The worst states to retire – and none is New York
Turns out the ‘Last Frontier’ state might be the last place you want to retire: Alaska was ranked the worst state for retirement, according to a new Bankrate ranking.
To determine the best and worst states for retirement, Bankrate weighed five categories: Affordability (40%), wellness (20%), culture (15%), weather (15%) and crime (10%). The overall score was used to determine each state’s ranking.
Alaska was dragged to the bottom of the list by low scores in affordability and weather. However, there are still positives to retreating to the northernmost state: Alaskans bear the nation̵[ads1]7;s lowest tax burden, according to the report.
Here are the seven worst states to retire in 2022, according to Bankrate.
- Alaska
- Maine
- California
- New Mexico
- Montana
- Vermont
- Maryland
Despite its notoriously high cost of living, New York did not fall near the bottom of the list. The state’s ranking received a boost from high scores in the wellness and culture categories, placing it somewhat in the middle.
Bankrate recognizes that there is a lot of subjectivity in choosing a place to retire. The categories in this ranking may not reflect everyone’s priorities. For example, proximity to family plays a large role in deciding where to settle for many retirees.
“When I see people retire and move to different parts of the country, 70 to 80 percent of the time, it’s to be close to family,” said Clark Kendall, president of Kendall Capital Management and author of “Middle-Class Millionaire” to Bankrate .
Soon-to-be retirees may want to consider visiting different locations to get a feel for what it might be like to live there long-term.
“Go to a number of different places that you seem to be attracted to — places that have a lower cost of living and lower property taxes — and test them out for a while,” Laura Kovacs, former director of education at the Scottsdale Area Association of Arizona Realtors and a recent pensioner, says Bankrate.
“When you’re still working, take the time to preview different kinds of communities and different kinds of lifestyles,” she says. “And once you’re retired, you can try renting for a while before committing to buying.”
Register now: Get smarter about your money and your career with our weekly newsletter
Don’t miss: Here’s how much Americans have saved for retirement at all ages
