The big problem for many is the weather. Erie gets something called Lake Effect Snow, which means the lake is a snow-making machine when the wind is blowing correctly. Erie can get blasted, just like Cleveland and Buffalo. The summers are nice, though, as the lake moderates the temperature.

I would think you'd be better off in some place like North Carolina, where snow isn't a problem most of the time. Yes, it gets hot at times, but it's not as bad as some places and you get 9 months of pretty good weather.

Can't say bugs and floods are a big problem along Lake Erie in most places. Pennsylvania health care should be fine, if that's an issue for you. Housing prices probably are pretty cheap, if that's a factor.

Answer 2

Erie is an exceptional place to live, especially for older folks. The climate is moderate in the summer with beautiful spring and falls. Winter will bring a few cold weeks and above average snowfall. The cities and counties are adept at keeping the roads easily drivable even in typical weather events. Erie has the advantages of a much larger city with good schools, several excellent hospitals, three universities, shopping, and dining; plus, all of that is topped by the proximity to our sportsman's paradise Lake Erie with Presque Isle Bay and State Park. If you travel, most destinations are readily accessible after an easy one hour flight to Detroit from Tom Ridge-Erie International Airport. There are parks, jogging and biking paths, many golf courses, skiing, hiking, fishing, boating, wine tours, a casino and horse track, race car tracks and amateur sports teams. There is plenty of reasonably priced housing and also numerous options for various types of senior care, too. Visit Erie, and you will be on your way to a happy and affordable future, regardless of your age.