Choosing the best destination for retirement involves quite a few factors that are very important, such as affordability, access to good healthcare, recreation, and safety, while it is true that the state of Florida remains the most popular state among people.
As they retire, older citizens of the United States are also moving to other regions to have a lower cost of living that does not compromise access to top-notch services, and they are found throughout the country.
Based With its high ratings for accessibility to high-quality health care, overall well-being and other categories, Delaware is known as the “First State” to earn the top spot in Bankrate’s annual ranking of the best states for retirement in the United States. In 2023, the state was ranked No. 2, after Iowa.
“While you might not think of Delaware as a typical retirement haven, it has many strong selling points for retirees,” said Bankrate analyst Alex Gailey.
In a recent report that marked the best retirement communities in the entire United States, the small city of King City, Oregon, Sun City Center, Florida, Green Valley, Arizona, real estate data from all cities in the United States were analyzed and searched listings for keywords that were indicators of favorable services for retirees.
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It is noted that the city’s focus on sustainable living and easy access to the best doctors are just some of the reasons why it achieved such a high ranking this year.
What’s more, it ranked higher than Villages in the state of Florida, which came in fourth place and has regularly been a favorite retirement destination for many seniors.
So what else awaits retirees who decide to spend their golden years in this area of the country?
While the cost of living in Delaware is higher than the national average, the state performed well in other affordability metrics, including having no state or local sales tax and residents not having They have to pay income taxes on social security benefits.
The state of Delaware’s racial and ethnic diversity and its high percentage of residents over the age of 62 also helped propel it to the top of Bankrate’s list. “If you’re looking for a community in your older years, it’s easier to find those people in Delaware,” Gailey said.
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The state also provides residents with access to high-quality health care, a key consideration for many retirees.
“Having access to good quality healthcare is very important in retirement because it is one of the largest costs you incur,” Gailey added.
On the other hand, if we talk about the worst state in the United States to retire, Alaska happens to be last place in terms of retirement, as it was also in 2023, according to Bankrate, the state’s low score is due to its poor grades in practically across the board, Gailey said.
Other states with a not very positive ranking are New York in position 49, Washington in position 48 and California in position 47, all of them affected by their high costs of living.
“The common denominator is that they are states that are expensive to live in,” Gailey said. “When you retire, you have a fixed income, and it can be stressful to see your retirement savings dwindle.”