Economic and Fiscal Implications of Nonrnetropolitan Retirement Migration

Nonmetropolilan retirement corinties experienced utraordinary population gmwth during the 1970s and continued to grow during the 1980s at a rate exceeding national, metropolitaq and nonmetropolitan averases. Economically, retirement counties outdirtanced other nonmettvpol-itan counties in emplojment and per capita income growth In tandem with population and economic growth, retirement counties have lower than average local tax and revenue rates. Expenditures per capita for local public senices are also low in retirement countiies, compared to nonmetropolitan counties generally. Loner than average tax and revenue rates lower the cost of living, and thus retirement counties may remain competitive with other areas of the counwy in attracting fiture in-migrants. I n the long run, howewzr, relatively low f i ca l efforts and expenditures couldhampcr local economic derulopment. nejindings of the study indicate that retirees have not been an excessive burden on localpublic senice expenditures, as some haw /eared. Since 1960, net migration of theelderly has bccn toward nonmctropolita