To analyze the best states for retirement, we first calculated the percent of each state’s population that’s age 65 and older, based on the most recent data from the U.S. Census Bureau. We then used U.S. News and World Report’s state health care rankings, which scored each state based on health care access, health care quality, and public health factors (rates of obesity, smoking, mental health disorders, and more), on a scale of 1 to 50 (1 being the best, 50 being the worst). Next, we examined Insure.com’s analysis of average cost of living by state, which is based on the costs of housing, groceries, transportation, utilities, health care, auto and home insurance, and other goods and services. Then, we compared each state’s cost of living to the national average, noting how much higher or lower it costs to live there, percentage-wise. We then included the total tax burden for each state, based on WalletHub’s comparison of property tax, income tax, and sales and excise taxes. We factored in what percentage of a resident’s total income on average goes to taxes. Lastly, to measure safety in each state, we totaled the number of crimes, including violent crime, property crime, and others, for each state, based on the FBI’s most recent Crime in the United States report. Once we had all the data, we assigned each of the five metrics a weighted value and plugged them into our exclusive algorithm to see where they scored on our Retirement Index, which is an 100-point scale with 100 being the best place to retire and 0 being the worst. Interestingly, Florida and Arizona, states typically thought of as popular with retirees, didn’t make the top 10. So, which states did? Read on to discover the best place to retire to in America and find out where your state falls in the mix. And for another state you may want to avoid, find out The Most Adulterous State in America. Read the original article on Best Life. Residents age 65 and older: 15.94 percent Health care ranking: 45 Cost of living above/below the national average: +0.71 percent Total tax burden: 9.15 percent Number of crimes per 100,000 residents: 3,814 Retirement Index Score: 0 Residents age 65 and older: 18.96 percent Health care ranking: 1 Cost of living above/below the national average: +98.49 percent Total tax burden: 11.48 percent Number of crimes per 100,000 residents: 3,119 Retirement Index Score: 4.83 Residents age 65 and older: 17.36 percent Health care ranking: 49 Cost of living above/below the national average: -10.83 percent Total tax burden: 8.98 percent Number of crimes per 100,000 residents: 3,457 Retirement Index Score: 12.85 And to see which parts of the U.S. may treat older people unfairly, This Is the Most Ageist State in the U.S. Residents age 65 and older: 18.01 percent Health care ranking: 34 Cost of living above/below the national average: -11.59 percent Total tax burden: 8.74 percent Number of crimes per 100,000 residents: 4,276 Retirement Index Score: 17.73 Residents age 65 and older: 16.35 percent Health care ranking: 50 Cost of living above/below the national average: -14.24 percent Total tax burden: 9.06 percent Number of crimes per 100,000 residents: 2,637 Retirement Index Score: 25.78 Residents age 65 and older: 12.52 percent Health care ranking: 25 Cost of living above/below the national average: +22.88 percent Total tax burden: 5.16 percent Number of crimes per 100,000 residents: 4,186 Retirement Index Score: 26.09 Residents age 65 and older: 16.05 percent Health care ranking: 47 Cost of living above/below the national average: -10.71 percent Total tax burden: 6.94 percent Number of crimes per 100,000 residents: 3,341 Retirement Index Score: 29.41 Residents age 65 and older: 17.33 percent Health care ranking: 46 Cost of living above/below the national average: -10.13 percent Total tax burden: 7.36 percent Number of crimes per 100,000 residents: 3,337 Retirement Index Score: 30.40 Residents age 65 and older: 12.88 percent Health care ranking: 37 Cost of living above/below the national average: -4.98 percent Total tax burden: 8.20 percent Number of crimes per 100,000 residents: 2,778 Retirement Index Score: 30.72 And for the place that is most likely to blur the truth, This Is the Most Dishonest State in America. Residents age 65 and older: 16.94 percent Health care ranking: 13 Cost of living above/below the national average: +45.04 percent Total tax burden: 12.28 percent Number of crimes per 100,000 residents: 1,791 Retirement Index Score: 31.28 Residents age 65 and older: 14.29 percent Health care ranking: 39 Cost of living above/below the national average: -9.27 percent Total tax burden: 7.98 percent Number of crimes per 100,000 residents: 2,900 Retirement Index Score: 33.53 Residents age 65 and older: 14.78 percent Health care ranking: 7 Cost of living above/below the national average: +48.53 percent Total tax burden: 9.27 percent Number of crimes per 100,000 residents: 2,828 Retirement Index Score: 33.94 And for the place where cannabis is quite popular, This Is the Most Stoned State in America. Residents age 65 and older: 17.30 percent Health care ranking: 41 Cost of living above/below the national average: -9.22 percent Total tax burden: 7.90 percent Number of crimes per 100,000 residents: 3,149 Retirement Index Score: 34.88 Residents age 65 and older: 16.10 percent Health care ranking: 31 Cost of living above/below the national average: +3.49 percent Total tax burden: 8.39 percent Number of crimes per 100,000 residents: 2,979 Retirement Index Score: 36.26 Residents age 65 and older: 16.32 percent Health care ranking: 33 Cost of living above/below the national average: -10.83 percent Total tax burden: 8.83 percent Number of crimes per 100,000 residents: 3,073 Retirement Index Score: 36.37 Residents age 65 and older: 18.20 percent Health care ranking: 36 Cost of living above/below the national average: -6.29 percent Total tax burden: 7.48 percent Number of crimes per 100,000 residents: 3,506 Retirement Index Score: 37.72 Residents age 65 and older: 18.16 percent Health care ranking: 17 Cost of living above/below the national average: +34.67 percent Total tax burden: 8.34 percent Number of crimes per 100,000 residents: 3,180 Retirement Index Score: 38.60 Residents age 65 and older: 16.74 percent Health care ranking: 43 Cost of living above/below the national average: -11.70 percent Total tax burden: 6.18 percent Number of crimes per 100,000 residents: 3,449 Retirement Index Score: 39.84 Residents age 65 and older: 16.80 percent Health care ranking: 44 Cost of living above/below the national average: -7.07 percent Total tax burden: 8.80 percent Number of crimes per 100,000 residents: 2,175 Retirement Index Score: 40.91 Residents age 65 and older: 16.13 percent Health care ranking: 40 Cost of living above/below the national average: -9.81 percent Total tax burden: 8.01 percent Number of crimes per 100,000 residents: 2,562 Retirement Index Score: 43.61 Residents age 65 and older: 17.51 percent Health care ranking: 35 Cost of living above/below the national average: -8.44 percent Total tax burden: 9.34 percent Number of crimes per 100,000 residents: 2,457 Retirement Index Score: 43.86 Residents age 65 and older: 15.73 percent Health care ranking: 38 Cost of living above/below the national average: -3.03 percent Total tax burden: 8.06 percent Number of crimes per 100,000 residents: 2,321 Retirement Index Score: 45.73 Residents age 65 and older: 16.70 percent Health care ranking: 30 Cost of living above/below the national average: -6.11 percent Total tax burden: 8.17 percent Number of crimes per 100,000 residents: 2,872 Retirement Index Score: 47.24 Residents age 65 and older: 14.63 percent Health care ranking: 12 Cost of living above/below the national average: +7.01 percent Total tax burden: 8.40 percent Number of crimes per 100,000 residents: 3,069 Retirement Index Score: 50.08 Residents age 65 and older: 17.98 percent Health care ranking: 23 Cost of living above/below the national average: -2.34 percent Total tax burden: 8.25 percent Number of crimes per 100,000 residents: 3,152 Retirement Index Score: 50.53 Residents age 65 and older: 15.89 percent Health care ranking: 4 Cost of living above/below the national average: +22.18 percent Total tax burden: 8.32 percent Number of crimes per 100,000 residents: 3,258 Retirement Index Score: 51.87 Residents age 65 and older: 16.12 percent Health care ranking: 22 Cost of living above/below the national average: -2.32 percent Total tax burden: 9.62 percent Number of crimes per 100,000 residents: 2,337 Retirement Index Score: 51.93 Residents age 65 and older: 20.48 percent Health care ranking: 48 Cost of living above/below the national average: -9.41 percent Total tax burden: 9.06 percent Number of crimes per 100,000 residents: 1,776 Retirement Index Score: 52.63 Residents age 65 and older: 16.15 percent Health care ranking: 27 Cost of living above/below the national average: -8.27 percent Total tax burden: 9.10 percent Number of crimes per 100,000 residents: 2,365 Retirement Index Score: 52.77 Residents age 65 and older: 15.87 percent Health care ranking: 8 Cost of living above/below the national average: +21.32 percent Total tax burden: 9.34 percent Number of crimes per 100,000 residents: 2,502 Retirement Index Score: 54.40 Residents age 65 and older: 11.41 percent Health care ranking: 9 Cost of living above/below the national average: -4.16 percent Total tax burden: 8.75 percent Number of crimes per 100,000 residents: 2,611 Retirement Index Score: 56.60 Residents age 65 and older: 19.32 percent Health care ranking: 28 Cost of living above/below the national average: +6.35 percent Total tax burden: 7.22 percent Number of crimes per 100,000 residents: 2,870 Retirement Index Score: 57.43 Residents age 65 and older: 16.32 percent Health care ranking: 10 Cost of living above/below the national average: +3.56 percent Total tax burden: 10.19 percent Number of crimes per 100,000 residents: 2,214 Retirement Index Score: 60.89 Residents age 65 and older: 17.14 percent Health care ranking: 42 Cost of living above/below the national average: +1.23 percent Total tax burden: 6.47 percent Number of crimes per 100,000 residents: 1,997 Retirement Index Score: 61.14 Residents age 65 and older: 17.17 percent Health care ranking: 32 Cost of living above/below the national average: -7.16 percent Total tax burden: 7.86 percent Number of crimes per 100,000 residents: 2,133 Retirement Index Score: 63.15 Residents age 65 and older: 17.68 percent Health care ranking: 24 Cost of living above/below the national average: -2.78 percent Total tax burden: 8.27 percent Number of crimes per 100,000 residents: 2,103 Retirement Index Score: 68.66 Want more state rankings, facts, and guides sent to you directly? Sign up for our daily newsletter. Residents age 65 and older: 20.94 percent Health care ranking: 29 Cost of living above/below the national average: +3.45 percent Total tax burden: 6.82 percent Number of crimes per 100,000 residents: 2,667 Retirement Index Score: 68.80 And to discover where you’ll find people most active between the sheets, This Is the Most Promiscuous State in America. Residents age 65 and older: 17.53 percent Health care ranking: 20 Cost of living above/below the national average: -8.88 percent Total tax burden: 9.53 percent Number of crimes per 100,000 residents: 1,942 Retirement Index Score: 69.11 Residents age 65 and older: 21.22 percent Health care ranking: 19 Cost of living above/below the national average: +14.60 percent Total tax burden: 10.57 percent Number of crimes per 100,000 residents: 1,470 Retirement Index Score: 69.40 Residents age 65 and older: 16.61 percent Health care ranking: 6 Cost of living above/below the national average: +24.28 percent Total tax burden: 9.88 percent Number of crimes per 100,000 residents: 1,613 Retirement Index Score: 69.89 Residents age 65 and older: 17.68 percent Health care ranking: 3 Cost of living above/below the national average: +21.59 percent Total tax burden: 9.99 percent Number of crimes per 100,000 residents: 1,888 Retirement Index Score: 71.16 Residents age 65 and older: 15.92 percent Health care ranking: 18 Cost of living above/below the national average: +9.54 percent Total tax burden: 7.93 percent Number of crimes per 100,000 residents: 1,866 Retirement Index Score: 71.99 Residents age 65 and older: 17.66 percentae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb Health care ranking: 5 Cost of living above/below the national average: +17.86 percent Total tax burden: 9.84 percent Number of crimes per 100,000 residents: 1,880 Retirement Index Score: 71.99 Residents age 65 and older: 16.27 percent Health care ranking: 26 Cost of living above/below the national average: -4.48 percent Total tax burden: 7.93 percent Number of crimes per 100,000 residents: 1,689 Retirement Index Score: 74.13 Residents age 65 and older: 20.04 percent Health care ranking: 11 Cost of living above/below the national average: +13.27 percent Total tax burden: 10.73 percent Number of crimes per 100,000 residents: 1,455 Retirement Index Score: 74.94 Residents age 65 and older: 18.70 percent Health care ranking: 21 Cost of living above/below the national average: +4.05 percent Total tax burden: 8.53 percent Number of crimes per 100,000 residents: 1,796 Retirement Index Score: 75.16 Residents age 65 and older: 17.47 percent Health care ranking: 14 Cost of living above/below the national average: -2.91 percent Total tax burden: 9.12 percent Number of crimes per 100,000 residents: 1,855 Retirement Index Score: 77.51 Residents age 65 and older: 16.97 percent Health care ranking: 2 Cost of living above/below the national average: +28.44 percent Total tax burden: 8.76 percent Number of crimes per 100,000 residents: 1,601 Retirement Index Score: 81.99 Residents age 65 and older: 19.40 percent Health care ranking: 15 Cost of living above/below the national average: +7.51 percent Total tax burden: 5.52 percent Number of crimes per 100,000 residents: 2,748 Retirement Index Score: 86.79 Residents age 65 and older: 18.67 percent Health care ranking: 16 Cost of living above/below the national average: +5.25 percent Total tax burden: 6.85 percent Number of crimes per 100,000 residents: 1,422 Retirement Index Score: 100.00 And for the major metropolitan areas that people like least, This Is the Most Hated City in America.
