When getting ready to retire there is a bit of research someone should do. Staying put may be ideal, but it may just not be possible. Some states are just awful places to retire to. It’d be evident by their low retirement population. However, to save anyone trying to retire some time, here’s a list of the worst states in the US to retire to.
30. Alaska
Alaska’s an absolutely gorgeous state. Glaciers, vistas, and ocean-scapes, no place else in the US really has the same visage. Although, there is one major issue with living there, and that’s the harsh cold. For retirees with arthritis or other health concerns, shoveling snow and dealing with the low temperatures may be difficult on the body, making it generally unwise to stay there. There’s also the fact that a majority of the state’s supplies need to be imported, which affects the price of living.
29. Louisiana
When thinking about where to retire, people often want to go south. To states like Lousiana. It has good food and an incredible culture. Unfortunately, that doesn’t make it particularly good for retirement. Lousiana actually has the second highest homicide rate and tax burden as far as US states go. Not to mention, its health care rating is fourth from the bottom.
28. Kentucky
Kentucky has a nice temperate climate and plenty of opportunities to allow one to commune with nature. However, the state has two main issues that go hand in hand: high humidity and health care affordability. Kentucky is another state with a pretty low health care rating and high humidity. Health care has actually become less affordable in Kentucky over the past few years. And when high humidity can cause heat stroke or other health issues for retirees, it becomes all the more important to be able to get and pay for health care.
27. Illinois
Illinois has a mix of big city living and slow-paced suburban areas. There’s plenty of environments within it so that someone can always get the kind of exposure they want. However, while summers are pleasant, winters are freezing. Not to mention, finding a house is incredibly hard. Property taxes in the state are very high, something particularly bad for people on a fixed income. Then there are the high sales taxes for whenever you need to buy groceries.
26. Connecticut
Scenic small times, gorgeous suburban homes, and colorful foliage, Connecticut has a lot to offer. Unfortunately, it might not be the best place to retire to. Recent economic hardship in the state has led to significant cuts in Medicaid and other government programs. Then there are also the high taxes of the state. They even tax your Social Security benefits.
25. New Jersey
New Jersey gets a bad rep, but it’s not really that bad a location to live. There’s a reason they call it the Garden State. It’s just that it’s not a good place to retire to. With humid summers and cold winters there isn’t a lot of time to enjoy the outdoors. It’s also rather expensive to live in and has some of the highest property taxes in the country.
24. Rhode Island
Rhode Island seems like a nice, quaint place to live in. With all of its beaches, delicious food, and other amenities is sure seems like it. Although, it isn’t cheap to live here. Seniors in particular have a 22% higher cost of living when moving here. It also has some of the highest electricity prices in the country, as well as some of the worst roads and steepest taxes. Then, of course, there’s the high price of health care.
23. New Mexico
The southwest is considered one of the best regions for retirees in the country. It’s warm, has low humidity, and has a lot to offer for older citizens. Not to mention, the cost of living is normally lower. But, in New Mexico one needs to keep in mind the high and frequent taxes. Seniors are taxed on Social Security, retirement account distributions, and pension payouts. Just living here will cut your retirement saving down significantly.
22. Maryland
Maryland has a mild climate, is comfortable for people of any age to live in, and just offers quite a few opportunities for retirees. Unfortunately, it’s proximity to Washington D.C. leads to ridiculous traffic. Excluding just the inconveniences, it also has a high cost of living, with taxes on IRAs and expensive healthcare.
21. Indiana
Indiana actually has rather affordable housing and a cheap cost of living. On the other hand, it’s got cold winters and humid summers. There’s also its high annual homicide rate. Its healthcare score is also rather low, alongside there being few activities or communities for seniors.
20. Tennessee
Tennessee is the home of country music. There’s certain plenty of sights and sounds when you’re visiting. It’s got bustling cities and smaller towns. For seniors, the state even has affordable housing. Unfortunately, Tennessee has a rather high crime rate, even within smaller towns. The weather also isn’t particularly pleasant, being incredibly humid most of the time. Then there are the thunderstorms and tornadoes.
19. Ohio
With harsh winters and humid summers, Ohio’s another state retirees may want to avoid. There also aren’t many senior-friendly activities in the state, it’s either hiking or staying hime. Because of an overall lack of physical activity as well, Ohio has rather high medical and healthcare costs. Home prices are affordable, but there isn’t much else there for people who want to retire.
18. Wisconsin
Wisconsin is actually a state that’s actively having trouble attracting new citizens. Many are even trying to find their way out. That should be telling enough that it may not be the best idea to live there. It has a lot of the same issues with weather as in a lot of the previous states. And then there’s just an utter lack of things to go do. With multiple college towns it’s also not very friendly to retirees looking for a calm neighborhood.
17. Mississippi
In Mississippi, the weather is warm and the cost of living is low. Unfortunately, for seniors, there are just too many drawbacks. It’s home to the second-highest number of individuals at age 65 living in poverty. Life expectancy is also the third-lowest in the state, with many older adults not living past their early 80s. This probably has something to do with Mississippi’s low health care rating, with the worst senior health in the nation.
16. Washington
Washington has a high quality of life rating and it’s becoming popular among young adults. But, it’s definitely not the best option for seniors. Its quality of life is brought on by a high cost of living. Not to mention its common rain can make living for retirees with health concerns more challenging.
15. Nevada
Nevada sounds like a perfect state to retire to, with its warm weather and regular sunshine. However, it’s still expensive to live in. There’s also a high crime rate and the senior health ratings are abysmal. It’s not even easy for seniors to find a doctor or general practitioner.
14. South Carolina
South Carolina’s financially affordable, and it’s got great weather. But it’s home of one of the highest crime rates in the US. With multiple tourist attractions, it may also be quite difficult to get some peace and quiet. Then there’s the more obvious poor senior wellness scores and weaker healthcare ratings.
13. Minnesota
Minnesota isn’t just cold, it gets 44 inches of snow every year. The normal temperature through January is around 0.2 degrees. It’s hard enough to live in this environment if you’re young, but seniors can’t exactly be shoveling snow every day. Especially if cold weather bothers their joints. Then there are the high living expenses and high taxes. The state taxes everything, from Social Security benefits to retirement income.
12. Virginia
With generally mild weather, Virginia can be a good place to live. But it isn’t home to many retirees for a reason. There aren’t many senior activities, with most of the popular things to do in the state being tourist destinations. This makes it more difficult for seniors to enjoy the slower-paced life they’d be hoping for after retirement.
11. Arizona
Warm weather, golf courses, MLB spring training games, the Grand Canyon, Arizona seems to have it all. But then there’s the higher than average cost of living to consider. State taxes are also high. There’s also surprisingly few activities for seniors.
10. Utah
Utah’s probably a great place to live… if you retired with a lot of money that is. The medium income is the seventh highest in the US, at $53,000 per year. It’s also home to the lowest population of residents who are 65 or older, making it difficult to find peers. And, of course, Utah doesn’t rank particularly well when it comes to health care in comparison to the other states.
9. Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania already doesn’t get the best reviews for retirement living. Its average cost for assisted living is $3,700 a month. Its livability score is also 0.29 from Retirement Living. And then, of course, there’s healthcare. It’s so bad there that only 15% of Pennsylvania’s older residents have their own doctor.
8. Colorado
If you’re an outdoors type of person, you may have considered moving to Colorado. Unfortunately, its probably not the best place for you to retire to. Its outdoors activities, like hiking, biking, and skiing, are mostly for young people. Its growing state population has also been attracting more young people. And as a result, the cost of living has increased. Then, of course, there are the snowy winters.
7. Delaware
19% of Delaware’s residents are actually retirees. A fair amount of people, once they retire, just decide to stay. However, that doesn’t mean you should move there. Assisted living prices cost more than $5,700 a month. Its livability score is also only 0.25. The cost of living in the state is low, but that’s counteracted by the high healthcare costs.
6. Maine
Maine has that peaceful life that retirees would be searching for, but unfortunately it’s just too cold. It’s also not as populated as other states, causing there to be few hospitals and doctors that are easily accessible. This is the most trouble for those that develop mobility issues.
5. Georgia
Georgia seems like a great alternative to Florida. The weather’s warm, there’s a lot for older adults to do, and it’s just affordable to live in. Although, the state also ranks poorly compared to national averages for senior healthcare. Its senior wellness is ranked 44th out of 50. The medical services are just considered inadequate for seniors’ needs.
4. Michigan
The number of headlines relating to Michigan’s quality of life should be enough to deter retirees from living there themselves. But other than that, it has a few other issues as well. It has the largest swings between hot and humid in the summer to cold and snowy in the winter. Then there’s the expensive cost of living and the taxation of your Social Security benefits. And, of course, there’s healthcare and social life, which retirees will have trouble finding.
3. Massachusetts
Massachusetts has a lot of history, lively urban environments, and beautiful nature destinations. But it also has one of the highest costs of living in the country. High taxes, high bills, and high prices make it nearly impossible to live here off of a fixed income. It’s actually considered one of the top 10 most expensive places to live in the US. The state has a strong economy, but it won’t be fun paying your bills every month.
2. California
Being the third largest state in the US and having the largest population, California has a varied population and environments. It seems like a perfect place to retire to. Enjoy different hobbies, check out nature, do all kinds of things. Maybe even explore some tourist attractions. But you shouldn’t forget about how incredibly expensive it is to live there, no matter the age. The price of goods and housing is 52% higher than the national average. Then, of course, there’s the fact that seniors’ retirement income gets taxed.
1. New York
New York City itself may not be your speed, but the state’s not exactly small. It has plenty of suburban cities and natural sights for its citizens. However, like California, the state is still an incredibly expensive place to live. Living in the state gives you a cost of living 22% higher than the national average. And if you live in New York City proper, that number goes up to 138%. But the real reason is that it’s considered one of the worst states for seniors’ costs. You’ll be taxed on, or otherwise have to pay a high price for, healthcare, nursing homes, and other necessities as you get older.
