The 5 Best States (and The 5 Worst) States To Retire In

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Some states are great places to spend retirement years, and some states are the opposite. There are a lot of criteria to look at when choosing the best place to retire to. Some of these may include the weather, the cost of living, the crime rate, health care access, and more.

According to RetirementLiving, these are the best and worst states to spend your golden years.

The Best States to Retire

Close up portrait elderly woman glancing outdoors.
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The best states to spend your retirement are scenic and relatively low-cost. They have a good quality of life and are great places to spend time relaxing and enjoying retirement.

New Hampshire

Portsmouth, New Hampshire, USA townscape.
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New Hampshire is a laid-back state that has beautiful scenery and a slower pace of life. It’s also full of retirees with about 20% of the population being at least 65. There’s also no sales tax and no income tax.

Maine

Mount Katahdin in Baxter State Park in Maine.
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Exploring all the scenic areas in Maine could easily fill up a retirement. It also has a low population density, plenty of other retirees, a vibrant art scene, and a very low crime rate.

Iowa

Downtown Des Moines city skyline cityscape of Iowa and public park in USA at sunset.
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Retirees need their money to go far, and this is easier in Iowa. The average house price is far lower than the national average. The state has plenty of healthcare facilities and low crime and poverty.

Idaho

Capital and skyline of Boise Idaho with balloons in flight.
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People are flocking to Idaho faster than to any other state, and that includes retirees. The state has a low cost of living and plenty of beautiful scenery. It also has low housing costs and low taxes.

Mississippi

Jackson, Mississippi, USA skyline over the Capitol Building.
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The Magnolia State has some of the lowest-priced housing in the country. The low crime, low cost of living, and charming towns have made it a favorite among retirees.

The Worst States to Retire

Senior couple walking on the beach holding hands at sunrise, plan life insurance at retirement concept.
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The worst states to spend your retirement years generally have a high cost of living and a lower quality of life. They often have high taxes and healthcare may be hard to access.

California

Beautiful coastline scenery on Pacific Coast Highway #1 at the US West Coast traveling south to Los Angeles, Big Sur Area, California. Picture made during a motorbike road trip.
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California ranks dead last for retirees for many reasons. It has the lowest quality of life in the country and has high crime and taxes. It also has a very high cost of living with housing prices through the roof.

New York

NEW YORK CITY - DEC 01 Times Square ,is a busy tourist intersection of neon art and commerce and is an iconic street of New York City and America, December 01th, 2013 in Manhattan, New York City.
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More people are fleeing New York than from other states. The high cost of living, enormous rent prices, and low quality of life have made this a place to leave when it’s time for retirement.

Maryland

Baltimore Maryland MD Inner Harbor Skyline Aerial.
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Maryland has good healthcare access as well as low crime, but it isn’t affordable. It’s also highly crowded. It has one of the highest population densities of any state, and the houses are highly expensive.

Louisiana

Shreveport, Louisiana, USA downtown skyline on the Red River.
Image Credit: Sean Pavone/Shutterstock.

 

Home prices aren’t bad here, but incomes are low and taxes are high. The sales tax is among the highest in the country. It also has one of the lowest quality-of-life ratings of any state.

New Jersey

Princeton University on a sunny afternoon. Princeton University is a Private Ivy League University in New Jersey, USA and ranked as best university in USA.
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New Jersey has the country’s highest property taxes, and the cost of living is high. It has the second-highest rating for population density, and the traffic is notoriously bad.

The 11 Most Dishonest Cities in America

Outdoors portrait of middle age man at the spring, summer or autumn day.
Image Credit: Maria Sbytova/Shutterstock.

 

Picture this: you find a stack of cash. Do you pocket the unexpected windfall, or do you take the noble route and hand it in to the police?

In this scenario, a significant 47% of Americans admit they would keep the found money, assuming no one saw their stroke of luck. Interestingly, gender doesn’t play a big role, with both women (47.4%) and men (46.6%) expressing similar inclinations to be tempted by the cash.

The 11 Most Dishonest Cities in America

The 15 Countries That Have More Filthy Rich People Than Others

Cute young brunette girl in sunglasses walks along the Los Angeles waterfront with palm trees and streets on a summer day.
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There are rich people around the world, but there are some areas that have more wealthy residents than others. When looking at how many millionaires there are in each country, it isn’t even remotely even.

There are major wealth centers in certain countries that represent far more wealth than exists in other areas. It’s amazing how many millionaires there are; this is where they’re located.

The 15 Countries That Have More Filthy Rich People Than Others

The 15 States Bursting at the Seams With People

Farming and cultivations in Latin America. Portrait of middle aged hispanic farmer sitting proud in his tractor at sunset, holding the steering wheel. He looks at the camera and smiles happy.
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Some states have a high population density and many population centers. Others are mostly rural and may have little population. The difference between the top and bottom states in terms of population is enormous.

According to World Population Review, these are the top 15 states for population.

The 15 States Bursting at the Seams With People

 

 

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