Retirement Communities in Suffolk, Virginia

CaringScore for Suffolk, VA

CaringScore was designed to help millions of Americans find the best places to retire, age in place, or receive eldercare. The CaringScore for retirement communities in Suffolk was based on more than 50 factors in three key categories: health, cost, and livability. By compiling and analyzing this data, Caring.com is able to rate the quality of life you or a loved one might expect should you choose retirement communities in Suffolk.

A CaringScore can range from 1 (worst) to 10 (best), and provides a quick way to compare cities, counties, and even specific zip codes. With a CaringScore of 5.1, Suffolk is on par with the national average for those seeking retirement communities.

The charts below highlight a few of the factors we used to calculate the CaringScore for Suffolk. Choose a category score to learn more.

Physicians Per Capita

Cost of Healthcare Index

Sunny Days Per Year

HealthScore for Suffolk, VA

HealthScore, a component of the overall CaringScore for retirement communities in Suffolk, rates a region on a scale of 1 (less healthful) to 10 (more healthful). It's specifically tailored to anyone looking for retirement communities. The HealthScore for Suffolk is based on the availability of healthcare resources, air and water quality, the overall health of the local population, and other key factors. With a HealthScore of 6.7, Suffolk rates above average for those seeking retirement communities.

Easy access to physicians -- especially geriatricians and other key specialists -- is important to older adults seeking retirement communities. At 287.9 physicians per capita, Suffolk scores 30.6 percent better than the national average. Suffolk scores about average in geriatricians per capita, with 1.2, and scores 64.1 percent better than the national average in specialists per capita, with 32. These medical specialists include cardiologists, oncologists, and orthopedists. The average life expectancy from birth in Suffolk is 75.4 years -- 3.2 percent lower than most of the country. Air quality in Suffolk -- one factor in gauging the healthfulness of a region -- is 47.0 percent below average, and water quality -- another key measure of Suffolk's environmental health -- is 50.9 percent above average.

Doctors Per Capita	Suffolk, VA	Nat'l Avg
Physicians	287.9	220.5
Geriatricians	1.2	1.3
Cardiologists	13	7.7
Oncologists	3.6	3.5
Orthopedists	14.2	7

Average Life Expectancy

CostScore for Suffolk, VA

CostScore, part of the overall CaringScore for retirement communities in Suffolk, rates the cost of living for older adults on a scale of 1 (more expensive) to 10 (less expensive). It's specifically tailored to people looking for retirement communities. The CostScore for Suffolk is based on data such as the average monthly cost of retirement communities in the region, the cost of housing and healthcare, regional tax rates, and other key factors. With a CostScore of 4.5, Suffolk is on par with the national average for retirement communities.

Because of the broad range of housing, service, and healthcare options available at retirement communities, no average monthly cost data is available for Suffolk. The entry fee or purchase price for an independent living community can range from $50,000 to $500,000 or more, and typically requires an additional monthly service fee of $1,000 to $3,000 on average. The cost of living indices below provide the best proxy for comparing costs of retirement communities in Suffolk to the rest of the country. Overall, the cost of living for Suffolk indexes at 11.0 percent higher than the national average. Average healthcare costs are 6.0 percent more expensive than the national average, and the cost of housing is 32.0 percent more expensive than average.

Cost of Living	Suffolk, VA
Aggregate Index	111
Healthcare Index	106
Housing Index	132
Food Index	105
Utilities Index	113
Transportation Index	99

Cost of Healthcare Index

LivabilityScore for Suffolk, VA

LivabilityScore makes up part of the overall CaringScore for retirement communities in Suffolk. On a scale of 1 (less livable) to 10 (more livable), it's a rating of the quality of life in a region, specifically tailored to those looking for retirement communities. The LivabilityScore for Suffolk is based on weather, crime rates, economic factors, average age of the population, and other key demographics. With a LivabilityScore of 3.5, Suffolk rates below average for retirement communities.

Weather is an important factor in choosing the best place for retirement communities. The sun shines an average of 210 days each year in Suffolk, which is about average in the U.S. With an average temperature of 30°F in January, winters tend to be milder in Suffolk than in other parts of the country, and summers are often hotter than other places, averaging 88°F in July.

Local crime rates are another important indicator. The violent crime rate in Suffolk is 25.0 percent higher than the national average, and the property crime rate is 25.0 percent higher than average. At $60,349 per year, the population of Suffolk earns a better than average median household income. Suffolk has an unemployment rate of 7.10 percent, roughly 22.0 percent lower than the national average. And about 11.46 percent of the population in Suffolk is of retirement age -- 65 or older -- which trails the national average by 12.9 percent.

Sunny Days Per Year

Avg Temperature (°F)

Property Crime Index

Amenities Per Capita	Suffolk	Nat'l Avg
Parks	0.2	136.1
Libraries	4.8	18.8
Places of Worship	95.8	220.5
Public Transit	140.9	110.4
Grocery Stores	85.4	97.7
Pharmacies	5.9	13.8

Percent of Population Over Age 65