Albuquerque is the 34th
largest city in the United States and the largest in
the state of New Mexico. In recent years, it's been
one of the top 10 fastest growing cities in America.
With an arid climate, there's no need to worry about
humidity and the uncomfortable weather. Albuquerque
averages over 300 days of sunshine a year and is bordered
on the East with the Sandia Mountains so you can enjoy
skiing in the winter as well as gorgeous panarama views
during the summer. It's also home to the world's longest
aerial tram which extends just short of 3 miles. Great
for scenic views in the mountains.
No matter what you want
for retirement, Albuquerque is a great place to consider
due to its diverse economy, increasingly urban living,
and plenty of cultural activities to go around.
Many consider Albuquerque
to be among the best retirement cities in the U.S. Here
are some other reasons to choose living in Albuquerque.
Retirement Housing Options:
In Albuquerque there are unique housing options which
include condos, apartments for rent, hi-rises, retirement
communities, lofts, co-ops, luxury condominiums, top
end townhouses and other housing for over 55 boomers
and seniors.
Downtown Albuquerque Areas and
Districts for Retirees to Explore:
Downtown Albuquerque is roughly defined
as the area between Marble Avenue, Coal Avenue, Seventh
Street, and the Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad
tracks. The area on the east side of the railroad tracks
is known as East Downtown or EDo. Downtown Albuquerque
has the city’s famous Nob Hill neighborhood whic
is home to some of Albuquerque's best shopping and dining.
Not one of the official downtown districts,
EDo (East Downtown) is a small but
expanding neighborhood centered around Central and Broadway
on the east side of the railroad tracks, bounded roughly
by the railroad tracks on the west, I-25 on the east,
Coal on the south, and Martin Luther King Avenue on
the north. EDo is a trendy area containing several loft
apartment buildings and a number of small shops and
restaurants. The focal point of EDo is the renovated
Old Albuquerque High School campus, which is now a residential
complex. The name "EDo" was coined in imitation
of the LoDo area of Denver which in turn was an imitation
of SoHo and TriBeCa in New York .
The southernmost part of downtown, the
Casa District includes the area between
Gold and Coal Avenue, extending all the way west to
Tenth Street. This is a primarily residential district,
with a large number of loft apartment buildings. The
PNM Building is also located in the Casa District.
Arts and Entertainment District:
This district is centered along Central
Avenue and Gold Avenue east of First Street. It contains
most of downtown Albuquerque's historic buildings as
well as most of its shopping, dining, and nightlife
destinations. Notable landmarks in this district include
the KiMo Theater, Occidental Life Building, First National
Bank Building, and Sunshine Building. There is a small
concentration of government and office buildings on
Gold Avenue which includes the Dennis Chavez Federal
Building, Gold Building, and Simms Building. Amy Biehl
High School is also located in this district.
Social Opportunities:
studies have shown that a good group of friends is more
important to a happy retirement than money or health.
Albuquerque offers many opportunities with civic groups
and hobby clubs to generate a solid core group of friends.
These friends can help ward off the problems of aging
like dementia and health issues.
Public Transportation:
rural living isn't good for seniors who can't drive
since they require someone's help to get around. The
expenses of transportation add up quickly for fixed-income
seniors so the public transportation of Albuquerque
is quite beneficial. Even better is that most public
transit systems have senior rates that are much cheaper
than normal. Downtown Albuquerque is the center of public
transit in the city, and is served by a network of ABQ
RIDE routes including both Rapid Ride BRT routes, most
of which include stops at the Alvarado Transportation
Center. ABQ RIDE also operates a free circulator bus
service in the downtown area named Downtown Get Around
(or "D-Ride" for short) which runs from 6:30
to 7:00 pm every 7 minutes on weekdays.
Access to Medical Services:
it's pretty obvious that if you live near a hospital,
you're more likely to survive a medical emergency. Despite
how your mind feels, the body starts to break down and
there's a good chance you'll need a hospital visit during
your retirement years. Living in Albuquerque is great
since there are more specialists and medical services
available and at cheaper rates. Some of the finest medical
facilities in the country are located in Downtown Albuquerque.
* University of New Mexico Hospitals
* Presbyterian Hospital
* Lovelace Medical Center
* Lovelace Rehabilitation Hospital
* Kindred Rehabilitation Hospital
Albuquerque's finest physicians have
located their offices near the hospitals in downtown
Albuquerque.
Access to Local Businesses:
city living offers walking distance to most businesses
that you'll ever use in your retirement years. Even
if you need to travel, there are a lot more shopping
centers and discount stores in urban areas.
Fitness: exercise is critical to keeping healthy during
your retirement years. Cities have every type of fitness
facility from standard fitness centers to niche fitness
places like indoor rock climbing walls so there's something
for everyone. Even if you want to exercise on your own,
there's tons of parks or indoor malls to enjoy walking
in.
Continuing Education:
today’s seniors know the importance of exercising
their brains, as well as their bodies. Urban living
provides access to a wide range of classes, through
local universities, museums, city recreation departments,
etc. Enrolling in these types of courses can help stave
off the depression that some people feel once they stop
working full time.
Food and Entertainment:
retirement should be full of activities you never had
a chance to enjoy while working. Dinners out to fancy
restaurants or weekend getaways to a nearby city or
historical site are all possible living in a city. Usually,
cities have tons of entertainment venues like theaters
and museums and there's always something going on. You
will enjoy the dining options in Albuquerque NM!
Albuquerque Senior Communities:
Albuquerque
Grand is literally just a few blocks from
downtown Albuquerque and the city’s famous Nob
Hill neighborhood--home to some of the city’s
best shopping and dining. A short drive east, there’s
plenty more shopping and great restaurants in the Uptown
area, in Coronado Mall, and at the beautiful ABQ Uptown
shopping and dining complex. And a couple blocks away
from the Albuquerque Grand is the University of New
Mexic, home to museums, plays, broadway road shows,
other cultural events, and sporting events year-round.
Hop on and off I-25 via Dr Martin Luther King Jr Ave
NE and its a short and easy drive to I-40 or the Albuquerque
airport.
We’re also in the heart of Albuquerque’s
healthcare community. A five minute drive will get you
or your loved one to some of the finest medical facilities
in the country, including...
* University of New Mexico Hospitals
* Presbyterian Hospital
* Lovelace Medical Center
* Lovelace Rehabilitation Hospital
* Kindred Rehabilitation Hospital
New Mexico Retirement Communities
Albuquerque Links 
