Picking A Perfect Retirement Spot

You don’t have to look far to find lists of the best and worst places to retire based on cost of living, accessibility to health care, weather and other hard data. But often it’s the “soft” data like nearby family and friends that should be the most essential factors in a relocation decision, say retirement experts.

Beyond family considerations, you can compile your personal roster of best places to retire by applying the criteria from the popular lists that best fit your needs. Along with cost of living and home prices. Here are some ideas to get you started:

  • A senior-friendly environment. You don’t want to be in a neighborhood where everyone else is 20 years old and activities are geared toward children.
  • Nearby services. Having necessities like the doctor’s office and grocery store nearby may make life easier as you get older and want to cut back on driving longer distances or heavy traffic.
  • Interesting activities. Retiring near a university or college may open up a world of continuing education opportunities, while retiring near (but not right in) a popular tourist area ensures there’s always plenty to do in your spare time.

Best and worst states to retire in

If you’re curious about which states come out on top and which sink to the bottom in a traditional algorithm-based retirement ranking, here are Bankrate.com’s latest candidates based on cost of living, crime rate, health care quality, state and local taxes, personal well-being for seniors and weather.

5 best states to retire

  1. Wyoming
  2. Colorado
  3. Utah
  4. Idaho
  5. Virginia

5 worst states to retire

  1. Louisiana
  2. West Virginia
  3. Alaska
  4. New York
  5. Arkansas

Source: Bankrate.com