All states have their own benefits and downsides to retirement. Some places offer a better quality of life through social services and medical care, but they also have higher prices and smaller homes.
The list just came in for the best and worst states for people to retire in this year. Many viewing the list were surprised to find that big blue states known for their outrageous home prices, like New York and California, were nowhere near the top of the list.
How Were the State’s Ranked?
The list was compiled based on a specific set of categories. All 50 states were micro-analyzed so that each factor was considered for the list.
The five categories are affordability, overall well-being, quality and cost of health care, weather, and crime. To arrive at the final numbers, datasets from each state, as well as information from the Council for Community and Economic Research and the U.S. Census Bureau, were taken into account.
Alaska
Alaska is the absolute worst state in the U.S. for people to retire in 2024, having held the title for the past three years.
Notably, Alaska is dead last in the weather category. While summer temperatures can range from 45 degrees to 75 degrees Fahrenheit, winter temperatures, which last for seven or more months, dip down to negative 10 degrees regularly. It also takes immense manpower and money to get resources to Alaska, making everything from food to medical care and even clothing extremely expensive.
New York
Many people will be unsurprised to hear that ultra-expensive New York is number two on the list of worst places for people to retire in.
The cost of living in New York is about 30% higher than the national average, making it tough for people on a fixed income to survive. The state’s larger cities are also well known for having high levels of crime and overly cold winters with yearly storms.
Washington
Washington is another blue state that will be one of the worst places for retirees to live in 2024.
With extremely gloomy weather all year round and high housing costs, the PNW makes for a fairly depressing place to live, especially for seniors.
California
While California is certainly high on the list, it depends on where you go in the state for a better quality of life. Southern California has some of the highest housing costs in the country and high crime rates.
However, central desert cities and northern coastal towns near wine country can be perfectly affordable while still offering the same sunny weather that plenty of retirees plan for.
North Dakota
Bankrate ranks North Dakota as the fifth worst state for retirees to live in. Its combination of intense winter weather and middle-of-the-road affordability makes it one of the least appealing places for seniors to spend their golden years.
Many retirees who want to get out in nature for fishing, hunting, or hiking complain that the flat state seriously lacks the magic of National Parks, forests, and lakes.
Massachusetts
Although plenty of cultural and outdoor activities are available in New England, many people decry the high cost of living along with the overly expensive healthcare, food, transportation, and utilities.
Retirees tend to stay away from this state unless they already own their home to use the equity.
Colorado
This state ranked as one of the worst for “older adult falls” in 2021. During that year, more than 920 deaths were caused by falls, which is a high risk for seniors today.
The harsh winters and rough terrain make it difficult for senior citizens and retirees to get around safely for about half the year in Colorado. However, it still makes an excellent spot for a fishing vacation once a year.
Maryland
Maryland might seem like a slow, idyllic New England state, but it ranks low because of its “mediocre scores on culture and weather.”
Culture was determined by several factors, mainly art, entertainment, recreation establishments, and restaurants. Along with the extremely cold winters, Maryland is not a great place to grow roots late in life.
Texas
The size of Texas and the amount of rural communities often make it hard for seniors to reach healthcare facilities and doctors when needed.
According to experts on the state, “One of the most significant disadvantages of living in the Lone Star State is healthcare,” he said. While Florida has 222 hospitals for 22.2 million people, Texas has 377 facilities for 30.5 million. While it sounds like an even number, Texas is 4.8 times bigger than Florida, causing people to drive for hours to reach the closest emergency room.
Minnesota
Despite having a higher quality of life than many of the other states on the list, Minnesota suffers from high taxes and harsh winters.
However, in recent years, the state of Minnesota has been rising in rates of quality jobs, healthcare accessibility, free school lunches, and strong unions. But for seniors, paying a tax premium isn’t always worth it.
