Rest of the Top 10

2. West Virginia

West Virginia—not traditionally thought of as a highly desired retirement mecca—moved up from third place last year into the second spot overall this year—which can be largely attributed to being ranked first in affordability for the second year in a row (accounting for 40% of the overall ranking).

“This small state boasts the best affordability in the nation, based on a low cost of living, low property taxes and affordable homeowners insurance. The state fell in the middle of the pack for wellness,” Bankrate notes. “However, it scored the worst of all the states in the quality and cost of healthcare category due to high healthcare costs, poor health system performance and fewer healthcare establishments per 100,000 residents in the state.”

3. Georgia

Georgia moved all the way up from 15^th last year to third overall in 2024, thanks to it becoming “significantly more affordable since last year.”

That’s primarily because the survey’s metrics found Georgia’s cost of living has come down considerably, and average homeowners insurance premiums have dropped slightly. The quality and cost of healthcare in Georgia improved slightly, but overall well-being and crime scores remained poor this year.

4. South Carolina

Another big mover in this year’s ranking is South Carolina which scored higher on affordability this year compared to 2023, pushing it up all the way from 19th place to fourth place. It scored well in the weather category and fell in the middle of pack for overall well-being and quality and cost of healthcare. However, it suffered in one key category: crime.

5. Missouri

Missouri drops just one spot this year from last year’s ranking, but remains in the top five thanks largely to its high affordability ranking (9^th), placing well for cost of living and property taxes. However, the Show Me state struggles with its quality of healthcare, overall well-being, crime and natural disasters.

6. Mississippi

Ranking second out of 50 states in affordability propelled Mississippi to sixth place overall, dropping one spot from 2023. Mississippi was 49^th in qualify/cost of healthcare and 46^th in overall well-being, but was fifth in weather rank and 22^nd in crime.

7. Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania maintained its seventh-place spot in the Bankrate rankings with top-half scores in all but weather (32^nd). It was 12^th for crime and 14^th for overall well-being, and 25^th for affordability. Cities in Pennsylvania are a perennial retirement favorite in U.S. News & World Report’s annual rankings of the top places to retire in the U.S., locking up the top five cities in its 2024 list and seven of the top 10 spots. Harrisburg rose one spot to take the No. 1 rank due to its scores on health care for seniors, retiree tax rates and overall happiness of its residents.

8. Florida

Like Pennsylvania, Florida also stayed in the same spot this year, buoyed by strong scores in overall well-being and weather (both 3^rd). This despite ranking 37^th in affordability and 27^th in crime.

9. Iowa

Iowa notably fell from first place last year to 9th overall this year due to lower scores in the affordability category, which makes up 40% of the ranking. The cost of living, property taxes and homeowners insurance have all risen in Iowa since last year.

10. Wyoming

Somehow, Wyoming managed to fall from 6^th place in last year’s ranking down to 10^th this year despite actually improving from ninth to eighth for affordability and having identical ranks both years for crime (7^th), overall well-being (16^th), weather (47^th) and quality/cost of healthcare (38^th).

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