The Best Place To Retire in Every State
Up until that magical age when we can finally turn in our permanent resignation letters, we all pretty much dream of the possibilities that retirement brings. Where will you travel? Should you learn a new language? Or volunteer at an animal shelter?
But of all the decisions one must make in retirement, perhaps the most significant is where we choose to live out the best years of our lives.
We settle on a state—maybe it’s to be near the kids, or maybe it’s Florida because…well, Florida. And then comes the subsequent decision of specifically where to go within our chosen destinations.
Related: The 10 Best Little Beach Towns in Florida:
Aside from the details that make a location attractive on the outside—like natural beauty or proximity to the beach—there are also a slew of logistical factors smart soon-to-be retirees often consider. And, lucky for you, financial news site 24/7 Wall Street recently dug up all the important data to determine exactly which county in each state caters most especially to those aged 65 and up.
To identify the best place to live, the website created an index based on 17 health and economic considerations. Health factors included a location’s number of health professionals per capita, the presence of social institutions, access to exercise facilities, and the prevalence of diseases such as diabetes. Economic factors, meanwhile, included median home values, the estimated monthly cost of living for two people, and the amount of state and local taxes.
Related: Here Are the Best and Worst States for Retirement
With a lack of state income taxes and year-round warm weather, it’s no surprise that Florida, as a whole, often tops the list of the best places to retire in the country. But where to go within the Sunshine State? According to 24/7 Wall Street, Sarasota County is the smartest locale for retirees, with nearly 35 percent of its 400k+ population consisting of residents 65 and older and an affordable home value of $215k. (The perfect white-sand beaches and world-class shelling spots don’t hurt either.)
If seasons call to you, however, you might want to consider setting down roots on a coastline in the northeast. In Delaware, Sussex County—which includes the towns of Rehoboth Beach and Lewes—topped the list for retirees, with a quarter of its population over the age of 65. (Just south of that, Worcester County, which includes Ocean City and Assateague National Seashore, is Maryland’s magnet for retired folks.) Love the landscape of Maine? Cumberland County, which encompasses Portland, Freeport, and a buffet of picturesque islands, entices forever home seekers with its charming cottages and rugged landscape.
Want to see which county made the cut in your home state? See the full list from 24/7 Wall Street below, and get more inspiration on where to retire by the sea here.
Alabama: Baldwin County
Alaska: Kenai Peninsula Borough
Arizona: Pima County
Arkansas: Baxter County
California: Plumas County
Colorado: Chaffee County
Connecticut: Hartford County
Delaware: Sussex County
Florida: Sarasota County
Georgia: Towns County
Hawaii: Hawaii County
Idaho: Valley County
Illinois: Sangamon County
Indiana: Warrick County
Iowa: Winneshiek County
Kansas: Harvey County
Kentucky: Daviess County
Louisiana: Jefferson Parish
Maine: Cumberland County
Maryland: Worcester County
Massachusetts: Hampshire County
Michigan: Emmet County
Minnesota: Cook County
Mississippi: Lauderdale County
Missouri: St. Louis County
Montana: Lewis and Clark County
Nebraska: Nuckolls County
Nevada: Douglas County
New Hampshire: Grafton County
New Jersey: Hunterdon County
New Mexico: Los Alamos County
New York: Warren County
North Carolina: Buncombe County
North Dakota: Ramsey County
Ohio: Cuyahoga County
Oklahoma: Garfield County
Oregon: Lane County
Pennsylvania: Montour County
Rhode Island: Bristol County
South Carolina: Beaufort County
South Dakota: Hughes County
Tennessee: Washington County
Texas: Gillespie County
Utah: Washington County
Vermont: Bennington County
Virginia: Winchester City
Washington: Chelan County
West Virginia: Ohio County
Wisconsin: Wood County
Wyoming: Park County
