Are These the Worst States for Retirees?

Please read the lists below with this caveat…If you are trying to avoid the worst states to retire when choosing a new place to live, there are wonderful things about each and every state in our country, and sometimes states make a list for one category and are actually fabulous places to retire in so many others. The lists below are simply rankings by data points collected by the Census Bureau, the FBI, the US Department of Health and a few other sources. Numbers can be deceiving or enlightening, so if you’re planning to move to one these states, dig deep and make sure it’s a good fit.

All state categories lists show the states with the worst performance first, and then the other 10 to 15 states in order of rank. We share lots of more positive statistics via Best States to Retire, so check that out too.

States with Highest Overall Taxes for Retirees

Highest tax states translate into a larger portion of every 1$ spent or earned going towards personal, property and sales tax. Taxes can make or break a comfortable retirement or otherwise high quality of life so choose carefully.

See the List of States with Highest Taxes

Minnesota

Property tax around 3%, combined local sales taxes reaching 7%+ and high income tax rates put Minnesota at the top of the least friendly to retirees states in terms of taxes. You are paying a large portion of your income in taxes each month in every category of tax.

Connecticut

This state taxes social security benefits for those over 50K in income, has fairly high sales tax at aroiund 6.5% combined with high property taxes. In addition pensions and retirement plans are fully taxed!

Kansas

Kansas’ budget isn’t doing that well and the bill has been passed to taxpayers. Very high combined sales tax of 8.5% and greater make daily purchases expensive. And like CT pensions and retirement plans are taxed.

Vermont

Vermont is expensive…very high property taxes in excess of 5%, a high income tax rate and taxing of retirement income make this a tough place to live if you have limited financial resources.

Nebraska

The top income tax rates start at a fairly low tier of income, around $30K and $60K respectively for single and married filing jointly. Very high property taxes of almost 4% mean even if you pay off your home, you’re still paying a large percentage of income in yearly property tax burden.

New Mexico

Very high sales tax exceeding 7%, and almost 5% income tax if you earn over $16K for single filers and $24K for married filing jointly add up quickly if you are a relatively financially comfortable retiree.

Maryland

Once again, another state that taxes distributions from retirement plans and pensions, and lots of counties in Maryland bill taxpayers and additional income tax over the state rate of 2-5.5%!

Utah

Taxing social security benefits, retirement income, and pensions make Utah not as friendly as some states for retirees. Sales tax is very high as well almost 7% in some municipalities.

States with Highest Property Tax

Paying too much in property tax can sink you. Say you pay off your $300K home in western NY. You will still have a burden of around $700 a month for the rest of the time you live there! That is an extraordinary amount of money and can quickly eat into savings and your ability to pay for other things.
New Hampshire
Vermont
New Jersey
Maine
Rhode Island
New York
Connecticut
Wyoming
This map is courtesy of The Tax Foundationstates with highest property tax

States with Highest Violent and Property Crime Rates

Which states have the highest crime? Here’s a quick list of results. This information was gleaned from the statistics contained in the FBI’s 2017 Crime in the US report. Highlighted states appear on both lists.

Most Violent Crime

Listed in order of highest violent crime rates first…

Alaska
New Mexico
Nevada
Tennessee
Louisiana
Arkansas
Alabama
Missouri
Delaware
South Carolina
Maryland
Arizona
Michigan
Oklahoma
California

Most Property Crime

Listed in order of highest property crime rates first…

New Mexico
Washington
Alaska
Louisiana
Arkansas
South Carolina
Georgia
Hawaii
Oklahoma
Arizona
Oregon
Utah
Alabama
Tennessee
Missouri

States with Highest Cost of Living

See the Most Expensive States to Live In
Cost of living means your taxes, housing, medical, transportation, and other costs all rolled into one rating. Your individual situation may mean that these states are still a good fit.

Listed in order of highest cost of living first…

Hawaii
California
Massachusetts
New York
Alaska
Oregon
Maryland
Connecticut
Rhode Island
New Jersey

States with Least Educational Attainment of Residents

See the Which States Have the Least Educated People
Listed in order of least educated populations first…

West Virginia
Mississippi
Louisiana
Arkansas
Kentucky
Alabama
Nevada
Texas
Tennessee
Oklahoma
Indiana

Poorest States by Median Household Income

These States have the Most Low Income Residents
Listed in order of lowest household incomes first…

Mississippi
New Mexico
Louisiana
Alabama
Kentucky
Arkansas
Georgia
District of Columbia
West Virginia
Tennessee
Arizona
South Carolina

States with Worst Health Care Systems and Access

See the States with the Worst Health Care
Listed in order of lowest rated health care systems and access…

Louisiana
Mississippi
Alaska
Arkansas
North Carolina
Alabama
Oklahoma
South Carolina
Georgia
Florida

States with Worst Winters

These States Have the Worst Year Round Weather
The list of tough winters is much longer than the best weather list and for good reason. Many of our northern states experience heavy snow and ice cold temperatures, as a result of location, prevailing winds, and proximity to the Great Lakes.

Listed in order of worst year round weather…

Minnesota
Michigan
Alaska
North Dakota
Maine
South Dakota
Wisconsin
Idaho
Montana
Massachusetts
Iowa
Wyoming
Illinois
Ohio
New Hampshire
Indiana

States with the Worst Economy

See Where the Economy is Struggling a Bit
Listed in order of worst economy first…

Alaska
Louisiana
New Mexico
South Dakota
Kentucky
Mississippi
West Virginia
Kansas
Arkansas
Tennessee
Ohio
Montana

States with the Most Poverty

See the States with the Highest Poverty Levels
Listed in order of most poverty first…

Mississippi
Arkansas
West Virginia
Alabama
Kentucky
New Mexico
Louisiana
South Carolina
Tennessee
North Carolina
Idaho
Oklahoma

More Worst States to Retire Resources

If you are trying to avoid one of the above states for crime, cost of living, lack of healthcare resources or other, please remember that every state has towns that beat the statistics and come out on top for retirement. Check out our other lists just so you don’t miss a place that fits your every need, but happens to be in a state who’s overall ranking would have disqualified it from your search.

Best States to Retire
Best Places to Retire
Cheap Safe Places to Retire
Safest Places to Retire List
Alternative Communities
Active Retirement Communities