Baby boomers are now nearly a third of the North Carolina population. North Carolina has over 1 million people who will turn 55 or older in 2007. It is one of the fastest growing retirement states in the nation.

For baby boomers looking for an action-packed retirement, North Carolina has much to offer. Magnificent mountain scenery, some of the most beautiful and challenging golf courses to be found anywhere and a historic, picturesque coastline with numerous barrier islands and river inlets are just some of the unique attributes that make North Carolina such an interesting and rewarding place to live.

Many are choosing the hottest trend right now, college towns. Anyone who equates retirement with spending a lot of time on the golf course will have a wealth of choices available throughout North Carolina. Like water sports? There are so many choices it is hard to describe them. Speaking of water, the USS North Carolina Battleship Memorial is located in North Carolina. The beaches draw millions each year, perfect for entertaining grandchildren and visitors.

Culture comes easily in North Carolina as it was the first state in the Union to establish a state museum of art, and one of the first to establish a state symphony. North Carolina was one of the first colonies to join the American Revolution, and one of the last to secede from the Union.

Pepsi was invented in New Bern, North Carolina in 1898. Wilbur and Orville Wright tested the world's first airplane at Kitty Hawk in 1903 and the retail phenom Krispy Kreme Doughnut was founded in Winston-Salem.

North Carolina offers a broad range of housing choices ranging from new master-planned communities to affordable cottages and smaller homes in older, established neighborhoods. You will also find a wide range of small farms that are perfect for baby boomer retirement.