White sandy seashores and delicate, sunny climates have lengthy been options of the archetypal American retirement. However maybe not anymore.
New Hampshire, a state recognized extra for its snowboarding than its sunshine, was named the very best U.S. state to retire in Bankrate’s 2025 rankings.
The monetary providers web site ranked all 50 states primarily based on 15 metrics, together with affordability, well being care and climate. The research used information from quite a lot of sources, together with the Council for Group and Financial Analysis, the Nationwide Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the U.S. Division of Well being and Human Companies.
The metrics had been weighed in keeping with survey responses gathered by Bankrate in Might 2025 on what Individuals say are their prime priorities for selecting a retirement vacation spot. In consequence, affordability, climate and neighborhood security influenced total scores essentially the most.
Retirees will not be flocking to New Hampshire for its local weather, it appears, because it ranked fortieth within the nation for climate. However it earned the No. 1 spot for neighborhood safety and landed within the prime 10 for well being care, tax-friendliness and variety of residents aged 65 or older.
Listed here are the ten finest states to retire in 2025, in keeping with Bankrate:
- New Hampshire
- Maine
- Wyoming
- Vermont
- Idaho
- Rhode Island
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Utah
- Virginia
New England could also be hotter than the Solar Belt for retirees
Notably, three different New England states joined New Hampshire within the prime 10 — Maine, Vermont and Rhode Island — regardless of the area’s comparatively poor climate rankings and the excessive price of residing in sure states.
Additionally notable: No Sun Belt states, resembling Florida, North Carolina or Arizona, made the reduce. States on this area typically appeal to retirees and place excessive in related rankings as a result of their delicate climates and tax-friendliness, as is the case in Florida.
“Our survey outcomes could also be surprising to any retirees who solely thought-about heat climate and earnings taxes of their relocation plans,” Stephen Kates, an authorized monetary planner and Bankrate monetary analyst, stated within the report. “We included 15 completely different information factors into our evaluation for a complete perspective on the true prices of retirement throughout completely different states.”
Whereas climate was the second-heaviest weighted class, neighborhood security and well being care had been practically as necessary in Bankrate’s rankings, pushing up total scores for Northeastern states with less-favorable climate.
Preferable climates additionally have a tendency to return at a excessive price. California ranked No. 1 for climate, however No. 46 for affordability and No. 48 for native taxes, per Bankrate’s evaluation, placing it at No. 43 total. Though New Mexico earned the No. 2 spot for climate, it got here in final for security, placing its total rating at No. 42.
“There may be extra to being a resident than simply the variety of sunny days and taxes,” Kates stated. “Classes like public security, walkability, entry to well being care, air high quality, leisure alternatives and extra add as much as the every day high quality of life retirees need.”
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