12 Worst States for Living in Retirement: 2022

As Americans approaching retirement think about where to live after leaving work, their top concerns are affordability and the availability of health care services, according to new research from Caring.com, a senior care referral service.

Affordable housing and health care will remain top retirement considerations in this decade. By 2030, some 20% of Americans will be 65 or older, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Caring.com has compiled a ranking of the 50 states that addresses the needs and socioeconomic conditions of older populations, particularly as they advance toward retirement and consider relocating to a different part of the country. 

To arrive at a ranking of the best and worst states for retirement, researchers relied on expert analysis and survey findings from 1,000 Americans 55 and older to develop a comprehensive set of ranking criteria based on 46 key metrics across five categories.

Affordability, which measures cost of housing and job availability for seniors, made up 33% of the final score. The quality and availability of health care in each state was the next largest factor, with a 25% weighting. States that ranked lowest in the study tended to be among those with the worst scores in one of these categories, and in a couple of instances in both.

The quality-of-life category, 18% of the final score, includes the availability of neighborhood amenities, such as museums, libraries, parks and fresh markets. 

Senior living and housing, with a 14% weighting, is based on several metrics, including the percentage of multifamily homes and houses with no-step entrances. And transportation, 10% of the final score, focuses on access to public or private transportation.

See the gallery for the 12 worst states for older Americans to retire.