There are many things to consider to be certain a city or state is a good choice for retirees. Affordability is a high priority for seniors on a fixed income, and access to top-quality healthcare is getting more important as retirees age. Leisure and activity accessibility play a role as well with golf courses and theatre being a high priority for many retirees for example. With these things in mind, these 5 states may not be a great choice for retirement in 2017, according to a recent analysis by WalletHub.
Hawaii:
According to the analysis provided here, Hawaii did rank highly in several categories. Their life expectancy is the highest in the US at 81.3 years, and, more than 82% of Hawaii seniors are in “good or better” health. Unfortunately, Hawaii ranks as the least affordable state in the country, with the reliance on imported goods, the cost of living is twice as much as the lowest state, and costs specifically related to retirement are especially high. As an example, in-home health services are among the most expensive in the country. Lastly, Hawaii has the second-highest property crime rate in the country which could make many retirees feel uneasy.
Hartford, Connecticut, USA downtown cityscape.
Connecticut:
Like many of the other states in the northeastern U.S., Connecticut isn’t an affordable place to live. WalletHub put its affordability rank at 49, its quality of life rank at 13 and its healthcare rank at 15. The state’s overall cost of living is among the highest in the U.S., and it ranks as the fourth worst state in terms of tax-friendliness to retirees. The weather in Connecticut is hit or miss depending on the seasons, and the state has below-average public healthcare facilities. One thing Connecticut has going for it though is one of the lowest crime rates in the nation and ranks No. 1 for water quality.
Retiring in Connecticut (1=Best; 25=Avg.)
- 45th — Adjusted Cost of Living
- 48th — WalletHub ‘Taxpayer’ Ranking
- 25th — Health-Care Facilities per Capita
- 37th — Golf Courses Capita
- 33rd — Air Quality
- 35th — Family & General Physicians per Capita
- 24th — Nurses per Capita
District of Columbia:
D.C has some of the worst property and violent crime in the country. To make it worse, D.C. has the second highest cost of living in the U.S. and the highest percentage of seniors living in poverty. It’s not all bad news for D.C. retirees, though. Retirees do enjoy the best access to public transportation in the U.S., as well as the highest number of physicians per capita. WalletHub’s 2017 edition of the Best and Worst States to Retire ranked D.C. 49th out of 50 U.S. states and the District. D.C. was dead last on the list in property crime rate, violent crime rate and golf courses per capita. It was second to last in adjusted cost of living, and 48th in the percentage of the population aged 65 and older. Life expectancy also lagged in the District, which ranked 43rd in that category
Alaska:
While Alaska ranks as the most tax-friendly state in the U.S., Alaska’s high cost of living is a big reason it ranks second to last. In-home health and adult day health care are more expensive in Alaska than anywhere else in the United States. Alaska has one of the highest violent crime rates and some of the lowest-quality drinking water. Most importantly though is that Alaska ranks as one of the lowest rates of healthcare professionals such as dentists and nurses. Hawaii ranks as the least affordable state in the country, with a cost of living that’s twice as much as the lowest state, and some costs specifically related to retirement are especially high.
Rhode Island
Although Rhode Island didn’t rank last in any of WalletHub’s individual categories, it’s poor marks in virtually every aspect of retired life where hard to miss. Cost of living in Rhode Island is well above average while tax-friendliness to seniors is among the worst. Almost 10% of retirees are below the poverty level, and there isn’t an available senior-friendly job market. Rhode Island ranks toward the bottom of the list in terms of things to do, such as museums, theaters, and golf courses. And Most important of all- elder-abuse protections are third worst in the U.S, as is the number of physicians per capita.
The top three best states to retire included Florida, Wyoming and South Dakota.
