Special Report Preview: Why is El Paso a retiree destination?

The City of El Paso is gaining recognition as a retirement destination. According to US News and World Report, El Paso ranks #5 out of the 100 best places to retire in the nation. USA Today also ranks El Paso #5 in a special article that picks the “5 places where you may want to retire”.

ABC-7 asked, what is the city doing to keep up with the national attention?

Director of the city’s economic and international development Jessica Herrera said people like to come to El Paso for the low cost of rent, access to healthcare and the weather.

“Over the past few years there’s been a significant amount of investment in just our overall cost of living,” Herrera said. “Affordability goes a long way when retirees are looking to move into a city like El Paso.”

Herrera said a lot of medical services have recently opened in El Paso, and that is attractive to retirees.

“Not to mention the veterans hospital that’s being built on the base,” Herrera said. “All of that within the next few years will open opportunities to quality health care coverage.”

But do couples choose to retire to El Paso, even if they don’t have any connection to the borderland?

Reporter Jamie Warren went looking to find out. It’s a story you’ll see only on ABC-7. Watch Jamie’s special report Thursday at 10 p.m.