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Our criteria for identifying the best or worst retirement state:
Taxes
- Income (Taxation of pensions and social security might be better or worse in different states)
- Sales (Not usually a deal breaker, but annoying)
- Property (Often the biggest state/local tax for a retiree. Some states have programs to help seniors control their property taxes)
- Inheritance and Estate (Some states have neither, a few have both)
Climate and Topography
Crime
Fiscal health of the state
Recreation
Transportation
Healthcare
Cost of living including housing
Education including colleges
Cultural resources
Natural disasters
Proximity to friends and family
Fitting in socially, politically, religiously
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The 10 Worst States for Retirement
Each state name has a link that goes to a more detailed retirement guide for that state. This list and its rankings are somewhat arbitrary, but we stand by the opinion that these states have many reasons why they should be considered for any worst places to retire list.
Lastly, please remember that our list might be totally irrelevant to many people. Folks for whom money or taxes are not important will find our worst 10 list of little value, because they have other considerations that are far more important.
For example, those who want to retire near their family members have such an important driver that the “worst” state on this list could be their “best”.
1. Illinois (PR). IL’s fiscal health could be the worst of any state. It has even borrowed money to fund its pension obligations. To be fair, however, we need to mention that IL does not tax pension or social security income, a definite plus for the state’s retirees.
2. California (PR). The Golden State is expensive and its finances are in serious disarray. Has paid bills with vouchers in the past. Does have a warm climate.
3. New York. Very high taxes, including property taxes. Second highest tax burden and 5th highest per-capita property taxes. Dysfunctional state legislature. Very expensive to live here. Most pensions are exempt, however.
4. Rhode Island (PR). Probably the worst off state in the Northeast from a financial viewpoint. High taxes. Does have some great places to live.
5. New Jersey(PR). The highest property taxes in the U.S. as well as the highest tax burden (as reported by the Tax Foundation) Has serious pension funding issues.
6. Ohio. High taxes (7th highest tax burden) and unemployment. Cold winters.
7. Wisconsin (PR). A high tax state (9th highest tax burden) with cold weather. High property taxes. But it does not tax military pensions.
8. Massachusetts. High taxes including high property taxes. Very high cost of living.
9. Connecticut. CT has the 3rd highest tax burden of any state, taxes social security, and has very high property taxes. It has some terrific places to live, but the cost of living is very high.
10. Nevada (PR). The foreclosure capital of the world. State is having financial problems. But it does not have an income tax (yet).
(PR) = This state mentioned as a problem in the Pew Report: “States in Fiscal Trouble”
Honorable Mentions:
Arizona (PR), Oregon (PR), and Florida (PR) are all frequently mentioned as problem states because of their unhealthy economies.
These high-growth states are having to deal with no growth, and the transition has been difficult. On the plus side, they (except for OR) have warmer climates and are popular with retirees. Florida does do not have an income tax, Oregon does not have a sales tax or tax social security or military pensions.
Kansas is mentioned along with IL as having the most unfunded pension problems. Vermont, one of the few states that taxes social security, has the 8th highest tax burden in the country. Michigan has taxes that are in the middle of the pack, but its economy is in terrible shape.
http://www.topretirements.com/blog/great-towns/our-worst-states-to-retire-list.html/
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For most people the best state to retire question is easy – some 80% or more retire in the state where they live now. But for those folks who are thinking about moving on down the road in later life, the reasons why some states are better for retirement than others generally boil down to:
- Climate. If you are looking to escape the cold winters of the northeast or Midwest, the Sunbelt might be appealing
- Cost of living. The coasts of the U.S. tend to be a lot more costly than the inland states. You can usually sell your expensive house in the Boston suburbs, move to a nicer one in the Carolinas or Tennessee, and still end up with money in the bank
- Tax-friendly. Although this shouldn’t be your only reason for moving to a new state for retirement, there are cost savings in states with low property taxes and no income or sales taxes. In addition, many states treat retiree income such as pensions and social security payments more favorably than other states (see links at end of article for more on these tax-friendly states)
- Lifestyle opportunities. Different states provide different lifestyle opportunities. From exciting cities to college towns to better and different recreational opportunities, some states can offer a superior lifestyle than the one you might have. For example, if hiking or skiing is your thing, moving to a western mountain state might be your personal answer to the question.
- Friends or family. The opportunity to be near children, grandchildren, and friends often trumps other reasons for moving anywhere. And it’s a good reason!
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Our List of the Best States for Retirement
Based on visits to the popular retirement guides at Topretirements.com, these are the most popular states to retire (in order). Follow the links to see the state guides:
1. Florida. Florida is blessed with the warmest winters in the U.S. and no income tax. There is property tax protection as well. Our visitors visit the Florida state retirement guide twice as often as they do #5 California’s
2. North Carolina. A smart choice for a milder year round climate. Great variety in terrain – from the ocean to the mountains
3. Tennessee. One of the lower cost states for retirement with great mountain scenery
4. South Carolina. Warm winters and wonderful towns like Beaufort, Hilton Head, and Clemson. Generally lower cost than up north. This was our guide to the Low Country.
5. California. People from the east tend to forget how big and varied this state is. From the ocean to the deserts, from the mountains to the Central Valley, there is sure to be something for everyone.
6. Arizona. Warmer winters and less humidity in summer. The state is loaded with active adult and 55+ communities
7. Texas. Lower cost of living in friendly towns. Texas has the most active program of Certified Retirement Communities of any state.
8. Colorado. Features many newer livable cities with expansive public parks and bike trails. The mountains and recreation they provide are a big part of the allure.
9. Oregon. Good year round climate and perfect for outdoors minded people. Our guide to southern Oregon towns.
10. Delaware A low tax state with coastal communities and fast-growing towns and developments on the Delmarva Peninsula.
11. Washington. Live in an exciting big city or a smaller college town. The mountains are always nearby, and there is a very long coastline.
12. Georgia. Lower cost, warmer winters. Great variety with towns on the coast and inland too.
13. New Mexico. One of the most under-rated states for retirement. Most of the state is at altitude so it never gets too hot. Don’t miss the guide we wrote recently on New Mexico retirement towns.
14. Virginia. For people who don’t want to move too far from the northeast Virginia might be a good choice. Pick from a long list of interesting historical towns and others near the water.
15. Kentucky. This growing state has a lot going for it when it comes to retirement. It has some of the lowest costs of living in the U.S. Many college towns, plenty of mountains, friendly people.
http://www.topretirements.com/blog/great-towns/what-are-the-best-states-for-retirement.html/
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Looking for the Most Tax-Friendly States?
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As you can see there are some states that are more tax-friendly than others.
But the answer for you might not be as simple as a list of the lowest tax states - you need to evaluate your particular situation for the states you are considering.
For example, if you have a military pension, you might want to consider a state that won’t tax it - all other things being equal. But if you have no income other than social security or an exempt pension, then the presence of an income tax is of no bearing to you.
In general the states with the lowest state tax burden are:
•Alabama
•Delaware
•Tennessee
•New Hampshire
•Alaska
Taxes are not always the whole story though. Consider Alaska, which has almost no taxes, but which for other reasons is one of the most expensive places you can live. Family and friends should be more important than taxes. If your children and friends live in a high tax state, moving far away from them just to save money on taxes might make you miserable.
Use this link to find the “20 Most affordable Places to Retire”
http://www.topretirements.com/state/Most_affordable_places_to_retire.html
Estate and Inheritance Taxes
There are 17 states that have estate taxes on top of the federal estate tax. A few other states have inheritance taxes (paid by your heirs on what they receive from your estate). See the Topretirements article, “Best States to Die In” for more details.
Find out more about taxation in the individual Topretirements state retirement guides
http://www.topretirements.com/state/most_tax-friendly_states_for_retirement.html
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Most Affordable Places to Retire
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Topretirements used our free Retirement Ranger tool to select from our 450 town database, using the following criteria:
- Housing price less than $200,000 (the national median is about $170,000)
- Culture rating is “high” - at least 111 on the index system used at Topretirements
- Lowest 25 states in terms of Tax Burden (from the Tax Foundation)
Here are the top 20 results for the most affordable retirement towns in the US (that are also interesting places to live):
1. Fort Myers, FL $84,000
2. St. Petersburg, FL $120,000
3. Phoenix, AZ $132,000
4. Corpus Christi TX $133,000
5. Tampa FL $140,000
6. Aiken SC $140,000
7. Clearwater FL $142,000
8. Morgantown WV $142,000
9. Las Vegas, NV $142,000
10. Knoxville TN $145,00
11. Mesa AZ $145,000
12. Sioux Falls SD $146,000
13. Myrtle Beach SC $147,000
14. Pensacola FL $148,000
15. DallasFort Worth TX $150,000
16. Branson MO $150,000
17. Tallahassee FL $150,000
18. San Antonio TX $153,000
19. Clemson SC $155,000
20. Columbia MO $159,000
Al the towns making this list are relative bargains compared to many other best places to retire.
They make interesting places to retire where there is plenty of culture and where there are nice neighborhoods to live in. That said, some people will find places on the list that are more or less appealing than others. The point is, if you are looking for an affordable place to retire that is also an interesting place to live, this list is a good place to start.
http://www.topretirements.com/state/Most_affordable_places_to_retire.html
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Best Places for Retired Military
Category: Best Retirement Towns and States
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USAA is a financial services company that primarily serves military personnel and their families. Military.com is a website serving military personnel.
Here are their top 10:
1. Waco, TX
2. Oklahoma City, OK
3. Austin/Round Rock, TX
4. College Station/Bryan, TX
5. Harrisburg/Carlisle, PA
6. San Angelo, TX
7. Madison, WI
8. Pittsburgh, PA
9. New Orleans.Metairie/Kenner, LA
10. Syracuse, NY
One of the best things about the USAA list was its criteria for selection – all extremely important for retired military personnel.
Those factors included unemployment rate, taxation of military pensions, number of colleges, proximity of VA hospital and military installation, and median home price. Another nice feature of the list was that it provided different lists for Military, Large, Medium, and Small Metros.
For example, San Angelo, TX was rated #1 in the Small Metro list, and Oklahoma City was #1 in the Large Metro.
http://www.topretirements.com/blog/great-towns/best-places-for-retired-military.html/