When the time comes to retire, many people are less likely to be tied down by a full-time job and the possibility to move to another state opens up. The desire to relocate could be for many reasons, such as being closer to family, more recreational activities, or simply wanting a change of scenery after being in one place for a long time.

There are additional factors to keep in mind that can make-or-break your retirement experience: safety, taxes, healthcare, and living expenses. Each factor varies by state, so it’s best to do your research before committing to a new destination. Use the following map to determine the best (and worst) states to retire.

A map showing the best states to retire in

 

Interesting Findings

  • Iowa is the best state overall for retiring. It ranked within the top 15 states for the lowest rates of identity theft, fraud, and violent crime. Iowa offers a lower cost of living, better healthcare, and lower home prices, making it safe and affordable.
  • California is the worst state for retiring. Its sky-high home prices and overall cost of living make it difficult for retirees to live. On top of that, it has more identity theft and fraud than almost any other state in the nation—not to mention fairly high crime rates.
  • Kentucky, Wyoming, or Vermont are the best states to retire in if you want to avoid identity theft and fraud.
  • The states with the best healthcare are Massachusetts, Minnesota, and Rhode Island. This is partially because all three states have some of the lowest average monthly health insurance premiums throughout the country.
  • Maine, Vermont, and New Hampshire have the lowest violent crime rates in the United States. On the flip side, the District of Columbia, Alaska, and New Mexico are the highest when it comes to crime.

A list of which states are the best to retire in and why

 

Methodology

To calculate the best and worst states to retire, we researched all 50 states and the District of Columbia on various factors that affect retirees. We analyzed recent data sets and resources on identity theft and fraud, FBI violent crime rates, tax policies for retirees, the overall cost of living, healthcare, and average home price, and combined the rankings to assign each state a total score.

StateRankTotal ScoreIdentity Theft/Fraud RankViolent Crime RankTaxes on Retirees RatingCost of Living RankHealthcare RankHome Price Rank
Iowa161121541389
Kentucky26317319276
Kansas37263652158
West Virginia483420316391
North Dakota5851117225525
Vermont68632540630
Ohio7872116415247
Mississippi888241311472
Wyoming991281213128
Maine1092913391426
Nebraska119313185172614
Oklahoma129453933404
Indiana13992029373010
Wisconsin1410417215241819
Michigan1510718384122213
Missouri161081043363511
Virginia171111942312035
Arkansas1811184725463
Minnesota191153610530232
New Mexico201211449342922
Rhode Island21122269541338
Pennsylvania2212330224331717
Idaho2312623113203336
Illinois241263432592521
Utah2512722124261944
Connecticut261273255431131
Hawaii27134714251951
South Dakota2813740333281023
Alabama29138314418495
New Hampshire301404834351337
Georgia3114541241105118
Colorado321462831232746
Massachusetts331492525446148
Montana3415037274361234
New Jersey351523365422343
Tennessee3615938481114516
North Carolina3716039283224820
Washington3816115232383647
Texas3916344344144324
Florida4016442301273727
Delaware4116646351342129
Louisiana4217245452185012
South Carolina4317247421234415
Maryland4417227404441641
Arizona4517429411294133
Oregon4618135193473245
New York4719343265492842
Alaska4819416502454239
District of Columbia492085151250450
Nevada5021149461373840
California5122050372483449