Bankrate’s
study,
published
on
Monday,
surveyed
2,260
U.S.
adults
in
May
2025
to
identify
the
top

retirement
relocation
priorities.
The
top
three
were
affordability
(28%),
weather
(18%)
and
safety
(17%),
followed
by
health
care
(16%),
taxes
(9%),
arts
and
entertainment
(7%),
age
demographics
(3%)
and
other
factors
like
walkability
(2%).

Three
of
the
top
five
best
states
for
retirees
are
located
in
New
England,
while
four
of
the
five
worst
states
are
in
the
Sun
Belt.

Survey
respondents
prioritized
qualities
such
as
affordability,
health
care
quality
and
neighborhood
safety
nearly
as
much
—
or
sometimes
more
—
than
weather,
Bankrate
found.

Altogether,
Bankrate
ranked
each
state
according
to
15
different
factors,
weighting
them
according
to
the
priorities
set
in
the
survey.

New
Hampshire
scored
well
in
nearly
every
category.
It
ranked
first
in
neighborhood
safety
and
highly
in
other
categories,
including
low
local
taxes
(6),
health
care
(5),
people
of
a
similar
age
(7),
affordability
(14)
and
arts
and
entertainment
(15).

The
only
category
that
New
Hampshire
did
not
rank
highly
in
was
weather,
where
it
came
in
at
No.
40
on
the
list.

Of
the
remaining
five
best
states
to
retire
after
New
Hampshire,

Maine
scored
highest
in
people
of
a
similar
age,

Wyoming
scored
the
best
when
it
came
to
low
local
taxes,
and

Vermont
was
first
in
arts,
entertainment,
and
recreational
establishments
per
100,000
residents.

Rounding
out
the
top
five
best
states
is

Idaho,
which
ranked
No.
3
in
neighborhood
safety.

“Our
survey
results
may
be
shocking
to
any
retirees
who
only
considered
warm
weather
and
income
taxes
in
their
relocation
plans,”
said
Stephen
Kates,
Bankrate’s
financial
analyst.

“This
year,
we
asked
Americans
about
quality
of
life
factors
that
are
vital
to
their
satisfaction
in
retirement,
such
as
entertainment,
safety,
and
walkability.
By
incorporating
Americans’
own
retirement
priorities
with
our
analysis
of
15
different
data
points,
we
are
able
to
give
a
comprehensive
perspective
on
the
true
costs
of
retirement
across
different
states.”

Louisiana
ranked
poorly
in
neighborhood
safety
(48),
affordability
(43),
arts
and
entertainment
(42),
taxes
(40),
weather
(39),
health
care
(37)
and
people
of
a
similar
age
(36).

Of
the
remaining
worst
states
to
retire
after
Louisiana,

Texas
is
at
the
bottom
of
the
list
in
health
care
(50).

Oklahoma
followed
as
it
ranked
poorly
for
the
density
of
seniors
in
the
state
(44)
as
well
as
arts
and
entertainment
establishments
(46).

Arkansas
ranked
among
the
bottom
in
terms
of
crime
rate
(46)
and
density
of
arts
and
entertainment
establishments
(48).
And

Nebraska
performed
poorly
in
affordability
(49),
rounding
out
the
bottom
five
worst
states
to
retire.

Among
the
states
that
ranked
No.
1
in
individual
categories,
West
Virginia
was
first
for
affordability,
Wyoming
for
low
local
taxes,
California
for
weather,
and
New
Hampshire
for
safety/lack
of
crime.

Vermont
was
No.
1
for
both
health
care
and
arts
and
entertainment,
Maine
for
people
of
a
similar
age,
and
New
Jersey
for
miscellaneous/other
(including
measures
of
community
well-being
and
walkability).

“Retirees
and
pre-retirees
should
take
notice
of
these
rankings
because
we
looked
beyond
the
typical
categories
to
look
closely
at
important
lifestyle
and
risk
factors
for
residents
of
various
states,”
Kates
added.

“There
is
more
to
being
a
resident
than
just
the
number
of
sunny
days
and
taxes.
Categories
like
public
safety,
walkability,
access
to
healthcare,
air
quality,
and
recreational
opportunities
add
up
to
the
daily
quality
of
life
retirees
want.”