Advantages & Disadvantages of Retiring in Baltimore

You think about retiring in Baltimore but want to get additional information about senior life, housing situation, living costs, entertainment, public transport, medical infrastructure and much more?

Great! This article is exactly for you since I will show you the pros and cons of retiring in Baltimore in the following chapters.

Retire in Baltimore – Overview

Reasons to Retire in Baltimore

1. Pensioners in Baltimore can experience real seasons
2. Retirees in Baltimore can get around by bicycle
3. Baltimore is located at the coast
4. You can spend lots of time in nature
5. Retiring in Baltimore may keep you fit
6. Many decent bars in Baltimore
7. Decent senior centers in Baltimore
8. You can try many delicious foods in Baltimore
9. Living costs in Baltimore are rather low
10. Rents are still affordable for many retirees in Baltimore
11. Low overall financial pressure for pensioners in Baltimore
12. Baltimore is not the most hectic city
13. Easy to socialize in Baltimore
14. Baltimore is a multicultural place
15. Baltimore is close to other big cities
16. Easy to get to and from Baltimore
17. Decent internet connection in Baltimore
18. Decent air quality in Baltimore
19. Good medical infrastructure in Baltimore
20. You don’t have to worry about running out of material goods
21. Retiring in Baltimore may still be underrated
22. Baltimore will be an important place to retire for many decades

Pensioners in Baltimore can experience real seasons

One advantage of retiring in Baltimore is that you can enjoy warm summers and rather cold winters and this gives you the opportunity to have real seasons.

Hence, while you can go swimming in summer, you may be able to do winter sports in winter and this can make your life much more interesting compared to retirees in El Paso who often have to deal with warm weather all year long.

Retirees in Baltimore can get around by bicycle

Since Baltimore is a relatively bicycle-friendly city, you can also get around by bike in a pretty efficient manner and this can be great for you as a retiree since you can save lots of money on fuel while you can do good for our environment and can also stay fit at the same time.

Baltimore is located at the coast

Since Baltimore is located at the coast, you can also go swimming or just relax at the beach on a regular basis and this can greatly improve your overall quality of life while people retiring in Chicago and many other places that are not located at the coast don’t have this luxury.

You can spend lots of time in nature

Since you can enjoy nice beaches and also have many nature reserves around Baltimore, you can also spend lots of time in nature and there are many free things to do.

Consequently, you can have many nice experiences without needing a high pension in the Baltimore region.

Retiring in Baltimore may keep you fit

Since You can spend lots of time outdoors and can go hiking, swimming and do many other things in nature, chances are that you will also get lots of fresh air and you can also get lots of exercise which makes it more likely that you will stay fit as a retiree in Baltimore.

Many decent bars in Baltimore

Another upside to retiring in Baltimore is that you will also find many decent bars in the city where you can hang out with many interesting people and can discuss what’s going on in the world and also share useful advice on how to make retirement in Baltimore better and can also get some secret tips in this regard.

Decent senior centers in Baltimore

There are also senior centers in Baltimore where you can hang out with many like-minded people of your age and can play parlor games and do other interesting things together so you will always have something to do regarding how to spend your leisure.

You can try many delicious foods in Baltimore

There are also many decent restaurants in the Baltimore region and as long as you have enough money, you can try many delicious foods and have many interesting cultural experiences which will make your senior life in Baltimore much more interesting and enjoyable.

Living costs in Baltimore are rather low

Another benefit of retiring in Baltimore is that living costs are relatively low compared to many other major metropolitan regions.

While retirees in NYC often have to spend lots of money on various things and activities of daily life, you can do and get the same things in Baltimore at a lower price and this may save you lots of money in the long run.

Rents are still affordable for many retirees in Baltimore

Not only living costs are fairly low, but also rents are still affordable for many pensioners in Baltimore while people who retire in Washington D.C. or other more popular places will often have to spend much more on housing and will have less money left to spend on other nice and important things.

Low overall financial pressure for pensioners in Baltimore

Since living and housing costs are fairly low, pensioners in Baltimore also don’t have to deal with high financial pressure and don’t have to deal with money problems as often as retirees in San Francisco or other much more expensive places.

Baltimore is not the most hectic city

Compared to many other big metropolitan areas, Baltimore is also a rather relaxed city where people are less career-focused and more open to chat with you.

Moreover, traffic is not a big deal in Baltimore yet and you will therefore not lose as much time in traffic jams as people in bigger and more crowded cities.

Easy to socialize in Baltimore

Since Baltimore is an open and tolerant place, you will also have a rather easy time socializing in the Baltimore region and can make many new friends within a rather short period of time so you don’t have to worry about getting socially isolated or feeling lonely as a retiree in Baltimore.

Baltimore is a multicultural place

Baltimore is also a pretty multicultural place and you can therefore meet many people with many different backgrounds and by talking to those people, you can see the world from a different perspective and can also learn quite a lot for your own life.

Baltimore is close to other big cities

Since Baltimore is closely located to Washington D.C. and other big cities, it is also a great place to retire since you can make many nice day trips to other cities and can always experience new things and discover new places.

Easy to get to and from Baltimore

Since you will find a big airport in the Baltimore region, it is also pretty easy to get from and to Baltimore in an efficient manner since your loved ones can just use the plane to visit you on a regular basis and chances are you will have many guests and will likely never feel lonely.

Decent internet connection in Baltimore

Thanks to the good internet connection many retirees in Baltimore have, you will also be able to get the latest news and can stay connected to the world.

Moreover, you will also be able to make video calls with your family and friends living in different states or countries and can therefore maintain your social contacts in a convenient manner.

Decent air quality in Baltimore

Compared to many other big cities, people who retire in Baltimore can also enjoy a relatively decent air quality and while you might not think about this as an important thing at first, you should know that the better air quality, the less likely it will be for you to suffer from serious pulmonary problems.

Good medical infrastructure in Baltimore

You will also find many good doctors and hospitals in the Baltimore region and in case you get sick, you can be pretty sure to find someone who is able to treat your health condition in a proper manner so you will be able to recover as quickly as possible.

You don’t have to worry about running out of material goods

Thanks to decent public infrastructure, you will most likely also not run out of material goods as a retiree in Baltimore and will find most things you need for daily life close to your home which is really important since once you get older, you may no longer be mobile and you may therefore no longer be able to walk longer distances.

Retiring in Baltimore may still be underrated

Since Baltimore offers many nice things and overall quality of life is pretty decent while living and housing costs are still fairly low, the city may still be underrated and you can benefit from retiring in Baltimore since you will get many nice things and can enjoy a decent lifestyle without having to spend as much as retirees in San Diego or other much more expensive places.

Baltimore will be an important place to retire for many decades

Since Baltimore is the biggest city in Maryland, it is also a pretty important economic region and will therefore be an attractive place to live and retire for quite a long time and you therefore don’t have to worry about public infrastructure getting worse anytime soon.

Now that you know the reasons for retiring in Baltimore, we also have to talk about the drawbacks of retiring in Baltimore in the following so you can better decide whether you still want to retire in Baltimore or rather want to spend the last chapter of your life in a different location instead.

Disadvantages of Retiring in Baltimore

1. Baltimore has to deal with pretty high crime rates
2. Many retirees in Baltimore no longer feel safe
3. Baltimore is not as exciting as many other big cities
4. Social inequality is a serious problem in Baltimore
5. Baltimore may be too cold for many retirees during winter
6. Natural disasters may hit many pensioners in Baltimore
7. Public transport in Baltimore is not great
8. Overall public infrastructure gets worse outside the city center
9. Baltimore has a rather poor reputation
10. You may have to justify retiring in Baltimore
11. Your family and friends may have to worry quite often

Baltimore has to deal with pretty high crime rates

One downside to retiring in Baltimore is that the city has to deal with pretty high crime rates which may likely increase even further due to all sorts of social issues and you will therefore be confronted with high levels of poverty and other unpleasant things as a retiree in Baltimore.

Many retirees in Baltimore no longer feel safe

You should also know that some retirees no longer feel safe in certain neighborhoods of Baltimore and instead of going out during nighttime, they just feel safer and more comfortable staying at home.

Baltimore is not as exciting as many other big cities

Another downside to retiring in Baltimore is that there are also not as many exciting things to do as in many other big metropolitan areas and while retirees in Denver and other big cities will have many interesting things to do, you may get bored as a retiree in Baltimore sooner or later.

Social inequality is a serious problem in Baltimore

You should also know that the gap between the poor and the rich is about to get worse in the Baltimore region and this may lead to all sorts of social problems and may also lower overall quality of life in Baltimore quite a lot in the long run.

Baltimore may be too cold for many retirees during winter

While many people like to have different seasons, retiring in Baltimore may not be for you in case you want to have warm weather all year long. In such a case, you may be better off retiring in Austin or other warmer places instead.

Natural disasters may hit many pensioners in Baltimore

Since Baltimore is located at the coast, it may also get hit by storms and floods sooner or later and in case you are unlucky, you may not only lose your home but even your life.

Public transport in Baltimore is not great

Another disadvantage of retiring in Baltimore is that public transport is not great at all and you may therefore have to rely on your car to get around which will cost you lots of money and will also be bad for our environment.

Moreover, once you get older, you may no longer be able to operate a car in a safe manner and may no longer know how to get around.

Overall public infrastructure gets worse outside the city center

While public infrastructure is pretty decent in the city center of Baltimore, it gets worse in the suburbs and outskirts of the city and in case you can’t afford to live close to the center, distances may get longer and you may have a less convenient life as a retiree in Baltimore.

Baltimore has a rather poor reputation

Due to high crime rates and many other social problems, Baltimore also doesn’t have the highest reputation and by retiring in Baltimore, you may have a rather low social standing among your peers who often retire in Seattle or other more prestigious cities instead.

You may have to justify retiring in Baltimore

Your loved ones may also not understand your decision of retiring in Baltimore and you may therefore have to spend lots of time convincing your family members and friends that this will be indeed a good decision.

Your family and friends may have to worry quite often

Due to high crime rates, your loved ones may also worry quite a lot about your well-being and you may therefore impose a significant emotional burden on your family and friends in case you decide to retire in Baltimore.

Top 10 Retiring in Baltimore Pros & Cons – Summary List

Is Baltimore A Good Place To Retire?

While retiring in Baltimore can be a good idea since living and housing costs are still fairly low and you will find everything you need to live a happy and convenient senior life from a materialistic point of view, you should still know that crime is a big problem in Baltimore and social inequality is about to get worse which may lead to all sorts of social problems in the long run.

Alternative Cities To Retire

If you don’t want to retire in Baltimore, you should also have a look at the following articles:

Advantages and disadvantages of retiring in Louisville

Advantages and disadvantages of retiring in Detroit

Advantages and disadvantages of retiring in Memphis

Sources

https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/baltimorecitymaryland

Own research.

About the author

This site is about living, moving and traveling to various parts of our fascinating planet.

My name is Andreas and when I was younger, I traveled the world and learned a lot about different cultures and countries.

Thus, I want to share my experiences with you so you can benefit from them and avoid common mistakes in this regard.

In my articles, you will find everything you need to find the best location for a happy and successful life.