St. Petersburg’s Roars Back as Best Place to Retire
Category: Best Retirement Towns and States
May 4, 2021 – Back in the day St. Petersburg was considered one of the best places to retire for people from the Midwest and Northeast. Tourists also flocked to this amazing city on Tampa Bay, about half way down Florida’s West Coast. Some retirees settled here permanently, others spent the winter months in one of the many classic downtown hotels that are still present (but in different form). After the 1970’s the city faded into a retirement backwater, supplanted by trendier destinations like Fort Myers, Naples, and affordable towns in Central Florida. Blight and poverty took over in many parts of the city, leaving some big downtown buildings as unused relics. Fast forward to today, when St. Pete is not only a very hot destination for retirement, but people of all ages are moving here. The population is 265,381, with 18.6% of the population 65 and over (about 2% points higher than the U.S. overall).
On a recent visit to the fair city we were very impressed with St. Petersburg’s revival. It is not hard to see reasons for the resurgence. The city’s location could not be better – a manageable city sitting on peninsula surrounded by the gigantic Tampa Bay. Broad streets host gracious buildings. Along the edges, nothing obscures the views of the Bay. Very few towns in the world can match the number of its parks and amount of open space along the Bay. Nicknamed the “Sunshine City”, it logs an average 361 days of sunshine per year. On a recent late April evening the streets and parks were filled with people of all ages and types. The human diversity on display was refreshing. There were straight and gay pairs, mixed race couples, baby boomers, and millennials. The sidewalks were full of people out for a stroll along the boulevards and parks, having dinner in an outdoor restaurant by the Bay, or enjoying an ice cream. Soon even more will be coming to enjoy St. Pete’s enviable cultural scene, which, as Covid ebbs, is on the verge of opening up. Retirees live in high rises, neighborhoods, or surrounding communities. There is a big variety of living choices.
Comments on "St. Petersburg’s Roars Back as Best Place to Retire"
J michaels says:
We spent two winter months in St. Petersburg in 2017 and 2018. We rented in two different locations in the city and had a wonderful time. For those seeking a very walkable city with great cultural activities it is hard to beat. We have spent time in many different locations in Florida and think St. Petersburg is one of the most desirable places.
Jamie Murphy says:
Everything looks great from photos....All of these places look beautiful...but leave me feeling empty. Why do all the pictures of real estate or neighborhoods have no people in them? Its empty and lonely. Living near a golf course does nothing for my heart...its still lonely without companionship. Where is there true community with love for one another? When that exists it doesn't matter where you live...in the US its hard to find.
Elaine says:
St. Pete's is a real town, not a retirement community, and has been established for a long time with a diverse population of families and employed and retired people. My great uncle and great aunt lived there in the early 1960s. We visited and I remember huge flocks of parakeets flying in their trees. I saw flocks of parakeets in Clearwater about 7 years ago, so they may still be there. Yes, there is new development for retirees (high rises and pricey), but most of the town is made up of neighborhoods, with a vibrant cultural and arts scene near the marina. My dad and I used to drive up and down the different streets to see the old, historical Florida houses there. There are older apartments a little more inland that could be charming places to live and out of the trendy areas. The art museums and galleries are lovely, the restaurants serve delicious food, and the walking is great. I've been there in all weathers, although not in the summer. Trader Joe's is in town. St. Pete's is on my short list if I move to FL at some point. Gulfport is cool too and close by.
Jemmie says:
We rented in St. Petersburg for a couple of winters and everyday was fun and an adventure. So much to do and so walkable. At that time there were several performing arts venues which we attended, but one of my favorite forms of daytime entertainment was the small airport downtown where you can watch the small private planes take off and land over the water -where they park their beautiful yachts. The Saturday farmers market, also downtown, was a big deal and we went every week, not sure if that is up and running again. There are a lot of condos on the water and when I inquired about one in a new building I was told the price was $1.5 million, I explained I didn't need to be on the top floor, but the realtor explained that was for the bottom floor. However, there are lots of neighborhood within walking distance of the city. We didn't end up buying in St. Petersburg but will go back to visit for sure each winter.
Elaine, we did rent a cottage in Gulfport for just a week and that was fun and a cool little town, but glad we didn't rent for a month, but that's just us, you may love it there.
Lynn says:
If you like living with street after street of high rise condo buildings and have a lot of money, you will like Downtown St. Pete. It isn't to everyone's taste. Most of the smaller interesting businesses have been displaced because of the rising rents, though there are still lots of tourists downtown. Not to worry, though, the surrounding neighborhoods have taken up a good deal of the slack and many of the business have moved into those surrounding neighborhoods. There are definitely less expensive places to retire in this part of Florida.