…

Click to follow link...

Like +1QuoteFlag

Let's face it, it's more crowded everywhere. Okay, maybe not Detroit.

2024 U.S. population - 342 million

1974 U.S. population - 214 million

1954 U.S. population - 158 million

Like +1QuoteFlag

I have no desire to go to Charlotte for any reason.

Like +2QuoteFlag

I have no desire to go to Charlotte for any reason.

Likewise. Asheville either.

Like +4QuoteFlag

Surprised we’re happy staying in PA after retiring young. No retirement taxes. Cheap living. And spending about 4 months a year on the road. Florida for the entire month of March is much cheaper than 2 weeks in Rodanthe in September
And at $16/22 a night we’re spending 4 weeks a year at Oregon Inlet and Okracoke nps campgrounds.
Retirement is a permanent vacation!

LikeQuoteFlag

Surprised we’re happy staying in PA after retiring young. No retirement taxes. Cheap living. And spending about 4 months a year on the road. Florida for the entire month of March is much cheaper than 2 weeks in Rodanthe in September
And at $16/22 a night we’re spending 4 weeks a year at Oregon Inlet and Okracoke nps campgrounds.
Retirement is a permanent vacation!

Help me out with, "No retirement taxes".

LikeQuoteFlag

"The state fully exempts all income from Social Security and retirement accounts. It also exempts pension income for seniors 60 and older. While property tax rates are fairly high here, the average total sales tax rate is just 6.17%."

LikeQuoteFlag

I have no desire to go to Charlotte for any reason.

Likewise. Asheville either.

I have lived and worked in twelve different states including the Commonwealth territory of Puerto Rico plus three foreign countries, and I don’t care to go anywhere away from the northeastern corner of N.C. Don’t care if I ever see another airport again either. Nor an interstate highway for that matter. Traveling just got old to me. But I like to ride my electric bike to Nags Head sometimes as long as I don’t have to get on the highways and can stay on the bike trails and back streets. I love being an old fart who ain’t got a job but has a paycheck, albeit ever so small. As far as medical facilities being lacking on the Outer Banks, it ain’t as bad as it used to be. It wasn’t that long ago that people had to go all the way to Elizabeth City just to be born. And there are some good things about getting old. Ever since I was four years old, I always wanted to drive an electric shopping cart. Now I can do it. The ones at the Food Lion are almost twice as fast as the ones at Publix.

Like +6QuoteFlag

I have no desire to go to Charlotte for any reason.

Likewise. Asheville either.

I have lived and worked in twelve different states including the Commonwealth territory of Puerto Rico plus three foreign countries, and I don’t care to go anywhere away from the northeastern corner of N.C. Don’t care if I ever see another airport again either. Nor an interstate highway for that matter. Traveling just got old to me. But I like to ride my electric bike to Nags Head sometimes as long as I don’t have to get on the highways and can stay on the bike trails and back streets. I love being an old fart who ain’t got a job but has a paycheck, albeit ever so small. As far as medical facilities being lacking on the Outer Banks, it ain’t as bad as it used to be. It wasn’t that long ago that people had to go all the way to Elizabeth City just to be born. And there are some good things about getting old. Ever since I was four years old, I always wanted to drive an electric shopping cart. Now I can do it. The ones at the Food Lion are almost twice as fast as the ones at Publix.

It needs a hospital, though, and another inland. Too many preventable deaths.

Like +1QuoteFlag

…

Click to follow link...

From the article. "The Outer Banks towns are perfect for summer vacations, but challenges like house maintenance and healthcare access may deter retirees."

We bought our slice of paradise 20 years ago. Buying here now would be unaffordable for us. A properly built house for our coastal environment would be maintainable at an affordable cost. Health care has gotten better IMO. Better but still lacking for some needs like most specialists. If you require surgery plan on traveling out of the area. OBX Hospital is excellent for testing. birthing, and outpatient surgery. If a person is use to having a personal physician you will probably have to settle for Urgent Care.

Like +2QuoteFlag

I have no desire to go to Charlotte for any reason.

Likewise. Asheville either.

I have lived and worked in twelve different states including the Commonwealth territory of Puerto Rico plus three foreign countries, and I don’t care to go anywhere away from the northeastern corner of N.C. Don’t care if I ever see another airport again either. Nor an interstate highway for that matter. Traveling just got old to me. But I like to ride my electric bike to Nags Head sometimes as long as I don’t have to get on the highways and can stay on the bike trails and back streets. I love being an old fart who ain’t got a job but has a paycheck, albeit ever so small. As far as medical facilities being lacking on the Outer Banks, it ain’t as bad as it used to be. It wasn’t that long ago that people had to go all the way to Elizabeth City just to be born. And there are some good things about getting old. Ever since I was four years old, I always wanted to drive an electric shopping cart. Now I can do it. The ones at the Food Lion are almost twice as fast as the ones at Publix.

It needs a hospital, though, and another inland. Too many preventable deaths.

I don’t understand what you are saying. Nags Head has a hospital, and a brand new one is being built in Elizabeth City. Where would you build another inland hospital? And Dare County has its own EMS helicopter.

LikeQuoteFlag

I was choosing between Watts Bar Lake in Tennessee and the OBX to retire years ago. Watts Bar Lake was beautiful but was too seasonal and remote. When my realtor here asked for my preferences I asked to be a mile or two from a hospital and grocery store and she laughed and said "retiring?". She has probably heard "beachy" way too many times. Nags Head fit perfectly. I have owned my house for 6 years and retired last Friday. And no I didn't consider Cary NC, the Containment Area for Retiring Yankees ??

LikeQuoteFlag

I have owned my house for 6 years and retired last Friday. And no I didn't consider Cary NC, the Containment Area for Retiring Yankees ??

Congrats! I have lived in Cary or just a stone's throw from it from 2002-2021. I've been mainly living in Nags Head since then, but will soon be returning to the Triangle. Not a day goes by where I don't think about selling my place there and moving to the beach. Cary, Holly Springs, Fuquay, Apex, etc. are great for families, but I'm newly single again without kids and the Triangle has nothing for me compared to the beach. I miss not having some of the shopping available in more urban areas, but driving to VA Beach once in a while is fine. I've had to drive up there to buy a vehicle and for healthcare and just made a day of it. If the OBX would get a proper Asian market I'd be in heaven. I'm still quite a few years from retirement so I need to make this happen sooner than later.

LikeQuoteFlag

I have no desire to go to Charlotte for any reason.

Likewise. Asheville either.

I have lived and worked in twelve different states including the Commonwealth territory of Puerto Rico plus three foreign countries, and I don’t care to go anywhere away from the northeastern corner of N.C. Don’t care if I ever see another airport again either. Nor an interstate highway for that matter. Traveling just got old to me. But I like to ride my electric bike to Nags Head sometimes as long as I don’t have to get on the highways and can stay on the bike trails and back streets. I love being an old fart who ain’t got a job but has a paycheck, albeit ever so small. As far as medical facilities being lacking on the Outer Banks, it ain’t as bad as it used to be. It wasn’t that long ago that people had to go all the way to Elizabeth City just to be born. And there are some good things about getting old. Ever since I was four years old, I always wanted to drive an electric shopping cart. Now I can do it. The ones at the Food Lion are almost twice as fast as the ones at Publix.

It needs a hospital, though, and another inland. Too many preventable deaths.

I don’t understand what you are saying. Nags Head has a hospital, and a brand new one is being built in Elizabeth City. Where would you build another inland hospital? And Dare County has its own EMS helicopter.

True...but for some stuff, strokes for example where time is of the essence, not sure we can "do" the requisite "clean out" procedure here. But, again, I don't 100% know.

I thought I heard the new EC Sentara facility was focused on sorely needed oncology services, vs trauma/immediate need stuff

LikeQuoteFlag

I have no desire to go to Charlotte for any reason.

Likewise. Asheville either.

I have lived and worked in twelve different states including the Commonwealth territory of Puerto Rico plus three foreign countries, and I don’t care to go anywhere away from the northeastern corner of N.C. Don’t care if I ever see another airport again either. Nor an interstate highway for that matter. Traveling just got old to me. But I like to ride my electric bike to Nags Head sometimes as long as I don’t have to get on the highways and can stay on the bike trails and back streets. I love being an old fart who ain’t got a job but has a paycheck, albeit ever so small. As far as medical facilities being lacking on the Outer Banks, it ain’t as bad as it used to be. It wasn’t that long ago that people had to go all the way to Elizabeth City just to be born. And there are some good things about getting old. Ever since I was four years old, I always wanted to drive an electric shopping cart. Now I can do it. The ones at the Food Lion are almost twice as fast as the ones at Publix.

It needs a hospital, though, and another inland. Too many preventable deaths.

I don’t understand what you are saying. Nags Head has a hospital, and a brand new one is being built in Elizabeth City. Where would you build another inland hospital? And Dare County has its own EMS helicopter.

True...but for some stuff, strokes for example where time is of the essence, not sure we can "do" the requisite "clean out" procedure here. But, again, I don't 100% know.

I thought I heard the new EC Sentara facility was focused on sorely needed oncology services, vs trauma/immediate need stuff

I don’t know either, but here is a short rundown from the Sentara website:


Click to follow link...

LikeQuoteFlag

It needs a hospital, though, and another inland. Too many preventable deaths.

I don’t understand what you are saying. Nags Head has a hospital, and a brand new one is being built in Elizabeth City. Where would you build another inland hospital? And Dare County has its own EMS helicopter.

Outer Banks Hospital is the closest option for much of NE NC, and a problematic one for those inland who must travel through vacationer traffic to get there in the warmer months. NE NC is a medical care desert. A large portion of this quadrant doesn't have any reasonable commute to a facility that could treat a stroke, for example, making strokes more fatal in NE NC than in SE VA by a significant amount.

OBS Hospital is better than not having it, but it's not what most people mean when using the term "hospital." Usually the term refers to a medical center, which has broad services. OBXH is actually by classification a rural outpost or what is also called a Critical Access Hospital (CAH) that provides limited in patient and outpatient services in a rural area.

ROs or CAHs are so limited, they often qualify for urgent care co-pays under older gold standard health plans vs. ER co-pays.

Like +1QuoteFlag

I won't retire at a vacation home and I won't vacation at a retirement home.

Like +4QuoteFlag

I have owned my house for 6 years and retired last Friday. And no I didn't consider Cary NC, the Containment Area for Retiring Yankees ??

Congrats! I have lived in Cary or just a stone's throw from it from 2002-2021. I've been mainly living in Nags Head since then, but will soon be returning to the Triangle. Not a day goes by where I don't think about selling my place there and moving to the beach. Cary, Holly Springs, Fuquay, Apex, etc. are great for families, but I'm newly single again without kids and the Triangle has nothing for me compared to the beach. I miss not having some of the shopping available in more urban areas, but driving to VA Beach once in a while is fine. I've had to drive up there to buy a vehicle and for healthcare and just made a day of it. If the OBX would get a proper Asian market I'd be in heaven. I'm still quite a few years from retirement so I need to make this happen sooner than later.

You should get a great price for your house, that whole area is booming. I have been traveling to RTP frequently the last 20 years or so, which led me to consider Nags Head and Corolla after a few great vacations. I will need to get used to the size of North Carolina. 6-8 hours to get to the Mountains on the motorcycle! It is worth the trip when you get there though.

LikeQuoteFlag

I have owned my house for 6 years and retired last Friday. And no I didn't consider Cary NC, the Containment Area for Retiring Yankees ??

Congrats! I have lived in Cary or just a stone's throw from it from 2002-2021. I've been mainly living in Nags Head since then, but will soon be returning to the Triangle. Not a day goes by where I don't think about selling my place there and moving to the beach. Cary, Holly Springs, Fuquay, Apex, etc. are great for families, but I'm newly single again without kids and the Triangle has nothing for me compared to the beach. I miss not having some of the shopping available in more urban areas, but driving to VA Beach once in a while is fine. I've had to drive up there to buy a vehicle and for healthcare and just made a day of it. If the OBX would get a proper Asian market I'd be in heaven. I'm still quite a few years from retirement so I need to make this happen sooner than later.

You should get a great price for your house, that whole area is booming. I have been traveling to RTP frequently the last 20 years or so, which led me to consider Nags Head and Corolla after a few great vacations. I will need to get used to the size of North Carolina. 6-8 hours to get to the Mountains on the motorcycle! It is worth the trip when you get there though.

NC is no slouch when you have to cover the width. I haven't been to the mountains in many years. I used to mountain bike and have hit Pisgah and Dupont State Forest a bit. I've also fished most of the larger lakes in NC for bass and would go out to Lake James on occasion. Those days are behind me now and I have nothing more drawing me to the mountains. While pretty, they don't do it for me. I can see the appeal for a motorcycle ride there though. I went to Harper's Ferry last summer so I'm all set on hill country for another decade.

LikeQuoteFlag

It needs a hospital, though, and another inland. Too many preventable deaths.

I don’t understand what you are saying. Nags Head has a hospital, and a brand new one is being built in Elizabeth City. Where would you build another inland hospital? And Dare County has its own EMS helicopter.

Outer Banks Hospital is the closest option for much of NE NC, and a problematic one for those inland who must travel through vacationer traffic to get there in the warmer months. NE NC is a medical care desert. A large portion of this quadrant doesn't have any reasonable commute to a facility that could treat a stroke, for example, making strokes more fatal in NE NC than in SE VA by a significant amount.

OBS Hospital is better than not having it, but it's not what most people mean when using the term "hospital." Usually the term refers to a medical center, which has broad services. OBXH is actually by classification a rural outpost or what is also called a Critical Access Hospital (CAH) that provides limited in patient and outpatient services in a rural area.

ROs or CAHs are so limited, they often qualify for urgent care co-pays under older gold standard health plans vs. ER co-pays.

Well, that’s the first I’ve heard that anyone outside of Dare County would consider the Outer Banks Hospital an option at all. Perhaps in an urgent emergency people from the far southern tip of Currituck County or the far eastern portion of Tyrrell County might consider it. But north of Dare there is Elizabeth City and Virginia and west of Dare there is Greenville and the Brody School of Medicine. Small populations just do not support large modern hospitals.

That’s also the first I’ve heard that the Outer Banks Hospital is not a hospital.

LikeQuoteFlag

Outer Banks hospital is not much more than a Urgent care that can do X-Rays, The staff also rotates in a out so consistency can be an issue as well. The reason Dare county has a helicopter is that real trauma patients have to be flown to Va Beach or ECU med center in Greenville. I wholeheartedly agree eastern NC is a desert for health care.
Just be happy with what you have I remember as a kid the only medical care above a doctor visit was the Wright Clinic up in Currituck.

Like +1QuoteFlag

It takes a lot more money than what government insurance programs like Medicare/Medicaid/Obamacare will pay to support any hospital with substantial services and staff. Government insurance is net red on the books.

LikeQuoteFlag

Outer Banks hospital is not much more than a Urgent care that can do X-Rays, The staff also rotates in a out so consistency can be an issue as well. The reason Dare county has a helicopter is that real trauma patients have to be flown to Va Beach or ECU med center in Greenville. I wholeheartedly agree eastern NC is a desert for health care.
Just be happy with what you have I remember as a kid the only medical care above a doctor visit was the Wright Clinic up in Currituck.

I remember Dr. Wright, the only doctor in Currituck County unless he was at his beach house in Southern Shores, and then he was the only doctor on the northern Outer Banks. In the mid sixties Dr. Burroughs, origionally from Charlotte, moved to Hatteras after marrying a Hatteras Village girl. And Manteo had Dr. Harvey until he became a Coast Guard flight surgeon. Those were the only three doctors in Dare County that I can remember from those days.

LikeQuoteFlag

I think the EMTs are the greatest on HI! I've probably posted this before....but my brother had a diabetic emergency one night while we were at our condo at Slash Creek watching the VT/UVA football game. It was like something out of Steel Magnolias...the movie, and I was shoving orange juice in him before they came. He's 6'6" and it was difficult for me. They were soooo impressive, the two women that came and stayed an hour giving him insulin vials and waiting until his vitals were okay. They gave us instructions for the night and wouldn't leave until he was fine. These two ladies knew their stuff. They got there in no time at all!!

Like +3QuoteFlag

Outer Banks hospital is not much more than a Urgent care that can do X-Rays, The staff also rotates in a out so consistency can be an issue as well. The reason Dare county has a helicopter is that real trauma patients have to be flown to Va Beach or ECU med center in Greenville. I wholeheartedly agree eastern NC is a desert for health care.
Just be happy with what you have I remember as a kid the only medical care above a doctor visit was the Wright Clinic up in Currituck.

I remember Dr. Wright, the only doctor in Currituck County unless he was at his beach house in Southern Shores, and then he was the only doctor on the northern Outer Banks. In the mid sixties Dr. Burroughs, origionally from Charlotte, moved to Hatteras after marrying a Hatteras Village girl. And Manteo had Dr. Harvey until he became a Coast Guard flight surgeon. Those were the only three doctors in Dare County that I can remember from those days.

Frank Burroughs was a excellent doctor and a decent person. He treated my uncles burns when he returned from Vietnam and was on medical leave. He never asked for a dime and simply said " pay it forward." Years later he set some bones in my hand when I broke them as well.

Like +1QuoteFlag