The Secret to a Happy Retirement? Living with Other Women
The Secret to a Happy Retirement? Living with Other Women
Maybe the Barbies and the Golden Girls have it right — women are at their best in the company of other women. Women’s communities, which in America have their roots in the womyn’s land movement of the ’60s, are seeing a resurgence as retirees seek safe, affordable homes with female camaraderie.
Many of these groups are still in the process of acquiring land or building housing. We’ll explore some of these communities around the world and share how you can create your own.
La Maison des Babayagas: Paris, France
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French activist Thérèse Clerc developed this intergenerational community of 25 housing units in eastern Paris, named cheekily after a Slavic word for witch.
Hibiscus Commons: San Francisco, California
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Five Bay Area women joined together to begin building this intentional community that’s built on the values of housing security and environmental sustainability.
WINCCohousing: Castlemaine, Australia
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Thirty-five women outside Melbourne are building this community of 30+ units on five acres.
Village of Al Samaha, Egypt
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Divorced or widowed women in Egypt can move to this town with their children, where men, married women, and never-married women are not allowed. Resources are scarce, but the women receive land to farm.
New Ground: London, United Kingdom
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A group of women over 50 built this block of flats in northern London. There are currently 26 residents who enjoy meals and hobbies together.
Sharing With Friends: Queensland, Australia
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This group in northeastern Australia has designed a housing complex of five studios with a common house and outdoor space and hopes to build them for women who want or need them.
Village of Umoja Uaso, Kenya
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Umoja is a village for Samburu women in Africa, many of whom have been subject to forced marriages, FGM, or violence against women. The women run a school and support themselves with tourism and jewelry making.
Baba Yaga Place: Toronto, Canada
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Inspired by the French home, a group in Toronto hopes to build a project there. Toronto is one of the priciest housing markets in the world.
Kulana Goddess Sanctuary: Volcano, Hawaii
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This legacy intentional community is now more focused on retreats and interactions with nature.
Older Women’s Housing Project: Melbourne, Australia
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Women in southeastern Australia have the opportunity to invest in housing for AU$150,000 (about $96,000). A median home in Melbourne costs AU$918,350, while a median apartment costs AU$554,306.
Village of Jinwar, Syria
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The name of this town means “woman land,” and it was built during the Syrian Civil War, opening in 2018. Jinwar is a self-sufficient community where women learn self-defense and farming skills.
WHIM Housing Co-Op: Winnipeg, Canada
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Women over 50 can live in this intentional community in Manitoba. The home is across from a park and offers amenities like a hot tub and garden space.
Start Your Own
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Many of these communities are just getting underway, and most are inaccessible to Americans because the countries they’re based in don’t offer retirement visas. Use these tools to start your own:
- Women Living in Community Resources
- Co-housing Development Consultants
- Foundation for Intentional Community
Best Cities for Lesbian Expats
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With anti-queer rhetoric ramping up across the U.S., LGBTQ+ folks of all stripes are looking to leave for new homes where they can live loud and proud. Here’s the best cities for lesbian expats looking to move abroad.
➤ Best Cities for Lesbian Expats
11 Reasons Women Are Fleeing the USA
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While the number of people emigrating from the United States grows, there’s one thing the news isn’t reporting: many of these people are women.
The number of solo woman expats is soaring, while married women work to convince reticent husbands to move abroad. Here are some of the reasons women are fleeing the USA:
➤ 11 Reasons Women Are Fleeing the USA
20 Best Countries for Women Who Want to Leave the U.S.
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American women who want to move abroad gather in hundreds of Facebook groups that target female expats. If you’re a woman considering immigration for yourself, the Women Peace and Security Index is a good place to start. The index, which is from 2022, ranked the United States in 21st place prior to overturning Roe V. Wade. These countries were ranked as the top 20.
➤ 20 Best Countries for Women Who Want to Leave the U.S.
10 Countries Where You Can Retire With $2,000/Month (One Will Make You Say Ooh La La!)
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Are you looking forward to retirement? Do you imagine peaceful days spent socializing with family and friends, pursuing hobbies, and catching up on things you put off during a long career with limited time off?
While we all long for those days, you may look at your bank account and bills and wonder if they’ll ever come. If retiring in the U.S. feels unattainable, there are options for moving abroad that may be within your budget.
➤ 10 Countries Where You Can Retire With $2,000/Month
Jen is the co-founder of Expatsi, a company that helps Americans move abroad. She created the Expatsi Test, an assessment that recommends countries for aspiring emigrants based on lifestyle data. Jen has an MBA from Emory University with concentrations in marketing and innovation. She's written for BusinessWeek, Health, Cooking Light, and Southern Living. Prior to Expatsi, she created Freshfully and Bottle & Bone—two businesses in the local food space—and spoke at TEDx on being brave. She's moving to Mexico in 2024, along with her husband and co-founder Brett, pitbull mix Squiggy, and three rotten cats. How can she help you move abroad?
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Jen is the co-founder of Expatsi, a company that helps Americans move abroad. She created the Expatsi Test, an assessment that recommends countries for aspiring emigrants based on lifestyle data. Jen has an MBA from Emory University with concentrations in marketing and innovation. She's written for BusinessWeek, Health, Cooking Light, and Southern Living. Prior to Expatsi, she created Freshfully and Bottle & Bone—two businesses in the local food space—and spoke at TEDx on being brave. She's moving to Mexico in 2024, along with her husband and co-founder Brett, pitbull mix Squiggy, and three rotten cats. How can she help you move abroad?