The best and worst US states to retire in, ranked

WalletHub ranked the best US states for retirees in 2026.
Its report compared affordability, quality of life, and healthcare across states.
Wyoming and Florida topped the list, while Kentucky ranked last.

Retirement is full of decisions, and the state you choose to retire in could be the most important one.

A recent WalletHub study pitted the 50 states against one another across three main categories — affordability, quality of life, and healthcare —to determine the best places for retirement.

The three factors were assessed using 46 different metrics. To determine a state's affordability, metrics such as adjusted cost of living and retired taxpayer-friendliness were considered. Quality of life included metrics such as the risk of social isolation, the mildness of the weather, and even the number of bingo halls per capita, while the healthcare category considered metrics such as nurses, dentists, and health aides per capita, life expectancy, and more.

"Retirement is supposed to be relaxing, but it can also be incredibly stressful given that it typically puts people on a fixed income, which may not be enough for them to live comfortably," WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo said in the study. "As a result, the best states for retirees are those that have low taxes and a low cost of living to help retirees' budgets stretch as far as possible."

WalletHub used data from the US Census Bureau, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and other sources.

These are the states to retire in, ranked from worst to best.

50. Kentucky

Affordability rank: 34
Quality-of-life rank: 42
Healthcare rank: 47

With low rankings across all three categories, WalletHub found Kentucky to be the worst state for retirees in 2026.

49. Oklahoma

Affordability rank: 31
Quality-of-life rank: 48
Healthcare rank: 43

48. Mississippi

Affordability rank: 9
Quality-of-life rank: 49
Healthcare rank: 49

47. West Virginia

Aerial view of Shepherdstown with a small town church steeple surrounded by autumn trees, houses, streets, and parked cars.

Affordability rank: 18
Quality-of-life rank: 41
Healthcare rank: 50

46. Hawaii

Palm trees frame a waterfront lagoon, marina, and high-rise skyline under colorful sunset clouds in Honolulu.

Affordability rank: 49
Quality-of-life rank: 21
Healthcare rank: 11

45. New York

Crowds relax on Bryant Park lawn beside the New York Public Library and Midtown Manhattan skyscrapers on a sunny day.

Affordability rank: 50
Quality-of-life rank: 12
Healthcare rank: 12

44. Arkansas

Sunset lights a forested hillside town with illuminated buildings, streets, and a tall brick smokestack.

Affordability rank: 11
Quality-of-life rank: 50
Healthcare rank: 45

43. Washington

Affordability rank: 46
Quality-of-life rank: 17
Healthcare rank: 17

42. Rhode Island

Downtown Providence skyline at sunset reflects in a calm river lined with trees, walkways, bridges, and modern buildings.

Affordability rank: 40
Quality-of-life rank: 39
Healthcare rank: 21

41. New Mexico

Affordability rank: 30
Quality-of-life rank: 44
Healthcare rank: 36

40. Oregon

Downtown Portland skyline rises beside the Willamette River with bridges, waterfront trees, and a ferris wheel.

Affordability rank: 43
Quality-of-life rank: 27
Healthcare rank: 24

39. Louisiana

Aerial view of the Louisiana State Capitol, downtown Baton Rouge, and the Mississippi River on a clear day.

Affordability rank: 12
Quality-of-life rank: 46
Healthcare rank: 46

38. Illinois

Aerial view of a downtown riverfront with bridges, high-rise buildings, trees, and cloud reflections on the water.

Affordability rank: 42
Quality-of-life rank: 14
Healthcare rank: 30

37. Alabama

Downtown Mobile skyline rises beside the Mobile River with highways, greenery, and blue sky in the foreground.

Affordability rank: 8
Quality-of-life rank: 43
Healthcare rank: 48

36. Maryland

Small town streets and church steeples sit among colorful autumn hills under a blue sky.

Affordability rank: 41
Quality-of-life rank: 20
Healthcare rank: 22

35. New Jersey

Affordability rank: 45
Quality-of-life rank: 30
Healthcare rank: 9

34. Connecticut

Affordability rank: 44
Quality-of-life rank: 23
Healthcare rank: 6

33. Texas

Downtown Austin skyline rises beyond trees and Barton Springs Pool at dusk.

Affordability rank: 25
Quality-of-life rank: 38
Healthcare rank: 39

32. Tennessee

Tennessee State Capitol stands amid downtown Nashville skyscrapers at golden hour.

Affordability rank: 4
Quality-of-life rank: 47
Healthcare rank: 44

31. Nebraska

Aerial view of the Nebraska State Capitol surrounded by downtown Lincoln streets, buildings, lawns, and autumn trees.

Affordability rank: 38
Quality-of-life rank: 28
Healthcare rank: 19

30. Vermont

Autumn foliage surrounds a small town with multiple church steeples under a bright blue sky.

Affordability rank: 47
Quality-of-life rank: 3
Healthcare rank: 10

29. Georgia

Downtown Atlanta skyline at sunset with illuminated high-rises, streets, parks, and the SkyView Atlanta Ferris wheel.

Affordability rank: 16
Quality-of-life rank: 40
Healthcare rank: 40

28. Nevada

Affordability rank: 5
Quality-of-life rank: 45
Healthcare rank: 42

27. Utah

Salt Lake City skyline with the Utah State Capitol dome and mountains at sunset.

Affordability rank: 35
Quality-of-life rank: 18
Healthcare rank: 31

26. Kansas

Aerial view of the Kansas State Capitol surrounded by downtown Topeka buildings and green tree-lined grounds.

Affordability rank: 29
Quality-of-life rank: 31
Healthcare rank: 35

25. California

Palm-lined coastal road runs beside a beach and ocean with hills and a pier in the distance.

Affordability rank: 39
Quality-of-life rank: 22
Healthcare rank: 8

24. Montana

Pedestrians walk along a sunny downtown sidewalk past hanging flower baskets and an ELLEN theater sign.

Affordability rank: 36
Quality-of-life rank: 10
Healthcare rank: 23

23. Massachusetts

Aerial view of a downtown district with a domed civic building, park, streets, and autumn trees.

Affordability rank: 48
Quality-of-life rank: 2
Healthcare rank: 2

22. Indiana

Aerial view of a riverfront town with steel arch bridges spanning a wide river at sunset.

Affordability rank: 14
Quality-of-life rank: 35
Healthcare rank: 41

21. Michigan

Boats dock along a riverfront marina beside colorful brick buildings under a cloudy sky.

Affordability rank: 32
Quality-of-life rank: 16
Healthcare rank: 29

20. Ohio

Downtown Akron skyline with church twin spires, office buildings, trees, and a blue sky filled with clouds.

Affordability rank: 22
Quality-of-life rank: 13
Healthcare rank: 38

19. Maine

Aerial view of a coastal harbor town surrounded by dense autumn foliage and a marina filled with boats.

Affordability rank: 37
Quality-of-life rank: 4
Healthcare rank: 14

18. Arizona

Downtown Phoenix skyline sits below desert mountains under a pastel sunset sky.

Affordability rank: 27
Quality-of-life rank: 32
Healthcare rank: 16

17. South Carolina

Palm-lined historic street with colorful buildings and a white church steeple under a blue sky.

Affordability rank: 6
Quality-of-life rank: 37
Healthcare rank: 34

16. Idaho

Historic downtown street with American flags, parked cars, and storefronts below a forested mountain.

Affordability rank: 21
Quality-of-life rank: 24
Healthcare rank: 26

15. Missouri

Aerial view of a riverside downtown with a domed courthouse, streets, trees, and a broad river under blue sky.

Affordability rank: 10
Quality-of-life rank: 29
Healthcare rank: 32

14. North Dakota

Aerial view of a downtown district with office buildings, streets, parking lots, and a partly cloudy sky.

Affordability rank: 28
Quality-of-life rank: 33
Healthcare rank: 7

13. North Carolina

Uptown Charlotte skyline rises beyond green trees, parkland and a curving roadway under a partly cloudy sky.

Affordability rank: 7
Quality-of-life rank: 26
Healthcare rank: 37

12. Virginia

Aerial view of Williamsburg, Virginia, with academic buildings and an athletic field at sunset.

Affordability rank: 20
Quality-of-life rank: 15
Healthcare rank: 25

11. Wisconsin

Aerial view of downtown Milwaukee skyline with surrounding neighborhoods, Lake Michigan, and the Milwaukee River at sunset.

Affordability rank: 24
Quality-of-life rank: 9
Healthcare rank: 18

10. Iowa

The downtown Cedar Rapids skyline glows at dusk along the Cedar River, with bridges, roads, and an amphitheater.

Affordability rank: 17
Quality-of-life rank: 11
Healthcare rank: 28

9. New Hampshire

River rapids flow past brick mill buildings and downtown towers under a partly cloudy sky in Manchester, New Hampshire.

Affordability rank: 23
Quality-of-life rank: 8
Healthcare rank: 20

8. Pennsylvania

Pittsburgh skyline and a yellow suspension bridge reflect in a river at sunset.

Affordability rank: 26
Quality-of-life rank: 5
Healthcare rank: 13

7. Delaware

Aerial view of a tree-lined suburban neighborhood in Wilmington, Delaware, beside a golf course with a distant city skyline.

Affordability rank: 3
Quality-of-life rank: 36
Healthcare rank: 15

6. Alaska

Snowy downtown Anchorage street beneath the Anchorage Mushing District arch, with cars, traffic lights, and mountains beyond.

Affordability rank: 13
Quality-of-life rank: 34
Healthcare rank: 5

5. Minnesota

Downtown Minneapolis skyline rises behind the Mississippi River and an arched bridge at colorful sunset.

Affordability rank: 33
Quality-of-life rank: 7
Healthcare rank: 1

4. Colorado

Denver skyline rises beyond a green golf course with trees and distant mountains under a clear blue sky.

Affordability rank: 19
Quality-of-life rank: 19
Healthcare rank: 3

3. South Dakota

Downtown Rapid City buildings and homes sit beneath green Black Hills under a partly cloudy sky.

Affordability rank: 15
Quality-of-life rank: 25
Healthcare rank: 4

2. Florida

Aerial view of a palm-lined town center with shops, parking areas, homes, and a lake at sunset.

Affordability rank: 2
Quality-of-life rank: 1

Healthcare rank: 27

1. Wyoming

Aerial view of a snowy downtown area in Casper, Wyoming, with mountains in the distance under a colorful sunset sky.

Affordability rank: 1
Quality-of-life rank: 6
Healthcare rank: 33

Wyoming barely edged out Florida for the overall No. 1 spot on WalletHub's ranking.

WalletHub also reported the state had the 10th strongest elder-abuse protections and the fifth-lowest violent crime rate in the US. It also has the nation's seventh-lowest poverty rate among residents ages 65 and up.

The post The best and worst US states to retire in, ranked appeared first on Business Insider

The best and worst US states to retire in, ranked

Our partners