These Two East Coast States Took Top Ranks in Retirement Readiness
East coast states were among the top areas ranking in retirement readiness, according to the latest 2025 Retirement Readiness Index from the Western & Southern Financial Group.
In its analysis, the firm ranked all 50 states on a scale of zero to 100, basing the scores across five categories including retirement funds and benefits, earnings and employment, homeownership rates, and cost of living. The report also considered each state’s life expectancy in order to assess how it supports retirement security and long-term planning for individuals.
As the concept of retirement living in the United States evolves to include part-time work, moving abroad, and even living well past average life expectancies, Western & Southern Financial Group set out to understand how retirees, and state governments, are faring with the changes.
Depending on their age and where they live, the report found that a lesser number of retirees are relying exclusively on a pension benefit for retirement and instead are subsidizing their income with a mix of retirement savings, Social Security, and individual income sources.
Ultimately, Western & Southern Financial Group notes that while financial strategy is imperative to long-term planning, location, and the factors that accompany it like income opportunities, healthcare access, and housing stability, all play a key role in retirement readiness and overall satisfaction in retirement.
Read on in the next pages to see the top, and lowest, ranking states in terms of retirement readiness.
NEXT: Worst states in retirement readiness, from 50 to 40
The worst ranked out of all states, these areas were marred by weak retirement savings, fewer job options for seniors, and lower life expectancies, reports Western & Southern Financial Group.
While the worst state in retirement readiness, West Virginia, had the highest senior homeownership rate at 85.6% and the lowest cost of living, retirees reported a median income of $55,300 and a low senior employment rate of 13.7%.
50. West Virginia
Overall Rank: 79.26
Retirement Funds and Benefits: 44
Earnings and Employment: 50
Homeownership: 1
Life Expectancy: 49
Cost of Living: 1
49. Mississippi
Overall Rank: 79.52
Retirement Funds and Benefits: 49
Earnings and Employment: 45
Homeownership: 8
Life Expectancy: 50
Cost of Living: 4
48. Arkansas
Overall Rank: 79.52
Retirement Funds and Benefits: 40
Earnings and Employment: 49
Homeownership:18
Life Expectancy: 44
Cost of Living: 6
47. Tennessee
Overall Rank: 79.69
Retirement Funds and Benefits: 48
Earnings and Employment: 43
Homeownership:14
Life Expectancy: 45
Cost of Living: 10
46. Arizona
Overall Rank: 80.50
Retirement Funds and Benefits: 38
Earnings and Employment: 40
Homeownership: 11
Life Expectancy: 33
Cost of Living: 36
45. Kentucky
Overall Rank: 80.84
Retirement Funds and Benefits: 30
Earnings and Employment: 48
Homeownership: 17
Life Expectancy: 46
Cost of Living: 17
44. Maine
Overall Rank: 81.02
Retirement Funds and Benefits: 45
Earnings and Employment: 26
Homeownership: 25
Life Expectancy: 28
Cost of Living: 38
43. Louisiana
Overall Rank: 81.14
Retirement Funds and Benefits: 47
Earnings and Employment: 31
Homeownership: 21
Life Expectancy: 47
Cost of Living: 14
42. Ohio
Overall Rank: 81.37
Retirement Funds and Benefits: 41
Earnings and Employment: 35
Homeownership: 31
Life Expectancy: 13
Cost of Living: 27
41. Wisconsin
Overall Rank: 81.57
Retirement Funds and Benefits: 24
Earnings and Employment: 47
Homeownership: 40
Life Expectancy: 13
Cost of Living: 27
40. Missouri
Overall Rank: 82.09
Retirement Funds and Benefits: 35
Earnings and Employment: 39
Homeownership: 29
Life Expectancy: 36
Cost of Living: 6
NEXT: States 39 to 30
39. Montana
Overall Rank: 82.24
Retirement Funds and Benefits: 42
Earnings and Employment: 32
Homeownership: 15
Life Expectancy: 29
Cost of Living: 22
38. New York
Overall Rank: 82.53
Retirement Funds and Benefits: 34
Earnings and Employment: 9
Homeownership: 50
Life Expectancy: 4
Cost of Living: 46
37. Alabama
Overall Rank: 82.62
Retirement Funds and Benefits: 32
Earnings and Employment: 42
Homeownership: 7
Life Expectancy: 48
Cost of Living: 5
36. Michigan
Overall Rank: 82.82
Retirement Funds and Benefits: 36
Earnings and Employment: 38
Homeownership: 12
Life Expectancy: 30
Cost of Living: 9
35. Indiana
Overall Rank: 82.95
Retirement Funds and Benefits: 22
Earnings and Employment: 46
Homeownership: 15
Life Expectancy: 36
Cost of Living: 10
34. New Mexico
Overall Rank: 83.02
Retirement Funds and Benefits: 29
Earnings and Employment: 37
Homeownership: 9
Life Expectancy: 42
Cost of Living: 19
33. Utah
Overall Rank: 83.03
Retirement Funds and Benefits: 50
Earnings and Employment: 19
Homeownership: 2
Life Expectancy: 11
Cost of Living: 35
32. South Carolina
Overall Rank: 83.07
Retirement Funds and Benefits: 26
Earnings and Employment: 41
Homeownership: 3
Life Expectancy: 41
Cost of Living: 26
31. North Dakota
Overall Rank: 83.15
Retirement Funds and Benefits: 46
Earnings and Employment: 21
Homeownership: 43
Life Expectancy: 17
Cost of Living: 13
30. Oregon
Overall Rank: 84.01
Retirement Funds and Benefits: 14
Earnings and Employment: 34
Homeownership: 39
Life Expectancy: 18
Cost of Living: 37
NEXT: States 29 to 20
29. Alaska
Overall Rank: 84.20
Retirement Funds and Benefits: 37
Earnings and Employment: 13
Homeownership: 13
Life Expectancy: 38
Cost of Living: 47
28. Nevada
Overall Rank: 84.26
Retirement Funds and Benefits: 23
Earnings and Employment: 22
Homeownership: 45
Life Expectancy: 32
Cost of Living: 31
27. North Carolina
Overall Rank: 84.59
Retirement Funds and Benefits: 17
Earnings and Employment: 36
Homeownership: 26
Life Expectancy: 35
Cost of Living: 28
26. California
Overall Rank: 84.79
Retirement Funds and Benefits: 15
Earnings and Employment: 15
Homeownership: 47
Life Expectancy: 10
Cost of Living: 48
25. Idaho
Overall Rank: 84.99
Retirement Funds and Benefits: 10
Earnings and Employment: 44
Homeownership: 5
Life Expectancy: 19
Cost of Living: 32
24. Wyoming
Overall Rank: 84.99
Retirement Funds and Benefits: 43
Earnings and Employment: 18
Homeownership: 6
Life Expectancy: 33
Cost of Living: 25
23. Georgia
Overall Rank: 85.15
Retirement Funds and Benefits: 21
Earnings and Employment: 25
Homeownership: 27
Life Expectancy: 40
Cost of Living: 12
22. Minnesota
Overall Rank: 85.15
Retirement Funds and Benefits: 18
Earnings and Employment: 33
Homeownership: 33
Life Expectancy: 6
Cost of Living: 23
21. Hawaii
Overall Rank: 85.16
Retirement Funds and Benefits: 31
Earnings and Employment: 5
Homeownership: 32
Life Expectancy: 1
Cost of Living: 50
20. Rhode Island
Overall Rank: 85.77
Retirement Funds and Benefits: 33
Earnings and Employment: 6
Homeownership: 49
Life Expectancy: 7
Cost of Living: 39
NEXT: States 19 to 11
19. Pennsylvania
Overall Rank: 86.07
Retirement Funds and Benefits: 12
Earnings and Employment: 28
Homeownership: 38
Life Expectancy: 25
Cost of Living: 23
18. Oklahoma
Overall Rank: 86.10
Retirement Funds and Benefits: 39
Earnings and Employment: 16
Homeownership: 19
Life Expectancy: 43
Cost of Living: 2
17. Illinois
Overall Rank: 86.71
Retirement Funds and Benefits: 25
Earnings and Employment: 17
Homeownership: 33
Life Expectancy: 21
Cost of Living: 21
16. Florida
Overall Rank: 86.72
Retirement Funds and Benefits: 13
Earnings and Employment: 24
Homeownership: 9
Life Expectancy: 27
Cost of Living: 34
15. Washington
Overall Rank: 86.83
Retirement Funds and Benefits: 4
Earnings and Employment: 27
Homeownership: 36
Life Expectancy: 11
Cost of Living: 42
14. Colorado
Overall Rank: 86.91
Retirement Funds and Benefits: 28
Earnings and Employment: 14
Homeownership: 20
Life Expectancy: 15
Cost of Living: 32
13. Texas
Overall Rank: 87.08
Retirement Funds and Benefits: 20
Earnings and Employment: 20
Homeownership: 30
Life Expectancy: 31
Cost of Living: 16
12. Nebraska
Overall Rank: 87.20
Retirement Funds and Benefits: 27
Earnings and Employment: 12
Homeownership: 41
Life Expectancy: 13
Cost of Living: 18
11. Iowa
Overall Rank: 87.50
Retirement Funds and Benefits: 11
Earnings and Employment: 30
Homeownership: 21
Life Expectancy: 15
Cost of Living: 8
NEXT: Top 10 States
Ranking the highest out of all states, these areas stood out for generally higher retirement savings, stronger senior incomes, and higher life expectancies.
New Jersey, ranked the best state in terms of retirement readiness, also reported strong pension participation rates at 55%.
10. Kansas
Overall Rank: 87.78
Retirement Funds and Benefits: 16
Earnings and Employment: 23
Homeownership: 35
Life Expectancy: 28
Cost of Living: 3
9. Delaware
Overall Rank: 88.10
Retirement Funds and Benefits: 7
Earnings and Employment: 29
Homeownership: 4
Life Expectancy: 26
Cost of Living: 30
8. Massachusetts
Overall Rank: 89.04
Retirement Funds and Benefits: 9
Earnings and Employment: 1
Homeownership: 48
Life Expectancy: 2
Cost of Living: 49
7. South Dakota
Overall Rank: 89.43
Retirement Funds and Benefits: 19
Earnings and Employment: 7
Homeownership: 42
Life Expectancy: 24
Cost of Living: 14
6. New Hampshire
Overall Rank: 90.45
Retirement Funds and Benefits: 5
Earnings and Employment: 10
Homeownership: 28
Life Expectancy: 7
Cost of Living: 41
5. Vermont
Overall Rank: 90.64
Retirement Funds and Benefits: 8
Earnings and Employment: 8
Homeownership: 21
Life Expectancy: 9
Cost of Living: 43
4. Virginia
Overall Rank: 92.15
Retirement Funds and Benefits: 3
Earnings and Employment: 11
Homeownership: 21
Life Expectancy: 22
Cost of Living: 29
3. Maryland
Overall Rank: 92.29
Retirement Funds and Benefits: 6
Earnings and Employment: 3
Homeownership: 37
Life Expectancy: 19
Cost of Living: 45
2. Connecticut
Overall Rank: 93.43
Retirement Funds and Benefits: 2
Earnings and Employment: 4
Homeownership: 44
Life Expectancy: 3
Cost of Living: 40
1. New Jersey
Overall Rank: 94.33
Retirement Funds and Benefits: 1
Earnings and Employment: 2
Homeownership: 46
Life Expectancy: 4
Cost of Living: 44