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Retirement Living In Galveston county - Texas


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Area Description

Galveston County is a county in state of Texas. As of the 2010 census, the population was 291,309. League City is the largest city in Galveston County in terms of population; between 2000 and 2005 it surpassed Galveston as the county's largest city. The county was founded in 1838.

Economy: Port activities dominate economy; insurance and finance center, petrochemical plants, varied manufacturing, tourism, medical education, oceanographic research, ship building, commercial fishing.

GALVESTON (49,979) county seat; tourist center, shipyard, other industries, insurance, port container facility; University of Texas Medical Branch; National Maritime Research Center; Texas A&M University at Galveston; Galveston College; hospitals.

League City (102,745, part [1,562] in Harris County) residential community, commuters to Houston, hospital.

Texas City (49,711) anchored by the industrial sector with one of the largest ports in the country and a thriving petro-chemical industry, the region is a gateway to worldwide trade and major hub for world energy supplies. Refining, petrochemical plants, port, rail shipping; junior college; hospital, library; Texas City dike (the longest man made fishing pier)-fishing, boating, sailing, beach area; bird sanctuary. Earned title of All-American City in 1997. 890 acres of parks with 40 park locations throughout the city. Active and close knit community.

La Marque (16, 457) A quiet community with an eye to the future, La Marque is the geographic center of Galveston County. The city offers a family and business friendly atmosphere and is ideally located on Interstate 45 just minutes from Houston and Galveston. Citizens enjoy easy coastal living, access to more than 300 acres of city parks, abundant housing and more.

Bolivar Peninsula (2,743) includes: Port Bolivar (700) lighthouse, free ferry; Crystal Beach (800) seafood industry, sport fishing, tourism, Fort Travis Seashore Park, shorebird sanctuary, Crab Festival in May; Gilchrist (400), and High Island (300).

Other towns include: Bacliff (10,025); Bayou Vista (1,552); Clear Lake Shores (1,195).

Also, Dickinson (20,217) manufacturing, commuters, strawberry festival in May; Friendswood (39,219, part [10,295] in Harris County); Hitchcock (7,884) residential community, tourism, fishing and shrimping, Good Ole Days in August, WWII blimp base, museum.

Also, Jamaica Beach (1,081); Kemah (1,984) tourism, boating, commuters, museum, Blessing of Fleet in August; La Marque (16,806) refining, greyhound racing, farming, hospital, library, Gulf Coast Grill-off in October; San Leon (5,488); Santa Fe (13,203); Tiki Island (1,053).

Includes Cities/Towns: Bacliff, Dickinson, Friendswood, Galveston, Gilchrist, High Island, Hitchcock, Kemah, La Marque, League City, Port Bolivar, Santa Fe, Texas City.

Region Characteristics





Area Amenities

Things to Do, Recreation & Fitness










   Galveston County has a variety of outdoor recreational activities and programs for residents, visitors and seniors. The county has 390 square miles of parks, boat ramps and beach pocket parks, including over 40 facilities.

The city's tourist attractions include the Galveston Island Historic Pleasure Pier, Galveston Schlitterbahn waterpark, Moody Gardens botanical park, the Ocean Star Offshore Drilling Rig & Museum, the Lone Star Flight Museum, Galveston Railroad Museum, a downtown neighborhood of historic buildings known as The Strand, many historical museums and mansions, and miles of beach front from the East End's Porretto Beach, Stewart Beach to the West End pocket parks.

The Strand plays host to a yearly Mardi Gras festival, Galveston Island Jazz & Blues Festival and a Victorian-themed Christmas festival called Dickens on the Strand (honoring the works of novelist Charles Dickens, especially A Christmas Carol) in early December. Galveston is home to several historic ships: the tall ship Elissa (the official Tall Ship of Texas) at the Texas Seaport Museum and USS Cavalla and USS Stewart, both berthed at Seawolf Park on nearby Pelican Island. Galveston is ranked the number one cruise port on the Gulf Coast and fourth in the United States.


Cultural Activities





Galveston contains one of the largest and historically significant collections of 19th-century buildings in the United States. Galveston's architectural preservation and revitalization efforts over several decades have earned national recognition.

Located in the Strand District, the Grand 1894 Opera House is a restored historic Romanesque Revival style Opera House that is currently operated as a not-for-profit performing arts theater. The Bishop's Palace, also known as Gresham's Castle, is an ornate Victorian house located on Broadway and 14th Street in the East End Historic District of Galveston, Texas. The American Institute of Architects listed Bishop's Palace as one of the 100 most significant buildings in the United States, and the Library of Congress has classified it as one of the fourteen most representative Victorian structures in the nation.

St. Joseph’s Church was built by German immigrants in 1859-60 and is the oldest wooden church building in Galveston and the oldest German Catholic Church in Texas. The church was dedicated in April 1860, to St. Joseph, the patron saint of laborers.

Public transportation




Most cities such as Texas City, La Marque, League City, Galveston have bus transit systems that charge a minimal fee to transport passengers within the city. Some also offer transporation to Galveston (mostly work or medical related).

Medical Facilities


Galveston County is served by a major medical complex in Galveston and a private for-profit hospital in Texas City.

The University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston is a 1,200 bed, major medical complex of seven hospitals. The main general care hospital is John Sealy Hospital, with other on-campus hospitals specializing in women, children, burn victims, geriatrics, and psychiatrics. Currently, UTMB is certified as a Level I Trauma Center and serves as the lead trauma facility for the nine-county region in southeast Texas, including the Greater Houston area.[11]

The Mainland Medical Center, a 233 bed, private, for-profit hospital, operates in Texas City.[12]



What Will The Climate And Weather Be Like If I Retire In Galveston county, Texas?

Galveston County, TX, gets 50 inches of rain per year. The US average is 37. Snowfall is 0 inches. The average US city gets 25 inches of snow per year. The number of days with any measurable precipitation is 93.

On average, there are 204 sunny days per year in Galveston County, TX. The July high is around 90 degrees. The January low is 45. Our comfort index, which is based on humidity during the hot months, is a 27 out of 100, where higher is more comfortable. The US average on the comfort index is 44.

Monthly Temperature Ranges

 Month  Low  Avg  High
 Jan  45  53  62
 Feb  48  56  65
 Mar  54  62  71
 Apr  61  69  77
 May  69  76  83
 Jun  74  81  88
 Jul  76  83  90
 Aug  76  83  91
 Sep  71  79  87
 Oct  63  72  80
 Nov  54  63  72
 Dec  46  55  64

Monthly Average # of Hot and Cold Days

 Month  Days Greater Than 90 F°  Days Less Than 32 F°  Days Less Than 0 F°
 Jan  0  3  0
 Feb  0  1  0
 Mar  0  0  0
 Apr  0  0  0
 May  1  0  0
 Jun  9  0  0
 Jul  17  0  0
 Aug  19  0  0
 Sep  8  0  0
 Oct  0  0  0
 Nov  0  0  0
 Dec  0  2  0

Rain & Humidity

 Month  Rainfall  Rainy Days  Humidity
 Jan  4 "  10  46 %
 Feb  3 "  9  49 %
 Mar  3 "  8  54 %
 Apr  3 "  6  61 %
 May  4 "  7  68 %
 Jun  6 "  9  73 %
 Jul  4 "  9  75 %
 Aug  5 "  9  74 %
 Sep  6 "  10  71 %
 Oct  5 "  8  63 %
 Nov  4 "  8  56 %
 Dec  4 "  9  49 %

Snow

 Month  Snowfall  Snow On Ground Days  Snowy Days
 Jan  0 "  0  0
 Feb  0 "  0  0
 Mar  0 "  0  0
 Apr  0 "  0  0
 May  0 "  0  0
 Jun  0 "  0  0
 Jul  0 "  0  0
 Aug  0 "  0  0
 Sep  0 "  0  0
 Oct  0 "  0  0
 Nov  0 "  0  0
 Dec  0 "  0  0


Natural Disaster Areas



Cost of Living for Galveston county, TX

Galveston county, Texas cost of living for Housing, Healthcare, Transportation, Taxes, Utilities, etc.:

Cost of Living

Demographics

Race

Religion

Political Party

Age

Senior Housing Options





The city features an array of lodging options, including hotels such as the historic Hotel Galvez and Tremont House, vintage bed and breakfast inns, beachfront condominiums, and resort rentals.

Senior Assistance in Galveston county, TX

Galveston county, Texas offers the following assistance for seniors:


The Galveston County Senior Citizens Program (GCSCP) was established in 1976 to serve the needs of senior adults who are 60 years of age and older. The focus of the program is to enable individuals to continue being an integral part of their community, while keeping their dignity and sense of well being.

The goal of GCSCP is to enrich the lives of senior adults in Galveston County.

RECREATION Cards, bingo, needlework, quilting, pool, walking, exercise, and singing are just some of the activities provided for Senior Center members. Picnics, fishing, gardening, and other planned activities keep senior adults busy. Seminars are scheduled to give information on topics which are important to today’s senior adult. For the senior adult who is concerned about their health, medical screenings are regularly scheduled to assist in monitoring key health indicators.

MEAL SERVICES Well-balanced, nutritious lunches are prepared at a central kitchen. Menus are planned by a certified nutritionist to insure all meals meet one third of the nutritional requirements and are both appealing and attractive to senior adults. Additionally, educational programs on proper nutrition are provided on a regular basis.

Two meal programs available to senior adults in Galveston County are:

CONGREGATE MEALS Congregate meals are furnished at Senior Centers throughout the county. Congregate meals offer an opportunity for seniors to share a meal and fellowship with others. A dollar or $2.00 per day is suggested as a voluntary contribution for lunch. Meal tickets are available for 20 meals at $20.00

MEALS ON WHEELS The Meals on Wheels program provides not and frozen meals to homebound seniors and their spouses five days a week. The meals are available to senior adults who have a long term disability or who have recently been discharged from the hospital. A dollar of $2.00 per meal is suggested. Many volunteers are needed for this program to serve as a friendly contact to those who are home bound. These volunteers also visit the home bound for reassurance ant to provide services.

HOMEMAKING Homemaking is a service provided to homebound seniors who are unable to complete basic housekeeping chores due to illness or disability. Carefully screened and trained homemakers assist the senior adult in caring for their home. Light housekeeping, laundry, meal preparation, and other related chores are a part of the homemaking service. Assessments are complete on each individual to determine which housekeeping chores are needed. Reassessments are completed every 6 months to provide on-going care as needed. Financial contributions are requested for this service.

TRANSPORTATION Van service is provided for seniors who want to go to one of the Senior Centers for activities and lunch as well as to see a physician, or buy groceries. The vans are in service five days a week in selected locations. Seniors must call a day ahead to schedule a ride on a van. Contributions are requested for this service.

TELEPHONE REASSURANCE Telephone reassurance is offered to isolated or homebound senior adults. Volunteers make calls to seniors who need to hear a friendly voice and know someone cares. When necessary, volunteers remind the senior to take their medicine. These calls are made once per day and are usually limited to five or ten minutes.

LEGAL SERVICES/BENEFITS COUNSELING Legal Services offered through GCSCP are designed to help the senior adult who is in need of legal assistance. This program is a cooperative effort with the Galveston County Bar Association. Execution of simple wills, guardianships, tenant rights, benefits counseling, the Unnatural Death Act Directive, consumer rights, contract negotiations and benefits counseling are some of the areas in which seniors can request assistance. The GCSCP screens requests and, with volunteers from the Bar Association, matches attorneys whose specialties match the needs of the senior.

INFORMATION AND REFERRAL GCSCP, through its information and referral service, is equipped to inform senior adults and their family members about various agencies, support groups, medical facilities and many other community resources. Much of this vital information is only a phone call away by contacting any of the Senior Centers.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES Volunteer opportunities are available to anyone who can share some time, talent, and skills on a daily or weekly basis. Volunteers are needed in all of the programs throughout the County. The continuing goal is to recruit volunteers to help in the following area: classed at the centers in program and recreation areas; delivering meals on wheels; spending time with a shut-in to relieve family members from the stress of constant caregiving; small home repairs; grocery shopping and other related errands.

FEES FOR SERVICES The GCSCP offers its services to all senior adults on a contribution basis. All participants are encouraged to contribute to every program. These donations allow GCSCP to continue offering and expanding needed programs.

SOURCES OF FUNDING The GCSCP relies on a wide variety of support from both the public and private sector. These include, among others:

What Job or Volunteer Opportunities Does Galveston county Offer For Retirees?

The Texas City-La Marque Chamber has their Golden Division which is for people who are retired or over 50 that still want to be involved in the community events and activities.

Additional Information

Visitor Information


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