Affordability is a key factor in deciding your ultimate retirement destination. After all, you need to make sure your living costs don't put too big a strain on your fixed income. Indeed, 67% of people say they'd move to a less expensive location to have a more financially comfortable retirement, according to a survey by Merrill Lynch and
Of course, being cheap is sometimes just as bad as it sounds, and affordable living costs don't always guarantee a friendly financial environment. We ranked all 50 states for retirement based on several financial data points, including cost of living, as well as the tax treatment of resident retirees and the fiscal health of the state. These 10 states are among the best and most affordable for retirees.
Pennsylvania
Overall retirement ranking: #14
Population: 12.8 million
Share of population 65+: 16.7%
Cost of living: 3% below
Average income for 65+ households: $48,706
Average health care costs for a retired couple: Below average at $411,414
Tax rating for retirees: Most Tax Friendly
The Keystone State locks in an affordable standard of living for retirees. Health care costs for a 65-year-old retired couple come in 2.9% below the national average. And the tax situation, among the 10 friendliest in the
South Dakota
Overall retirement ranking: #1
Population: 851,058
Share of population 65+: 15.2%
Cost of living: 4% below the
Average income for 65+ households: $43,712
Average health care costs for a retired couple: Below average at $415,297
Tax rating for retirees: Most Tax Friendly
The Mount Rushmore State might not be the first place that comes to mind when you dream of where to retire, but it's first place in our overall ranking of all 50 states for retirement. Affordability is the main factor pushing it to the top spot. In addition to low living expenses, including for health care,
Idaho
Overall retirement ranking: #11
Population: 1.6 million
Share of population 65+: 14.3%
Cost of living: 5% below the
Average income for 65+ households: $40,248
Average health care costs for a retired couple: Below average at $407,942
Tax rating for retirees: Mixed
Put your potato jokes away, people.
South Carolina
Overall retirement ranking: #12
Population: 4.8 million
Share of population 65+: 15.8%
Cost of living: 7% below the
Average income for 65+ households: $43,340
Average health care costs for a retired couple: Below average at $408,343
Tax rating for retirees: Tax Friendly
If the mild weather and southern charm of the Palmetto State aren't enough of a retirement draw, surely the affordability can tempt you. On top of below-average living costs, the tax situation goes easy on a fixed income, too.
Georgia
Overall retirement ranking: #3
Population: 10.1 million
Share of population 65+: 12.3%
Cost of living: 7% below the
Average income for 65+ households: $50,607
Average health care costs for a retired couple: Below average at $404,460
Tax rating for retirees: Most Tax Friendly
Warm weather and low living costs make
Missouri
Overall retirement ranking: #20
Population: 6.1 million
Share of population 65+: 15.4%
Cost of living: 10% below
Average income for 65+ households: $43,540
Average health care costs for a retired couple: Below average at $408,746
Tax rating for retirees: Mixed
The Show Me State has little to tell in the way of retirement advantages other than a cheap cost of living--and even that comes with a caveat. The low living expenses go hand in hand with relatively low household incomes. And the tax situation is moderate: If your adjusted gross income is less than $85,000 for single filers ($100,000 for couples filing jointly), your
And one notable downside:
Ohio
Overall retirement ranking: #19
Population: 11.6 million
Share of population 65+: 15.5%
Cost of living: 12% below
Average income for 65+ households: $42,667
Average health care costs for a retired couple: Below average at $417,912
Tax rating for retirees: Mixed
Iowa
Overall retirement ranking: #13
Population: 3.1 million
Share of population 65+: 15.8%
Cost of living: 12% below
Average income for 65+ households: $41,194
Average health care costs for a retired couple: Below average at $399,991
Tax rating for retirees: Not Tax Friendly
Low living costs are the big advantage for retirees in the Hawkeye State. Health care costs are especially affordable, at 5.6% below the
Tennessee
Overall retirement ranking: #5
Population: 6.5 million
Share of population 65+: 15.0%
Cost of living: 12% below the
Average income for 65+ households: $47,891
Average health care costs for a retired couple: Below average at $411,617
Tax rating for retirees: Tax Friendly
The Volunteer State is a good choice for budget-conscious retirees. According to data from the
Alabama
Overall retirement ranking: #6
Population: 4.8 million
Share of population 65+: 15.3%
Cost of living: 13% below the
Average income for 65+ households: $44,934
Average health care costs for a retired couple: Below average at $404,922
Tax rating for retirees: Tax Friendly
Frugal retirees are sure to love the Heart of
How We Ranked Every State for Retirement
To rank all 50 states for retirement, we weighed a number of factors:
- Taxes on retirees, based on Kiplinger's Retiree Tax Map, which divides states into five categories: Most Tax Friendly, Tax Friendly, Mixed, Not Tax Friendly and Least Tax Friendly.
- Cost-of-living for each state, with data provided by Sperling's Best Places, includes overall costs--across all age groups--for housing, food and groceries, transportation, utilities, health care and miscellaneous expenses.
- Average health care costs in retirement are from HealthView Services and include Medicare, supplemental insurance, dental insurance and out-of-pocket costs for a 65-year-old couple who are both retired and are expected to live to 87 (husband) and 89 (wife).
- Rankings of each state's economic health are provided by the Mercatus Center at
George Mason University and are based on various factors including state governments' revenue sources, debts, budgets and abilities to fund pensions, health-care benefits and other services. - Rankings of the health of each state's population of residents 65 and over are from the
United Health Foundation and are based on 34 factors ranging from residents' bad habits (smoking and excessive drinking) to the quality of hospital and nursing home care available in the state. - Household incomes and poverty rates are from the
U.S. Census Bureau . - Population data, including the percentage of the population that is age 65 and older, is also provided by the
Census Bureau . They are highlighted in these rankings for the benefit of readers, but were not factors in our methodology for ranking the states.
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Stacy Rapacon is an editor at Kiplinger.