Best and Worst Places to Retire Lists: Worth the Time It Takes to Read Them?
Category: Best Retirement Towns and States
April 6, 2016 — Are any of the Best States to Retire” lists you see so frequently worth the few minutes it takes you to read them? That is a pretty good question, since A: there are so many to read, and B: they seem to contradict themselves more than they agree. This article will illustrate the many ways that 2 recent lists differ from one another, along with the few ways they coincide. We will also see how these lists best and worst selections compare with the last 2 editions of Topretirements “Best (and Worst) States” lists. All of which has us shaking our heads at the general lack of agreement!
Every time we publish one of these types of lists we can count on a few readers taking a shot at why we picked this or that place, or why we didn’t include yet another. That is understandable, as even when objective criteria are used to make the selections, there is still some subjectivity that can’t be avoided. Not only that, so much depends on an individual’s own retirement preferences. If you, for example, love the full range of 4 seasons, Georgia is never going to make you happy. If you need a certain type of medical facility because of your health, any location with that resource could be a good place to retire. Likewise if you like the beach or mountains, the prairies are not going to float your boat. Another problem is that states are usually so big and so diverse that it is dangerous to generalize about them – within any state there are surely many nice, and not so great, areas.
The 2 lists we examined were one from Bankrate.com, “States Ranked from First to Worst for Retirement“, and LPL Financial, “Which State is the Most Desirable for Pre-Retirees“. Both lists used fairly similar selection criteria which included: Cost of living/financial, crime rate, community well-being, health care/wellness, tax rate, economic climate and weather.
Overall observations
The top 10 and bottom 10 states from each list are shown below. There were 5 states (shown in bold) that made the top 10 on both lists. That is not too surprising, as they shared more or less the same criteria. The states at the bottom of desirability were not so coincident – only 3 states shared worst honors in both lists.
Interesting choices. A few choices on these best lists were fairly obvious. Wyoming and South Dakota (chosen by both sources), neither of which have state income taxes or much crime, and which also have fairly robust economies, are frequently selected as top states for retirement. Tennessee, Arizona, Colorado, and Delaware are frequently listed as great states – no surprises there. But other “Best State” choices were curious – Nebraska, Missouri, and Iowa might be very pleasant places, but we don’t see many folks ready to throw their golf clubs in the retirement wagon and head off for the plains. On the “Worst” side of the equation we agree with some choices; Connecticut and New York (along with New Jersey and Illinois) have always been near the top of every worst state for retirement list from Topretirements. Alaska’s weather makes it an obvious choice as a low ranking place to retire. But we are puzzled at the inclusion of Arizona on the LPL worst list (oddly – ranked #9 Best by Bankrate). Nevada, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Oregon seemed to be curious selections to be included in the 10 worst ranking retirement states, as they each have some great places to retire and a generally friendly environment for retirees.
Strange exclusions. Most of all we were astonished at the absence of Florida and to a certain extent, Texas, on the top 10 of either list. As you might recall in a recent Topretirements’ article, The Villages is the fastest growing Metro in the U.S. Several other parts of Florida and Texas are also among the fastest growing Metros. Neither state has an income tax, they have many first-rate medical facilities, and their winters range from mild to warm. The same could be said for Nevada, which was ranked #44 for pre-retirement by LPL. How could FL, TX, and NV not make the top 10 when so many people are in fact retiring there? Why New Jersey and Illinois, with their high taxes and rocky finances, did not rank worse is also a mystery (at least NJ was #47 on the LPL list). See the Topretirements Best and Worst selections below for more comparison fun.
Best States
Here are the top 10 “Best” states from both lists. States that made both lists are in bold.
The Bankrate.com Top 10
1 Wyoming
2 South Dakota
3 Colorado
4 Utah
5 Virginia
6 Montana
7 Idaho
8 Iowa
9 Arizona
10 Nebraska
LPL Financial “Top Ranking States”
1 Virginia
2 South Dakota
3 Wyoming
4 Michigan
5 Iowa
6 Tennessee
7 Minnesota
8 Nebraska
9 Delaware
10 Missouri
Worst States
These were the lowest ranking states for retirement according to Bankrate.com and LPL. States that made both lists are in bold.
Bankrate’s 10 Worst)
41 Maryland
42 Connecticut
43 Alaska
44 Oklahoma
45 Hawaii
46 Louisiana
47 Arkansas
48 Oregon
49 West Virginia
50 New York
LPL Financial’s 10 Worst
42 Louisiana
43 South Carolina
44 Nevada
45 Arizona (Note: AZ was #9 on the Bankrate best list!)
46 New Mexico
47 New Jersey
48 Oregon
49 New York
50 Alaska
51 California
Topretirements 10 Best
Our “10 Best States for Retirement” article dates from 2012. You will see a strong preference for the Sunbelt, and that for the most part our choices were very different from those of LPL and Bankrate.com. Look forward to an update of this article in the near future.
Tennessee
Texas
Louisiana
Mississippi
Alabama
Arkansas
Florida
Oklahoma
Georgia
Nevada
Topretirements 10 Worst
As promised, here are the 10 Worst States for Retirement from the last time we published that list at Topretirements (2014). Our criteria were fairly similar to those used by LPL and Bankrate, although we added recreational opportunities as a factor. In the article linked to above you will see find some short bullet points on the pros and cons of each state that might be helpful.
New Jersey
Illinois
Wisconsin
Nebraska
Michigan
Vermont
Ohio
Connecticut
Rhode Island
New York
Bottom line
Getting back to the original question – are these lists worth reading? Yes – at least for entertainment and to learn more about the factors that go into making a great state for retirement. In our comparison we did not see all that much agreement – so at least someone is off the mark! All of which leads us back to this mantra: check out different places to retire yourself. Visit to see if different states can deliver on the factors that are important to you, and offer you a happy retirement. You can find out a lot about different places to retire from lists like these, but for heavens sake don’t pick any state or town without checking it out yourself!
Comments? We look forward to your comments and observations in the Comments section below.
Comments on "Best and Worst Places to Retire Lists: Worth the Time It Takes to Read Them?"
Ralph S says:
Every depends on what you want. If you enjoy trout fly fishing, skiing, the Southern States will not make it. If you want all year golf, the North will not make it. There is give and take but you have to feel comfortable. Zero State income tax sounds great until you find out there are other taxes that will make up for it. Somehow, someway roads, schools have to be paid for. Hidden is the car registration that make up for the "no state" income tax.
Tim says:
Best and worst of lists help me to note a place I might not have thought of on my own. Because, as everyone has noted, happiness is so subjective and personal, these lists shouldn't be called Best/Worst. They should simply be hey, here is a list of places people are going to and here are the facts about these places.
Gary Altergott says:
I have found Missouri to be quite a pleasant place to live. Being as it's in the center of the country, I can get to Lambert Airport in St. Louis in a matter of minutes and be anywhere in the U.S. in a few hours. The cost of living is reasonable, the topography is anything but bland and the weather, while famously humid in summer, is quite pleasant year round. "A person will always be as happy as they set their minds to" - Abraham Lincoln.
Alan Riddle says:
I moved from California to Meridian, Idaho in 2005. I have never regretted it. The Boise area has all that a larger city offers but the pace is much slower. Since our 10 years here we have seen a lot of growth and upgrades to roads and conditions. It is a great area to live with affordable housing and overall prices for goods below average. The weather is 4 seasons and we have not experienced any weather that would make us leave. It is a beautiful area. Big city life that can be wide open nature 1 hour any direction you go.
Valerie L. says:
Gary, Old Abe had it absolutely right, because a lot of people aren't happy regardless of wherever they may decide to live. Granted there are pro's and con's of living anywhere. However, there's no such place as Shangri-La here on Earth!
Larry says:
These lists are wildly divergent in their conclusions and rankings, they are often "fooled" by such misdirections as no state income tax (as Ralph quite articulately points out above), and they totally ignore where vast majorities of folks are choosing to retire. They may be "entertainment," as the editor points out, but they are decidedly irrelevant to any people considering a relocation from one state to another. If they come to the wrong conclusions about "the factors that go into making a great state for retirement," then they are a waste of time for some and dangerous for those who either haven't done their homework or are too lazy to do so.
sunlovingal says:
What a waste of time..these lists are so convoluted. I would expect more from this site then this mixed up information.
Ralph says:
I am surprised that Maryland always seems to turn up on the worst places lists. As a former Pennsylvania resident (a state often ranked very high for retirement), I can attest to the fact that my tax burden (especially real estate) is much lower in Maryland - approximately 50 percent lower. Also, Maryland's income tax structure is much more friendly to seniors and "pre-seniors" than any of the eastern states that I have researched. While it may appear that Maryland's state income tax is higher than most, a little research will quickly reveal that the state's aggregated tax burden is actually quite friendly. Can't beat life on the Eastern Shore!
Knight says:
I'm surprised that there isn't some metric or formula that digests the answers from a personal survey and scores those results with a database, much like the dating websites, and yields an individualized top ten.
Art Bonds says:
While I agree with Valerie that there’s no such place as Shangri-La here on Earth, some places do get close. But what I really want to avoid by reading these lists and comments is those places that can be classified as Hell on Earth.
And to make matters more complicated, sometimes a community can actually be both. One persons amenity rich community can be another persons overcrowded nightmare (The Villages come to mind...).
Louise says:
Has anyone considered Puerto Rico as a retirement place?
ella says:
Knight, I think TaxFoundation.org comes closest to what you're describing, although it doesn't factor in personal information. However, even then the information can be quite misleading. I recently read an article which used their data, comparing seven states. I looked at the two i'm interested in. The first they had listed as the 8th best (in the US) for tax burden; the second was 16th best. After i did the math, i discovered the difference was only $200 - $300 annually! For that reason, the numbers can be quite misleading! Data 'out there' has to be put into context to make sense. And yet, this is something we all want to know!
Larry says:
Louise, regarding Puerto Rico, I'd steer clear of any entire state or commonwealth that is on the verge of bankruptcy. Government services and other quality of life issues will be affected. Whether PR is bailed out or not, it appears it will suffer a difficult upcoming years.
Larry says:
Indeed, all such lists are confusing and, taken together, mind numbing in how different their conclusions are. A dedicated reader of my blog site just sent me yet another of these, a 2015 study by a financial services organization that publishes letter grades for each state based on its friendliness to pre-retirees. The only state in the Southeast, a region I cover for my business, that receives an 'A' rating is Virginia; North Carolina, Georgia and Alabama are assigned grades of 'C' and South Carolina and Florida earn a barely passing 'D.' (Guess all those folks TopRetirements reports heading for The Villages did not get the word.) That said, even with a 'D,' Florida should look pretty good to folks currently living in California, New York and New Jersey, which failed miserably with grades of 'F.' One would think the failure of the big population states was about taxation and cost of living, but Florida (because of no state income tax) and South Carolina (because of low property taxes and other costs) imply otherwise (although Florida, at least, gets its pound of flesh from retirees in other ways). The six categories LPL, which did the study, used seem customary and unremarkable: financial, healthcare, housing, community quality of life, education and employment, and wellness. Check it out for yourselves: http://lpl-research.com/~rss/Thought_Leadership/TL_Retirement_Index.pdf
says:
It would be interesting to see the best 10 based ONLY on cost of living, insurances, taxes and medical.
Norm says:
Larry,
Great web site, thanks, One comment I have is that Arizona which got low marks for health yet my brother who recently moved to Tucson said he disagrees with that.
ella says:
Larry, Thanks for you addition. Whereas Virginia is on my radar, i'm interested in the EXTREME SW SECTION OF THE STATE. My thought is that the more populated and cosmopolitan ares (North and East) bring up the rating. Consequently, my little bit of paradise perhaps would not receive such a high rating if the state were divided into sections. Thoughts?
Joann says:
Larry - very interesting list. I question how they ranked Healthcare score for AZ= score F and WV=score B? I mention this after viewing a tv show discussing how NPs were working out of an old RV visiting communities to offer healthcare. AZ with it's huge population of retirees is where I would expect to have numerous doctors and better medical facilities. We have to do so much research to get through these misleading articles....
Loral says:
I live in Phoenix, and we have some of the best hospitals, including Mayo Clinic , Banner Hospital, St Josephs, which does research and has received many awards...and lot's others here. Excellent doctors here! That article is way off. See below:
St. Joseph's Awards
St. Joseph's is known for excellence in patient care, medical education, research, and as an employer of choice. Please see below for awards that St. Joseph's has received.
2015
Named by U.S. News and World Report as a Top 25 Hospital in the nation for neurology and neurosurgery
Named Top 50 Cardiovascular Hospitals by Truven Health
Named recipient of HealthGrades Specialty Excellence Awards™ in Neurosciences, Neurosurgery, Gastrointestinal Care, General Surgery and Stroke Care
Listed in the 100 Great Hospitals in America by Becker's Hospital Review
Named the only hospital in the nation to receive Joint Commission’s certification in Stroke, TBI and Perinatal services
Became 1st hospital in Arizona to receive Joint Commission Perinatal Care certification for labor through postpartum care
2014
Named Top 50 Cardiovascular Hospitals by Truven Health
Recipient of HealthGrades Specialty Excellence Awards™ in: Neurosciences, Neurosurgery, Gastrointestinal Care, General Surgery and Stroke Care
Listed in the 100 Great Hospitals in America by Becker's Hospital Review
2013 and the list goes on in other years!!!
Larry says:
Norm and Joann, I share the skepticism about how the site graded Arizona healthcare. It is anecdotal, but a friend specifically moved there so that he could be near the Mayo Clinic outpost for his wife's health needs. Since then, he developed a quirky and serious ailment and is happy to be there. They lived in a beautiful community in NC before AZ, but circumstances often dictate relocations. Not sure whether, overall, AZ is over- or underrated as a place to live, but healthcare certainly doesn't deserve an 'F.' Ella, my son attended college in what I guess is the SW area of Virginia, Lexington. It is, as you suggest, nothing like the area around D.C., but Roanoke is a nice, functional small city with an excellent healthcare system (as I understand), some decent restaurants and both cultural and recreational outlets. Once you get south and southwest of Roanoke, it is very rural, with all the lack of services and the attitudes that typically entails -- for better or worse. By the way, a better guide to "best places for retirement" are those places where retirees are headed. A web site called Governing uses census data which doesn't lie (unless you are a conspiracy theorist). Their compilation of the data points toward areas of Florida and Myrtle Beach as having high net migration numbers for retirees. Here's the link: http://www.governing.com/topics/urban/gov-census-population-data-sun-belt.html
elaine says:
I enjoy the lists...take whatever info is useful and ignore most of it. Sometimes you may not know something that could be important to you. When I first moved to Birmingham AL, I was not aware of tornados in that area or that they came mostly at night...surprised my Kanas friends when they came to visit.
Always keep in mind that STATE-WIDE data is only useful for a few things. I loved Chapel Hill, but not Wilmington NC...hmmm
says:
I think these list have narrowed my chances of being swayed wrong. I appreciate everyone's posts and opinions. It enabled me to choose four States before I got "personal" with those four States.
ella says:
I agree with Elaine's comment regarding State-Wide data. Only useful for a few things (perhaps very few).
Dave Moewes says:
We moved to Mesa, Arizona, in 2007 from Minnesota. We thought we received excellent healthcare in Minnesota, but the quality of medical care here in Arizona is well above what we received there. I have the best set of doctors that I have ever had. I have been able to get into to see my primary care provider on a same day basis a number of times and almost always within two - three days. My dentist is heads and shoulders above what we had previously. I have a lot of issues with living in Arizona but medical care is not one of those.
Louise says:
Dave Moewes, can you tell us your 'issues' living in AZ?
I have never been to AZ and find the State intriguing. I have been to Aruba and I can imagine the terrain being similar, however no ocean!
How did you choose what city to live in? How did you narrow your choices?
Good to hear there is good medical care there.
Admin says:
This comment came in from Pat and we moved it here to be a better fit:
Last year we spent some time in Florida looking for the perfect retirement community. We went to the Villages, Del Webb properties, Top of the World, and many others in and around Ocala. We found them all to be pretty expensive for a retirement budget. Looking now in the Spring Hill area and really like what we see. Planning on another “retirement site-seeing” trip soon.
Dave Moewes says:
Arizona is not a very good place for people with allergies. Since there is something growing/blooming almost every day of the year, there is no down time to let your immune system rest up as the cold weather does in the north. Compounding that problem is the frequency of dust storms during the monsoon season. I have to take monthly allergy shots to be able to stay here and, in fact, my doctor has advised me to move. But all places have some allergy problems. Urban air pollution and ozone also play a factor for those with respiratory diseases.
More problematic for me is legislation being passed in Arizona. The state is becoming too red politically for me.
Maryann Barnes says:
I am currently looking for a place to spend the rest of my and I can't make up my mind. I live in Virginia Beach, Va, and thou a great place for families, not singles.
I have to be in the ocean.
Can anyone tell me about Venice Beach, Naples, Sarasota area who actually lives there or did live there?
I hear all kinds of things and would like to hear from someone who really knows?
I want to be with singles my age who are active plus move to an area where it is safe and have friends.
Thanks, Maryann
Penny says:
My husband and I currently live in and love Boston, except for the long winter. We are hoping for a city, quick beach access and golf, Jacksonville is on our radar. Any insight from people who live or have lived there would be appreciated. Thank you.
Jim says:
Check out Ponte Vedra , My wife and I have lived at the Del Webb here for almost two years. Ponte Vedra is located between Jax and St Augustine . It's worth a look . Good luck , Jim
says:
When I first started out preparing for my retirement, my only thought was a warmer area. By reading I found there was much to consider, and used this link to keep things realistic. http://ftmdaily.com/economic-crisis/retirement-crisis-economic-crisis/the-5-best-states-for-retirees-on-a-budget/ From 2014, and then finding topretirements with people blogging, I was able to narrow my choices down to slightly lower taxes which pay for everyone's well-being, with better health care and reasonable cost of living for the amenities of my choice. I have a year left, to analyze the cities in four States. Happy hunting!
Art Bonds says:
Hey Dey, which four states have you settled on and why? Your insight is appreciated here!
Thanks, Art
says:
The panhandle of Florida(Several towns with family, great health care, and taxes), S. Carolina(2 towns near daughter, cheaper property per sq ft.,diversity), Tennessee(3 towns, near son, great health care,no income tax) and Georgia(few towns, friends,cost of living, taxes). Those are their pluses, the personal things I am looking for are there. Choosing a place to retire is reflective of your personal needs and desires. Got to thank everyone for their opinions which helped. I like the blogs on "dueling" states, which brings out the pro's and con's of an area! Wish they had ten best cities/towns in each State. Lol! Appreciate your input the blog, Art. Thx
Brenda says:
My husband and I are interested in Gainesville, Florida as a possible location for retirement. I noticed the two Gainesville active communities listed on Top Requirements include assisted living options. Does anyone have suggestions for areas of Gainesville ( including 55 plus communities) that would have low crime rates but would also be close to shops, medical facilities, restaurants, fitness, parks, trails and recreation?
John says:
As a relatively new resident of TN, don't get too pumped about "no taxes", it's a fooler. They use it to claim that's it is a "low" COL state, but that's hogwash. Sales tax in Knoxville is 9.75% one of the highest in the country and many communities have to max out that tax just to pay the bills. Some counties/cities tax you twice on real property-one for the city, once for the county. Gas prices are higher here than in many other parts of the country, low sales tax on gasoline and crappy roads to show for it. Housing is poorly built and demands high $$ for what you get....basic 3 bed 1 bath, asking $125 per sq foot. GLUT of $400K+ houses, sellers market at $250K and below. High auto insurance due to poor driving. Lots of hoopdys (rolling total wrecks) on the road as there's no required safety inspections. Compare to GA, (recently travelled to Gainesville, GA near Atla) where they don't tax SS or retirement income but over a certain amount, 6% nominal rate, but who pays that?? Probably less than 3% effective rate of net taxable income. Less sales tax, greater variety of homes and prices, great roads, air service, medical....leaning towards GA. East TN is an extremely wealthy area and the Smokys are gorgeous, but you gotta give up a lot to live here....no thanks!
says:
John, What did you expect, when there is no state income tax? Local taxes -- including property taxes, sales tax and local income taxes are higher to help finance various local interest and initiatives. This can include economic development projects to help attract businesses to the area. Local tax dollars also help develop and support various resources and projects focused on providing educational and extracurricular activities in low-income neighborhoods. Local tax revenue also helps support area schools and maintain county and city parks and natural resources. When considering where tax dollars go, think about the public services that local, state, regional and national agencies provide for the community as a whole. This includes helping fund police and fire departments. Ranging from helping pay employees to upgrading equipment when necessary. Tax dollars also help support trash collection in some cities and snow removal in areas prone to winter snow. Check each city for property and sales tax rate out in GA before you decide to move because taxes county to county in any state can be higher or lower. Hint: Politics.
Bee Anderson says:
If you are extremely healthy in your 50s and even 60s, don't expect not to need excellent medical care in your future! Ralph (April 7, 2016) said, "Can't beat life on the Eastern Shore (of MD)."
Really? I agree "life" in a mostly rural agricultural area -- many tiny-to-small towns with Bay or waterfront housing -- can be very pleasant. The climate is one of the best on the entire East Coast: very mild winters and not too hot/humid summers. Property taxes vary by county, but none are unusually high. All of MD has a 6% sales tax. There are no big cities, so traffic is only heavy on the one highway that goes from (mainly the Bay Bridge) but from PA to the tunnel to VA. Cultural events are few. If you golf or sailboat/yacht, there are places on this large peninsula for both. If you value your general health, you do not SWIM in any of the waterways! Polluted water prevails from farm, chicken plants, and housing development run-offs. The history of "pure" crabs/oysters/fish from the Bay is just that: history. There is a secret: high levels of arsenic in the groundwater in some areas, and no tap filter deletes arsenic. It all affects one's health...and there's the rub: the need for excellent physicians, particularly specialists (ones who have no history of sanctions or revoked licenses from MD or other states, for they are never listed).
Rural health care is almost all run by a Community Health Care system with Family Practice M.D.s and a handful of specialists who all belong to the very few small hospitals/medical eenters on the entire Eastern Shore. (It's a long drive with a lot of traffic to excellent hospitals in Baltimore, the nearest large city with Johns Hopkins, etc.) The Eastern Shore is a long peninsula with many tiny finger peninsulas, so one has to count the mileage from their homes added to what any map shows in miles to the Bay Bridge and then to Baltimore. To sum it up, do not count on great M.D.s on the Eastern Shore. Could you need a specialist? Beware!
There are other aspects to really happy retirement years. If you eat at home, you won't find a great selection of fresh food (which sounds odd since it's agricultural land), and I doubt there are any ethnic specialty food stores. Do not expect to ever find "prime" meats. It's all "choice" and "select" grade -- and the largest chain grocery store is bringing in meat from Mexico. Actual butchers are rare; meats are sold in grocery stores with whatever distributors they can get to travel this rural route. There are VERY few excellent restaurants on the entire Eastern Shore, but many chain restaurants and "drive in/through" franchises.
I'm not trying to dissuade anyone from a rural lifestyle with a long ride to a big city. Many retirees just like to read, watch TV, play bridge, golf, or garden and attend the many churches (mainly Methodist, Episcopalian and those with just Christian names). There is some small gain in diversity, but many towns have a skewed view of what "diversity" means.
I don't know what Ralph loves so much about the Eastern Shore of MD. It is not known for terrific neighborhood "friendliness" nor do the towns have any of the usual dept. stores. Not one! Walmart, Target, and Lowe's are the "dept. stores." Maybe he just likes the "quiet" or relatively low crime rate -- or he is still under the impression the Bay and it's rivers and creeks have healthy food to be caught and eaten. Maybe he hunts deer in season or ducks and geese which stop here on their way south.
I do prefer small towns and if Maine were not having such harsh long winters now, I'd suggest the coast of ME with its many activities, beaches, variety of religious views, and beautiful rolling scenery.
No offense intended, Ralph! This is just my POV after 15 years of studying the Eastern Shore of MD.
Brian Blonder says:
SmartAssets website includes an article summarizing an interesting study where they focused on data regarding where folks were actually moving to for retirement rather than focusing on folks opinions or analysis of selected variables and data regarding which states were best for retirement. I have no affilitation with SmartAssets, but I did find this information very interesting, and so I am alerting the group of its existence. They used 2014 census bureau data and figured out the net migration of people over the age of 60 on a state by state basis. They provide info on the 10 states where there was the greatest net migration into the state of people over 60. They also do this at the city level and provide a list of the 25 cities with the greatest net migration of people over 60. The article can be found at: https://smartasset.com/retirement/where-are-retirees-moving