2022 ‘Best’ and ‘Worst’ Places for Senior Living: Surprises Dot New Rankings

Brian Anderson

2 years ago

There are plenty of eyebrow-raising findings among the ranking order in a new list of the “best” and “worst” places for senior living in 2022, released this week by senior care referral service Caring.com.

One of the smallest states (by population and land mass) is the best place for senior living while one of the largest is the worst, according to the Caring.com list, which is based on its annual Senior Living Report. And two states traditionally considered as retirement havens rank 48^th and 49^th among the “best” states for senior living.

Meanwhile, all of the states to make the top 10 “best” for senior living could be considered as northern states with harsh winters compared to southern-state counterparts.

“Our research shows that affordability is a top priority for seniors and adults approaching retirement,” says Jim Rosenthal, CEO of Caring.com. “While many people associate good weather and sunshine with the best places for retirement, our 2022 Senior Living Report offers a broader perspective on a range of factors that impact the wellbeing of seniors. We’ve compiled this guide to help seniors and their families identify places that address the needs and socio-economic conditions of older populations, particularly as they transition to retirement and consider making a move to a new area of our nation.”

The rankings are based on in-depth expert analysis and survey findings from 1,000 Americans over the age of 55 to develop a comprehensive set of criteria based on 46 key metrics. All 50 states and 300 cities in the U.S. were graded across five categories, including affordability, healthcare, senior living and housing, transportation, and quality of life. Complete statistics for every state and city ranked are searchable on the research’s home page.

According to the study, Bernie Sanders’ home state of Vermont—with a state population larger only than Wyoming—earned the best overall score and ranks first in the healthcare category. Minnesota, Maine, Nebraska, and South Dakota round out the top five states for retired Americans. New York is ranked as the sixth-best place for seniors despite ranking first in three of the five categories: senior living, transportation, and quality of life. Iowa, Wisconsin, North Dakota, and Massachusetts also made the top 10.

New York ranked sixth overall despite No. 1 rankings in three of five categories. Image credit: © Ilja Mašík | Dreamstime.com.

In comparison, California ranks as the worst overall state and least affordable. Similarly, Florida, Arizona, Mississippi, and Louisiana are also among the five worst states for retirees. Texas and Georgia are number six and seven from the bottom and receive the lowest scores for transportation.

Data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows that the senior population is fast-growing, and almost 20% of Americans will be 65 or older by 2023. This year’s Senior Living Report focuses on identifying places that offer the most affordable lifestyles and opportunities for older adults. Affordability makes up 33% of the final score and this category measures the cost of housing and job availability for seniors. West Virginia, North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, and Indiana are among the most affordable states for seniors to retire.

After affordability, the quality and availability of healthcare is the next largest factor that Caring.com’s panel of experts and survey respondents evaluated to determine the suitability of a given area for seniors. Additional categories like transportation focus on access to public or private transportation services, and quality of life includes the availability of neighborhood amenities like museums, libraries, parks, and fresh markets.

The senior living and housing category is based on several metrics, including the percentage of multifamily homes and houses with no steps and entrances. The unique methodology analyzes a total of 46 metrics across all five categories.

Top 10 Best States for Senior Living 2022

Stillwater, Minnesota. Image credit: © Sandra Burm | Dreamstime.com

1st – Vermont

2nd – Minnesota

3rd – Maine

4th – Nebraska

5th – South Dakota

6th – New York

7th – Iowa

8th – Wisconsin

9th – North Dakota

10th – Massachusetts

Top 10 Worst States for Senior Living 2022

Sarasota, Florida. Image credit: © Sean Pavone | Dreamstime.com

50th – California

49th – Florida

48th – Arizona

47th – Mississippi

46th – Louisiana

45th – Texas

44th – Georgia

43rd – Nevada

42nd – Alabama

41st – New Jersey

Hartford is “best city” for senior living

Hartford, Conn. Image credit: © Sean Pavone | Dreamstime.com

The 2022 report also highlights the best and worst cities for seniors to live. Hartford, Conn., Pittsburgh, Burlington, Vt., Portland, Ore., and Minneapolis are listed among the best cities.

In contrast, Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif., Palm Beach, Fla., Alamo, Calif., Brookhaven, N.Y., and Murrieta, Calif. were ranked as the worst places for retirement. To access the complete ranking of the Best and Worst Places for Senior Living, visit https://www.caring.com/senior-living/.