Baby boomers are reaching retirement age in record numbers and many communities are fighting to attract them.

Growing Senior Citizens Population Creates Challenges For Policymakers
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Numbers show nearly 76 million baby boomers will step away from their work environment in the next 5 to 10 years and the secret to bringing these folks to a region has to do with what is available for them in a particular community.

Here are our top 5 reasons you should retire in Shreveport Bossier.

1. Climate

Some retirees are looking for places with a mild climate, great health care and a healthy environment. Northwest Louisiana only gets bitterly cold weather once or twice a year and folks can enjoy outdoor activities nearly year round.

2. Health Care

We have a VA Hospital, Shriners Hospital, a public hospital and many other world class providers. Shreveport and Bossier City are in a good position to attract seniors and we already have many of the components in place. Our combined population of the area is more than 400,000.

3. Food

Great food tops the list for many people. Locally owned restaurants offer a wide variety of cuisine from seafood and steaks to fine dining at several establishments.

4. Arts and Culture

We have one of the largest festivals in the south in the Red River Revel and we also have Film Prize, Mudbug Madness, the State Fair and so much more. Artspace, the Robinson Film Center, The Strand Theatre  and the Shreveport Symphony Orchestra also provide a healthy dose of culture to our community.

SPAR also works to host events for seniors year round. You'll find exercise programs at several parks and a variety of arts and crafts programs. Spar also hosts table game activities each week at the local centers.

5. Cost of Living 

Another factor mentioned in a 2016 study by the Council for Community and Economic Research shows the cost of living in Shreveport-Bossier is 88.9 percent of the national average. A year ago, Business Insider listed Shreveport as the 17th among the "Top 25 Cities with the Lowest Cost of Living".  But the Business Insider report this year does not include Shreveport.

Another key is our location. We are centrally located between Dallas and Jackson and just 3 hours away from Little Rock. Experts also say the Shreveport Regional Airport provides convenient access to countless other travel destinations, including direct flights to Charlotte, Denver, Las Vegas, Houston, Atlanta and more.

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