The No. 1 State to Retire in Might Not Even Be on Your Radar, According to a New Report

The results are in — and for once, Florida isn’t the winner.

By Amanda Breen edited by Jessica Thomas Dec 21, 2023

Key Takeaways

  • From climate to cost of living, healthcare access and more, retirees considering a move have a lot to consider.
  • CreditDonkey gathered data on nine factors across all 50 states to determine the best states for retirement.

Nearly one in four Americans (22%) hope to relocate to another state in retirement, according to a recent survey of 1,000 U.S. adults conducted by financial services company Empower.

Of course, there are a number of factors for retirees on the move to consider — from climate to cost of living, healthcare access and more.

Related: Looking to Retire? Here Are the Top Five States to Consider

With that in mind, it’s little wonder why Florida consistently appeals to the over-60 set. The warm weather, lack of income tax and abundant retirement communities make it the No. 1 destination for many retirees, per Travel + Leisure.

But what about some of the less obvious picks? Personal finance website CreditDonkey put together a report of its own to find out.

The study examined nine factors — average salary, annual utility bills, annual medical costs, food and beverage expenditure, car insurance costs, house prices and tax rates, crime rates, population over 65 and average temperature — in all 50 states, then factored its findings into an index score out of 100 for each state.

Related: This U.S. City Is One of the Most Desirable Places to Retire — and No, It’s Not in Florida

According to that metric, here are the top 10 states to retire in:

1. Mississippi

Score: 62.54

2. Alabama

Score: 62.33

3. Idaho

Score: 62.14

4. Iowa

Score: 60.91

5. Arkansas

Score: 59.98

6. North Carolina

Score: 59.45

7. Virginia

Score: 59.23

8. Kentucky

Score: 59.20

9. West Virginia

Score: 58.72

10. Oklahoma

Score: 58.65

Related: Young and Wealthy Professionals Are Moving To These 10 States, According to a New Report

Key Takeaways

  • From climate to cost of living, healthcare access and more, retirees considering a move have a lot to consider.
  • CreditDonkey gathered data on nine factors across all 50 states to determine the best states for retirement.

Nearly one in four Americans (22%) hope to relocate to another state in retirement, according to a recent survey of 1,000 U.S. adults conducted by financial services company Empower.

Of course, there are a number of factors for retirees on the move to consider — from climate to cost of living, healthcare access and more.

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Amanda Breen

Senior Features Writer at Entrepreneur
Entrepreneur Staff
Amanda Breen is a senior features writer at Entrepreneur.com. She is a graduate of Barnard College and received an MFA in writing at Columbia University, where she was a news fellow for the School of the Arts.

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