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When most people think of places to live in retirement, Illinois is typically not the first place to cross their mind. But a new generation of Baby Boomers has found that leaving the state of Illinois for the retirement hot spots across the South is not the ideal for them. In recent years, active retirement communities have sprung up across the state of Illinois as much of the 55+ crowd has decided not to head south after retirement. The main reasons that most Illinois residents aged 55+ opt to stay in the area is often due to their job or the desire to remain close to friends and family. Still, many of the residents of Illinois active retirement communities are so called "full-backs." Their name is derived from the fact that they first lived in the North but moved to a southern state for retirement only to move fully back across the country to their previous home state.
Most of Illinois residents choose to stay in the state after the age of 55 and into their retirement years. For many, the lure of staying close to kids and grandkids is too much to leave the state. Still, for many other residents of Illinois active retirement communities the reason is they simply do not want to retire. Unlike many of the active retirement communities in the South, many of the residents of active adult communities in Illinois are still working full or part time. While the appeal to live in an active adult community is strong, they are not ready to leave work. As a result, developers have catered to the need for people who want the active adult lifestyle but also want to stay close to home.
Whether you are retired or not, Illinois active adult communities can provide a great place to live. While the days may not be filled lying by the pool and golfing like many communities across the South, residents still enjoy the lifestyle that an active adult community can provide. Here, residents can partake in the multitudes of clubs, interest groups, classes, events and social activities provided by the communities. Though the winters are cooler, the peace of mind being close to friends and loved ones is well worth it.
Chicagoland: The Chicago area is home to over a dozen active adult communities. Many residents of Chicago active adult communities are native Chicagoans who have chosen to stay close to home to be near friends and family. Unlike many retirement communities across the South, a large portion of Chicago active adult community residents are still working.