10 Worst States for Retirement 2024

Several pricey Western and Northeastern states landed in the Bankrate bottom 10 this year, with Alaska and New York holding their spots at the bottom for the second consecutive year.

41. Minnesota

Minnesota dropped from 35^th last year to 41^st overall in this year’s rankings, thanks in part to ranking 49^th in weather and 32^nd in affordability and despite ranking 7^th for quality/cost of healthcare.

42. Texas

Texas moved up two spots in this year’s ranking, perhaps due to moving up two spots in the affordability rankings (from 28^th to 26^th). Texas suffered from ranking 47^th in overall well-being, 38^th in crime and 35^th in quality/cost of healthcare.

43. Maryland

Maryland dropped one spot in this year’s ranking, thanks in large part to scoring 46^th in affordability. The state also ranked 29^th in crime, but was top-half in every other category led by 14^th in weather, 15^th in quality/cost of healthcare and 19 in overall well-being.

44. Colorado

Colorado also dropped one spot in this year’s ranking, thanks to a 39^th rank for affordability and a curious 42^nd score in weather. This despite ranking No. 2 overall for quality/cost of healthcare but somehow only 28^th for overall well-being. A crime ranking of 37^th also dinged CO.

45. Massachusetts

A 48^th rank in affordability led Massachusetts to the 45^th overall rank, up one spot from last year. The state fared well for overall well-being (8^th) and crime (10^th) but was 29^th in quality/cost of healthcare and 31^st for weather.

46. North Dakota

North Dakota swapped spots with Massachusetts in this year’s ranking, dinged primarily by a 48^th rank for weather, 37^th for overall well-being and a 36^th rank for quality/cost of healthcare. The state’s best ranking was 18^th for crime.

47. California

Despite ranking dead last (50^th) for affordability, California took the 47^th overall spot. The Golden State was 6^th for quality/cost of healthcare, 12^th for weather and 15^th for overall well-being. California ranked 38^th for crime. Well-known as being an expensive place to live, another recent ranking of most expensive towns for retirement included six of the top 10 in California, including the top four.

48. Washington

Washington flipped spots with California this year, falling to 48^th thanks for low ranks for affordability (47^th), weather and crime (34^th), and overall well-being (30^th).

49. New York

New York as 49^th in affordability and 49^th overall, with additional poor rankings for weather (37^th) and quality/cost of healthcare (32^nd). The state got high marks for overall well-being (4^th) and crime (15^th).

50. Alaska

Alaska kept its stranglehold on the last spot with no top-half rankings in any of the categories. 

Alaska received unfavorable rankings in affordability (41^st), crime (49^th), weather (50^th), quality/cost of health care (44^th), and overall well-being (26^th).

See Bankrate’s full state ranking here.

SEE ALSO:

• 10 Most Expensive U.S. Retirement Communities
• Top 30 Middle-Class Retirement Towns in U.S. 2024
• 2024’s 10 Best Places in the World to Retire
• 10 U.S. Cities with the Highest Retirement Income
• Most Expensive Cities to Retire: Where $1 Million Isn’t Enough (And Where it Is)