To create this list, Bankrate analyzed all states across five categories with assigned weights:
- Affordability: Cost of living, taxes (40%).
- Well-being: Sense of community, entertainment (25%).
- Healthcare: Quality, cost, and access to health services (20%).
- Weather: Average annual temperatures, natural disasters (10%).
- Crime: Property and violent crime rates (5%).
One overall rank for each state was then calculated. The higher the number, the worse the ranking.
Which U.S. State is the Worst for Retirement?
By glancing through this graphic, it’s apparent that the worst states to retire in are those that are expensive and cold.
| Overall Rank | State | Affordability | Weather |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50 | Alaska | #41 | #50 |
| 49 | New York | #49 | #37 |
| 48 | Washington | #47 | #34 |
| 47 | California | #50 | #12 |
| 46 | North Dakota | #26 | #48 |
| 45 | Massachusetts | #48 | #31 |
| 44 | Colorado | #39 | #42 |
| 43 | Maryland | #46 | #14 |
| 42 | Texas | #26 | #7 |
| 41 | Minnesota | #32 | #49 |
Note: This table has been divided in two for legibility. It’s meant to be considered as a whole with the second part below.
The logic behind the analysis is clear. Older adults are more sensitive to colder weather due to thinner skin, fat loss, and a slower metabolic rate. And of course, living on a fixed pension means that states with a higher cost of living are automatically harder to retire in.
| Overall Rank | State | Well-being | Healthcare | Crime |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 | Alaska | #26 | #44 | #49 |
| 49 | New York | #4 | #32 | #15 |
| 48 | Washington | #30 | #3 | #34 |
| 47 | California | #15 | #6 | #38 |
| 46 | North Dakota | #37 | #36 | #18 |
| 45 | Massachusetts | #8 | #29 | #10 |
| 44 | Colorado | #28 | #2 | #37 |
| 43 | Maryland | #19 | #15 | #29 |
| 42 | Texas | #47 | #35 | #38 |
| 41 | Minnesota | #25 | #7 | #17 |
Note: This table has been divided in two for legibility. It’s meant to be considered as a whole with the first part above.
Ranked 49th, New York is the second-worst state for affordability and ranks below-average for weather and healthcare.
The affordability metric also drags down Washington and California, despite them scoring well on all other metrics except crime.
Source: Visual Capitalist
