The 10 Best States to Retire

Where do you want to live when you don’t have to get up for work each day? If country life sounds good to you, then you’re in luck.

Half of Americans nearing retirement age (50-64) are considering moving once they decide to stop working, according to industry data.

And since so many people struggle with retirement savings—the average American has less than $100,000 stashed away—some may have to move to more affordable parts of the country where their money can go further.

Where to retire?

Where you go to retire—or if moving is an option—will depend on what you have saved up. Many people own their homes by the time they reach their 60s and have the option to sell it to tap into their equity to liquidate their wealth and move.

You may need less money if you want to retire in certain countries. But what about in the U.S.? What are generally considered to be the best states to retire—not necessarily just affordable?

The rankings: Best 10 states to retire

For the top-ten list, we’re referencing the calculations and expertise of Bankrate.com, which recently ranked all 50 states to see which were the best for retirees. The study looked at seven categories—including cost of living, taxes, health care quality, and weather—to carve out the list.

From that list, here are the top ten best states to retire:

Takeaway: South Dakota, Utah, and Idaho are far from any beaches, and generally aren’t very warm in the winter. But they still top the rankings. Why? Mostly due to a low cost of living, low crime rates, and good health care options—generally speaking.

While Florida ranked in the top five, another favorite state of retirees, Arizona, ranked 29th.

Reaching your goal of retirement

You want options when you retire—options as to how you’ll live, where you’ll live, etc. And an easy way to provide yourself with options is to start saving early and often. You don’t need to live in an old missile silo or move to India.

Start funding your retirement account on Stash.