What states should retirees avoid?

Retirees might want to avoid states with high taxes (NY, IL, CA, CT), high cost of living/housing (CA, HI, NY, NJ), poor healthcare access (MS, AL), high crime (NM), or significant natural disaster risks (FL, TX, LA), with common recommendations often pointing to Louisiana, New Mexico, California, New York, Arkansas, Texas, Illinois, and Mississippi as states with major challenges for retirees due to a mix of these factors, although personal priorities like weather or proximity to family matter most.

What is the least friendly state for retirees?

Louisiana came in as the worst ranked state for retirees, finishing in the bottom third of all the study's main categories, including 48th for crime. Eight of the 10 worst states for retirees are in the Sun Belt, including Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Louisiana, Oklahoma, California, New Mexico and Texas.

What are the best and worst states to retire in?

The best states to retire often include Florida, New Hampshire, Minnesota, Wyoming, and South Dakota, praised for good taxes, quality of life, or healthcare, while Louisiana, Mississippi, Kentucky, West Virginia, and Arkansas frequently appear as the worst due to poor healthcare access, high poverty, or crime, though rankings vary by source and focus (affordability, well-being, etc.). 

What is the hardest US state to live in?

These states are America's worst for quality of life in 2025:

• Arkansas.
• Alabama.
• Georgia.
• Louisiana.
• Utah.
• Indiana.
• Texas.
• Tennessee.

What is the cheapest and safest state to retire in?

Here are some of the best states to retire in on a fixed income, based on these criteria:

• Mississippi. Cost of Living: Lowest in the U.S. ...
• Alabama. Cost of Living: Significantly lower than the national average. ...
• Arkansas. Cost of Living: Among the lowest in the nation. ...
• Oklahoma. ...
• West Virginia. ...
• Tennessee. ...
• South Carolina. ...
• Kentucky.

Best State For Retirement Taxes?

Where can I retire on $2000 a month in the United States?

You can retire comfortably on $2,000 a month in the U.S. by focusing on affordable Midwest and Southern cities, with top contenders including Fort Wayne, Indiana, Fargo, North Dakota, Knoxville, Tennessee, Oklahoma City, Cincinnati, Ohio, and several locations in Texas (like Brownsville, Abilene) and Florida (like Tallahassee, Fort Myers), which offer lower costs for housing, groceries, and healthcare while still providing good livability and amenities. 

Where is the cheapest but nicest place to live in the US?

The cheapest, best places to live in the U.S. often involve the Midwest and South, with cities like Wichita (KS), Fort Wayne (IN), Dayton (OH), and Knoxville (TN) offering low housing costs and good value, while states like West Virginia, Mississippi, and Oklahoma consistently rank as most affordable overall. Key factors are low housing prices and a cost of living significantly below the national average, with some top contenders being Decatur (IL), Enid (OK), and Brownsville (TX), but "best" depends on balancing budget with lifestyle needs like jobs, culture, and amenities. 

What is the unhappiest state in the US?

Based on recent studies, particularly WalletHub's 2025 analysis, Louisiana and West Virginia consistently rank as the unhappiest states, often swapping the bottom spots, with Louisiana frequently cited as the absolute least happy due to factors like high depression rates, long work hours, low sleep quality, and high divorce rates, while West Virginia struggles with high adult depression and poor sleep. Other states often in the bottom ranks include Arkansas, Alabama, and Tennessee. 

What is the most peaceful state in the USA?

Maine consistently ranks as the most peaceful U.S. state due to low violent crime rates, low incarceration, and high personal safety, often followed by New Hampshire and Vermont, while the Northeast generally leads in peacefulness over the South, according to indices like the US Peace Index.
 

What is the unhealthiest state to live in?

While rankings vary slightly by study, West Virginia, Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, and Kentucky consistently appear as the most unhealthy U.S. states, often due to high rates of obesity, smoking, chronic disease, substance abuse, poor nutrition, mental distress, and lower life expectancies, with many of these top contenders located in the South.
 

Where do the happiest retirees live in the USA?

Caring.com's 2025 Senior Happiness Index identifies states where seniors are most content, connected, and live longest. Utah is ranked as the happiest state for older adults due to high volunteer rates, good health, and excellent health care access.

What state is #1 retirement?

There's no single #1 state, as it depends on priorities, but Florida often tops lists for low taxes & warmth (WalletHub, Edelman), while New Hampshire leads for overall well-being, safety, & healthcare (Bankrate), and Wyoming scores high for tax competitiveness (Empower). Other top contenders include Maine, Vermont, Wyoming, Minnesota, and Utah, showcasing a mix of sunny & four-season locations excelling in different factors like affordability, healthcare, or lifestyle.
 

What is the $1000 a month rule for retirement?

The $1,000 a month retirement rule is a simple guideline stating you need about $240,000 saved for every $1,000 of monthly income you want from your investments in retirement, based on a 5% annual withdrawal rate ($240k x 0.05 / 12 = $1k/month). It's a motivational tool to estimate savings goals (e.g., $3,000/month needs $720k), but it's one-dimensional, doesn't account for inflation, taxes, or other income like Social Security, and assumes steady 5% returns, making a personalized plan essential. 

What is the #1 cheapest state to live in?

Below is a detailed breakdown of the ten most affordable states to live in 2025:

• Arkansas. Arkansas continues to be one of the most affordable states in the U.S., especially for those looking to buy property. ...
• Mississippi. ...
• Oklahoma. ...
• New Mexico. ...
• Missouri. ...
• Tennessee. ...
• Michigan. ...
• Texas.

Where in the world can you live on $1200 a month?

Varna, Bulgaria—one of the cities highlighted in a new report on the world's most affordable places to live or retire for as little as $1,200 a month. That financial reality has more people exploring the idea of moving abroad—whether for retirement, remote work or a lifestyle change.

What is the least fun state in the US?

There's no single "least interesting" state, as it's subjective, but surveys and opinions often point to West Virginia, Mississippi, Delaware, and North Dakota as having fewer entertainment/recreation options by some metrics, while states like Kansas, Nebraska, and Idaho are sometimes cited as less engaging for driving due to flatness or remoteness, though all states offer unique spots. 

What is the toughest state to live in?

The Top Ten Worst States to Live In

1. 1 - Louisiana (#50 overall) Healthcare: 44.
2. 2 - Alaska (#49 overall) Healthcare: 29. ...
3. 3 - Mississippi (#48 overall) Healthcare: 50. ...
4. 4 - New Mexico (#47 overall) Healthcare: 38. ...
5. 5 - West Virginia (#46 Overall) ...
6. 6 - Alabama (#45 overall) ...
7. 7 - Arkansas (#44 overall) ...
8. 8 - Michigan (#43 overall) ...

What is the most loved state in the USA?

Hawaii is consistently ranked as America's favorite state in recent surveys, leading in overall favorability and net positive perception due to its beauty, warm weather, and perceived well-being, followed by states like North Carolina, Alaska, Tennessee, and Colorado in positive ratings. However, "most liked" varies by survey criteria, with other rankings highlighting states like Utah or Nebraska for overall livability, but Hawaii generally wins popularity contests. 

What is the most happiest state in the USA?

Hawaii is the happiest state in America for the second year in a row. Hawaii landed the top spot on WalletHub's list with an overall score of 65.50. It ranked third for emotional and physical well-being, 16th for work environment and 13th for community and environment.

What state is #1 in quality of life?

There isn't one single answer, as different reports rank states differently, but Vermont is frequently cited as #1 for Quality of Life (CNBC), while Massachusetts often leads overall livability/best state rankings (WalletHub), and Utah ranks high overall for Best States (U.S. News). These rankings vary by the specific metrics used, such as health, safety, environment, education, or economic opportunity. 

What is the most stressed state in the US?

WalletHub on Monday released its list of the "Most & Least Stressed States" for 2025, with New Mexico being the most stressed and Nebraska being the least stressed.

Who has the longest life expectancy in the United States?

Hawaii consistently has the highest life expectancy in the U.S., often followed closely by states like Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Minnesota, with recent data from the CDC (2021) showing Hawaii at 79.9 years, driven by factors like strong healthcare, low mortality rates, and healthy lifestyles, though exact figures vary slightly by year and source.
 

What are the best states for retirees on a budget?

Mississippi ranks as a top state for retirees, given its combined monthly housing, food, and transportation costs. Virginia, meanwhile, offers a low monthly cost of living with high average annual retirement incomes. Other top states for stretching retirement dollars include New Mexico, Arizona, Georgia, and Texas.

What is a $1 dollar house in the US?

The One-Dollar Homeownership Program is an unprecedented partnership between NACA and cities and towns across the nation to create affordable homeownership for low to moderate income homebuyers in underserved communities. Community residents can purchase a vacant house or lot from the city for only one dollar.

What is the best small town to live in the US?

The best small towns in America for living offer a mix of affordability, outdoor access, strong communities, and amenities, with top contenders often including Carmel, IN, known for livability; Apex, NC, praised for economic health; Leander, TX, a fast-growing Austin suburb with Hill Country charm; and scenic gems like McCall, ID, for mountain recreation, and Camden, ME, for coastal beauty. Other popular choices feature historic appeal (Bardstown, KY), cultural hubs (Beacon, NY), or unique Western flair (Ogallala, NE).