Planning to retire soon? 10 states that are the best and 10 that are the worst

The decision of where to retire might affect future comfort for those who are leaving the workforce; before making the move, they should think about things like cost of living, tax rates, access to good healthcare, and useful hobbies.

According to a recent study, WalletHub compares all 50 states on 46 important retirement-friendliness metrics to create a thorough list of the best places to retire. The process is shown here.

The Social Security Administration states that depending on the year of birth, the typical retirement age is between 65 and 67. The earliest age at which a person can apply for Medicare is 65, while the earliest age at which they can obtain restricted social security benefits is 62.

This year, over four million Americans will turn 65, representing a record-breaking increase in the number of people heading into retirement. Making the most of your retirement therefore requires knowing which states provide the most value.

According to WalletHub, these ten states have the best (and worst) retirement prospects in 2025:

States with the best retirement prospects

1. The state of Florida

• 
  Affordability rank: 2
  
• 
  Quality of life rank: 2
  
• 
  Health care rank: 27
  

2. Minnesota

• 
  Affordability rank: 27
  
• 
  Quality of life rank: 6
  
• 
  Health care rank: 1
  

3. Colorado

• 
  Affordability: 15
  
• 
  Quality of life rank: 18
  
• 
  Health care rank: 3
  

4. The state of Wyoming

• 
  Affordability rank: 1
  
• 
  Quality of life rank: 3
  
• 
  Health care rank: 38
  

5. South Dakota

• 
  Affordability rank: 18
  
• 
  Quality of life rank: 19
  
• 
  Health care rank: 4
  

6. The state of Pennsylvania

• 
  Affordability rank: 22
  
• 
  Quality of life rank: 5
  
• 
  Health care rank: 9
  

7. New Hampshire

• 
  Affordability rank: 23
  
• 
  Quality of life rank: 8
  
• 
  Health care rank: 14
  

8. Delaware

• 
  Affordability rank: 4
  
• 
  Quality of life rank: 35
  
• 
  Health care rank: 35
  

9. North Dakota

• 
  Affordability rank: 14
  
• 
  Quality of life: 30
  
• 
  Health care rank: 13
  

10. Wisconsin

• 
  Affordability rank: 17
  
• 
  Quality of life: 20
  
• 
  Health care rank: 21
  

States with the worst retirement rates

1. Kentucky

• 
  Affordability rank: 36
  
• 
  Quality of life rank: 41
  
• 
  Health care rank: 45
  

2. Louisiana

• 
  Affordability rank: 24
  
• 
  Quality of life rank: 46
  
• 
  Health care rank: 48
  

3. The Mississippi

• 
  Affordability rank: 9
  
• 
  Quality of life rank: 50
  
• 
  Health care rank: 47
  

4. Washington

• 
  Affordability rank: 48
  
• 
  Quality of life rank: 23
  
• 
  Health care rank: 24
  

5. The state of New Mexico

• 
  Affordability rank: 38
  
• 
  Quality of life rank: 45
  
• 
  Health care rank: 33
  

6. The state of New Jersey

• 
  Affordability rank: 46
  
• 
  Quality of life rank: 36
  
• 
  Health care rank: 12
  

7. The state of Rhode Island

• 
  Affordability rank: 40
  
• 
  Quality of life rank: 40
  
• 
  Health care rank: 22
  

8. The state of West Virginia

• 
  Affordability rank: 11
  
• 
  Quality of life rank: 44
  
• 
  Health care rank: 50
  

9. The state of Arkansas

• 
  Affordability rank: 12
  
• 
  Quality of life rank: 49
  
• 
  Health care rank: 44
  

10. Hawaii

• 
  Affordability rank: 50
  
• 
  Quality of life rank: 27
  
• 
  Health care rank: 7
  

What is Alabama’s retiree ranking?

Alabama was ranked 37th out of the top states for retirement by WalletHub. The state is ranked 49th for health care, 43rd for quality of life, and third for affordability.

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