If You Don't Retire in One of These Places, You're Doing It All Wrong

24/7 Wall St. Insights

It’s suggested that, to maintain a similar quality-of-life, you should have at least 10 times your income saved up by retirement age.
The best counties to retire in each state range from small rural townships to large urban or suburban areas, providing a wide spread where you can identify the best fit for you.
Also: 2 Dividend Legends to Hold Forever

In April 2024, the U.S. Labor Department attempted to implement a fiduciary rule around the advice given to clients by financial advisors, especially when talking about retirement savings. Prior to this rule, financial advisors had to follow a “suitability” standard. This essentially means that the advice given to clients had to be suitable, but didn’t have to be the best fit for the clients. Usually, this means that the move was better for the financial advisors for making commission. However, two federal courts in Texas chose to block the rule, which means that people looking to save for retirement or roll over their 401K may struggle to receive the fair treatment they deserve. (This new survey reveals what it takes to be happy in retirement.)

Many factors go into planning for retirement. The first factor is how much you can save so that your retirement funds can grow. Financial leaders often suggest having 10-12x your income saved by age 67. As time moves on, you also must consider elements such as familial obligations, health, job satisfaction, and what town or city is the best fit for you. Again, this brings up new considerations: easy access to physical activities, healthcare accessibility, public transportation. For some, it might include a new place to call home — one that offers important amenities like easy access to physical activities and doctors. (Affordability is important too, and Hawaii is the most expensive state to retire in.)

To determine the best places to retire in every state, 24/7 Wall St. developed an index of 11 different measures related to the health and well-being of people ages 65 years and over using data from County Health Rankings and Roadmaps. The measure included air quality, access to and quality of local health care, population makeup and change, leisure activity options, and more. U.S. county or county equivalents were ranked based on the index, and the best in each state are listed here.

Why This Matters

24/7 Wall St. wants you to better understand your personal wealth and what factors might affect it. Every dollar counts when you’re budgeting for retirement. We’re covering the best places to retire in each state to help you understand if changing locations will be beneficial to you when you retire. Or, if you have already retired, this information can help you decide whether a move to a different county is in the cards.

Scroll below to see the best county to retire in your state:

Alabama: Baldwin County

Residents who are 65 and over: 20.6% (state: 16.9%)
Life expectancy: 77.7 years (state: 74.8 years)
Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 65.7% (state: 60.9%)
Amount of primary care physicians: 62.7 per 100,000 (state: 64.2 per 100,000)

Alaska: Haines Borough

Residents who are 65 and over: 20.9% (state: 12.3%)
Life expectancy: 84.4 years (state: 78.6 years)
Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 96.8% (state: 75.7%)
Amount of primary care physicians: 289.7 per 100,000 (state: 97.3 per 100,000)

Arizona: Yavapai County

Residents who are 65 and over: 31.9% (state: 17.6%)
Life expectancy: 78.4 years (state: 79.1 years)
Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 85.0% (state: 86.2%)
Amount of primary care physicians: 57.4 per 100,000 (state: 66.9 per 100,000)

Arkansas: Montgomery County

Residents who are 65 and over: 26.8% (state: 16.8%)
Life expectancy: 75.1 years (state: 75.5 years)
Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 97.2% (state: 63.0%)
Amount of primary care physicians: 23.2 per 100,000 (state: 68.1 per 100,000)

California: Marin County

Marin San Rafael California | San Rafael, California

Residents who are 65 and over: 22.4% (state: 14.4%)
Life expectancy: 85.2 years (state: 81.0 years)
Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 97.5% (state: 94.6%)
Amount of primary care physicians: 144.9 per 100,000 (state: 81.3 per 100,000)

Colorado: Pitkin County

Residents who are 65 and over: 19.3% (state: 14.3%)
Life expectancy: 92.5 years (state: 80.0 years)
Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 94.6% (state: 90.4%)
Amount of primary care physicians: 86.5 per 100,000 (state: 83.0 per 100,000)

Connecticut: Middlesex County

Middletown, Connecticut | Middletown, Connecticut City Hall Municipal Building

Residents who are 65 and over: 20.5% (state: 17.2%)
Life expectancy: 80.8 years (state: 80.1 years)
Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 97.3% (state: 93.5%)
Amount of primary care physicians: 78.3 per 100,000 (state: 84.4 per 100,000)

Delaware: Sussex County

Residents who are 65 and over: 28.3% (state: 19.0%)
Life expectancy: 78.4 years (state: 78.0 years)
Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 65.0% (state: 81.3%)
Amount of primary care physicians: 57.8 per 100,000 (state: 73.9 per 100,000)

Florida: Sumter County

Residents who are 65 and over: 57.6% (state: 20.4%)
Life expectancy: 80.2 years (state: 79.7 years)
Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 88.8% (state: 88.2%)
Amount of primary care physicians: 39.8 per 100,000 (state: 72.5 per 100,000)

Georgia: Towns County

Residents who are 65 and over: 33.7% (state: 13.9%)
Life expectancy: 79.0 years (state: 77.3 years)
Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 100.0% (state: 74.6%)
Amount of primary care physicians: 54.4 per 100,000 (state: 66.5 per 100,000)

Hawaii: Kauai County

Residents who are 65 and over: 20.3% (state: 18.5%)
Life expectancy: 82.3 years (state: 82.3 years)
Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 91.8% (state: 93.7%)
Amount of primary care physicians: 81.7 per 100,000 (state: 90.5 per 100,000)

Idaho: Blaine County

Residents who are 65 and over: 19.1% (state: 15.8%)
Life expectancy: 85.2 years (state: 79.2 years)
Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 74.5% (state: 74.7%)
Amount of primary care physicians: 88.8 per 100,000 (state: 61.7 per 100,000)

Illinois: Monroe County

Residents who are 65 and over: 17.7% (state: 15.7%)
Life expectancy: 80.7 years (state: 78.6 years)
Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 85.6% (state: 90.4%)
Amount of primary care physicians: 37.2 per 100,000 (state: 80.6 per 100,000)

Indiana: Dubois County

Residents who are 65 and over: 17.3% (state: 15.7%)
Life expectancy: 79.2 years (state: 76.5 years)
Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 75.5% (state: 76.8%)
Amount of primary care physicians: 78.1 per 100,000 (state: 66.1 per 100,000)

Iowa: Dickinson County

Residents who are 65 and over: 25.9% (state: 17.0%)
Life expectancy: 80.7 years (state: 78.7 years)
Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 84.2% (state: 79.3%)
Amount of primary care physicians: 72.8 per 100,000 (state: 73.0 per 100,000)

Kansas: Gove County

Residents who are 65 and over: 24.8% (state: 15.8%)
Life expectancy: 80.2 years (state: 77.8 years)
Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 42.9% (state: 79.7%)
Amount of primary care physicians: 217.8 per 100,000 (state: 78.8 per 100,000)

Kentucky: Woodford County

Residents who are 65 and over: 18.5% (state: 16.4%)
Life expectancy: 77.6 years (state: 75.1 years)
Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 83.0% (state: 69.9%)
Amount of primary care physicians: 66.5 per 100,000 (state: 64.0 per 100,000)

Louisiana: Jefferson Parish

Residents who are 65 and over: 17.3% (state: 15.5%)
Life expectancy: 76.7 years (state: 75.2 years)
Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 96.3% (state: 75.8%)
Amount of primary care physicians: 97.8 per 100,000 (state: 70.4 per 100,000)
County seat: Gretna

Maine: Hancock County

retirees | Retired Couple Sitting Outdoors At Home Having Morning Coffee Together

Residents who are 65 and over: 25.1% (state: 20.7%)
Life expectancy: 79.5 years (state: 78.6 years)
Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 66.4% (state: 65.7%)
Amount of primary care physicians: 115.7 per 100,000 (state: 109.3 per 100,000)

Maryland: Talbot County

Residents who are 65 and over: 29.1% (state: 15.4%)
Life expectancy: 79.3 years (state: 78.6 years)
Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 71.6% (state: 92.1%)
Amount of primary care physicians: 103.7 per 100,000 (state: 86.7 per 100,000)

Massachusetts: Dukes County

Residents who are 65 and over: 24.0% (state: 16.5%)
Life expectancy: 81.3 years (state: 80.2 years)
Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 96.7% (state: 94.7%)
Amount of primary care physicians: 66.4 per 100,000 (state: 102.2 per 100,000)

Michigan: Emmet County

Residents who are 65 and over: 22.5% (state: 17.2%)
Life expectancy: 79.3 years (state: 77.5 years)
Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 82.4% (state: 85.2%)
Amount of primary care physicians: 119.8 per 100,000 (state: 80.3 per 100,000)

Minnesota: Cook County

Minneapolis, Minnesota | Downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota at night time

Residents who are 65 and over: 28.5% (state: 15.9%)
Life expectancy: 82.5 years (state: 80.4 years)
Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 83.8% (state: 86.0%)
Amount of primary care physicians: 142.4 per 100,000 (state: 89.3 per 100,000)

Mississippi: Franklin County

Residents who are 65 and over: 20.1% (state: 15.9%)
Life expectancy: 74.4 years (state: 73.9 years)
Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 70.1% (state: 57.5%)
Amount of primary care physicians: 26.1 per 100,000 (state: 54.1 per 100,000)

Missouri: St. Louis County

Residents who are 65 and over: 18.0% (state: 16.8%)
Life expectancy: 77.2 years (state: 76.6 years)
Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 95.4% (state: 75.8%)
Amount of primary care physicians: 126.5 per 100,000 (state: 70.8 per 100,000)

Montana: Park County

Residents who are 65 and over: 23.0% (state: 18.8%)
Life expectancy: 79.9 years (state: 78.4 years)
Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 75.4% (state: 72.8%)
Amount of primary care physicians: 114.5 per 100,000 (state: 80.9 per 100,000)

Nebraska: Brown County

Nebraska body of water | Sandhill Cranes near Kearney, Nebraska.

Residents who are 65 and over: 28.1% (state: 15.7%)
Life expectancy: 79.1 years (state: 79.0 years)
Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 79.6% (state: 83.1%)
Amount of primary care physicians: 103.2 per 100,000 (state: 75.8 per 100,000)

Nevada: Douglas County

Residents who are 65 and over: 29.0% (state: 15.8%)
Life expectancy: 81.1 years (state: 78.1 years)
Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 80.9% (state: 91.5%)
Amount of primary care physicians: 52.1 per 100,000 (state: 58.8 per 100,000)

New Hampshire: Grafton County

Residents who are 65 and over: 20.8% (state: 18.2%)
Life expectancy: 80.7 years (state: 79.6 years)
Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 84.9% (state: 84.2%)
Amount of primary care physicians: 187.6 per 100,000 (state: 88.0 per 100,000)

New Jersey: Morris County

Residents who are 65 and over: 17.0% (state: 16.2%)
Life expectancy: 81.8 years (state: 79.5 years)
Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 98.5% (state: 96.1%)
Amount of primary care physicians: 97.1 per 100,000 (state: 81.2 per 100,000)

New Mexico: Los Alamos County

Residents who are 65 and over: 17.4% (state: 17.5%)
Life expectancy: 83.9 years (state: 76.9 years)
Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 99.3% (state: 74.3%)
Amount of primary care physicians: 150.0 per 100,000 (state: 74.9 per 100,000)

New York: New York County

Roof top terrace in New York city, Manhattan

Residents who are 65 and over: 16.8% (state: 16.6%)
Life expectancy: 83.7 years (state: 80.3 years)
Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 100.0% (state: 93.2%)
Amount of primary care physicians: 142.2 per 100,000 (state: 83.1 per 100,000)
County seat: Manhattan

North Carolina: Transylvania County

Residents who are 65 and over: 30.1% (state: 16.3%)
Life expectancy: 81.0 years (state: 77.7 years)
Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 85.0% (state: 74.5%)
Amount of primary care physicians: 72.4 per 100,000 (state: 71.1 per 100,000)

North Dakota: Mercer County

Residents who are 65 and over: 20.0% (state: 15.3%)
Life expectancy: 81.9 years (state: 78.8 years)
Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 79.1% (state: 72.5%)
Amount of primary care physicians: 84.1 per 100,000 (state: 76.8 per 100,000)

Ohio: Medina County

Residents who are 65 and over: 18.0% (state: 17.0%)
Life expectancy: 79.9 years (state: 76.5 years)
Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 92.7% (state: 83.8%)
Amount of primary care physicians: 62.8 per 100,000 (state: 76.8 per 100,000)

Oklahoma: Ellis County

friendly caregiver of nursing home talking to asian senior woman in hallway

Residents who are 65 and over: 23.2% (state: 15.6%)
Life expectancy: 76.2 years (state: 75.5 years)
Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 37.1% (state: 71.3%)
Amount of primary care physicians: 53.2 per 100,000 (state: 60.4 per 100,000)

Oregon: Wallowa County

Residents who are 65 and over: 29.3% (state: 17.7%)
Life expectancy: 82.0 years (state: 79.7 years)
Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 58.5% (state: 87.9%)
Amount of primary care physicians: 145.8 per 100,000 (state: 94.1 per 100,000)

Pennsylvania: Montgomery County

Residents who are 65 and over: 17.7% (state: 18.2%)
Life expectancy: 80.5 years (state: 78.0 years)
Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 96.4% (state: 85.8%)
Amount of primary care physicians: 132.8 per 100,000 (state: 81.1 per 100,000)

Rhode Island: Bristol County

Residents who are 65 and over: 19.7% (state: 17.3%)
Life expectancy: 81.2 years (state: 79.4 years)
Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 99.5% (state: 95.5%)
Amount of primary care physicians: 192.8 per 100,000 (state: 97.2 per 100,000)

South Carolina: Beaufort County

Residents who are 65 and over: 27.4% (state: 17.7%)
Life expectancy: 82.6 years (state: 76.4 years)
Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 86.0% (state: 70.3%)
Amount of primary care physicians: 71.4 per 100,000 (state: 67.9 per 100,000)

South Dakota: Fall River County

Residents who are 65 and over: 29.9% (state: 16.6%)
Life expectancy: 74.7 years (state: 78.2 years)
Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 86.4% (state: 70.6%)
Amount of primary care physicians: 69.4 per 100,000 (state: 80.2 per 100,000)

Tennessee: Johnson County

Residents who are 65 and over: 22.8% (state: 16.3%)
Life expectancy: 74.0 years (state: 75.3 years)
Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 100.0% (state: 67.6%)
Amount of primary care physicians: 33.0 per 100,000 (state: 70.4 per 100,000)

Texas: Jeff Davis County

Residents who are 65 and over: 36.9% (state: 12.5%)
Life expectancy: 84.4 years (state: 78.4 years)
Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 44.3% (state: 81.7%)
Amount of primary care physicians: 51.3 per 100,000 (state: 60.6 per 100,000)

Utah: Grand County

Residents who are 65 and over: 20.4% (state: 11.1%)
Life expectancy: 79.4 years (state: 79.7 years)
Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 94.5% (state: 84.2%)
Amount of primary care physicians: 134.5 per 100,000 (state: 55.9 per 100,000)

Vermont: Washington County

Residents who are 65 and over: 19.7% (state: 19.5%)
Life expectancy: 79.8 years (state: 79.7 years)
Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 73.4% (state: 70.6%)
Amount of primary care physicians: 100.1 per 100,000 (state: 112.9 per 100,000)

Virginia: James City County

Residents who are 65 and over: 25.2% (state: 15.5%)
Life expectancy: 81.6 years (state: 79.1 years)
Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 97.5% (state: 83.4%)
Amount of primary care physicians: 111.4 per 100,000 (state: 75.0 per 100,000)

Washington: San Juan County

Residents who are 65 and over: 33.7% (state: 15.5%)
Life expectancy: 86.3 years (state: 80.2 years)
Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 86.2% (state: 86.0%)
Amount of primary care physicians: 70.1 per 100,000 (state: 83.9 per 100,000)

West Virginia: Tucker County

Hiking, elderly and people, happy outdoor with nature, fitness and fun in park, exercise group trekking in Boston. Diversity, friends and happiness with hike, active lifestyle motivation and senior.

Residents who are 65 and over: 26.3% (state: 19.9%)
Life expectancy: 75.5 years (state: 74.3 years)
Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 98.7% (state: 57.8%)
Amount of primary care physicians: 60.0 per 100,000 (state: 78.6 per 100,000)

Wisconsin: Ozaukee County

Residents who are 65 and over: 19.8% (state: 17.0%)
Life expectancy: 81.9 years (state: 78.9 years)
Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 97.3% (state: 83.5%)
Amount of primary care physicians: 141.6 per 100,000 (state: 79.7 per 100,000)

Wyoming: Park County

Residents who are 65 and over: 23.3% (state: 16.7%)
Life expectancy: 80.5 years (state: 78.1 years)
Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 72.5% (state: 77.5%)
Amount of primary care physicians: 122.9 per 100,000 (state: 70.1 per 100,000)

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If You Don’t Retire in One of These Places, You’re Doing It All Wrong

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