After we’ve retired, we want to know what comes next. We want to get the most out of our benefits and enjoy ourselves. The beauty of retirement means we aren’t tied to our traditional 9-to-5 routine, so we can go anywhere and do anything. Uprooting may not be the solution for everyone, but for seniors it’s a viable option. So that begs the question, which state is the best to retire in?
From cost-of-living to the weather, different states provide different opportunities to better your retirement in 2021.
As reported by Jeff Ostrowski, Bankrate.com conducted a study of which state is the best to retire in. Their study was based off five main criteria: affordability, wellness, culture, weather, and crime. Utilizing these categorizes, each state was given a score and ranked against one another.
The top five states to retire in are Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, Missouri, and Massachusetts: each state achieving favorable scores in one or more category, and adequate scores in the remaining areas. These states offer affordability to seniors, especially those that have successful sold a home and have cash to burn. In addition, they offer a high senior population which means that there are health and wellness resources at hand, as well as entertainment tailored to them.
Obviously, these are important things to consider but they aren’t the only criteria. Data is a helpful tool when trying to decide, but a choice like this contains an emotional component as well.
Understanding what’s important to you and what makes you happy should be the deciding factors when contemplating a retirement move. Where do your friends and family live? Do you love being on the coast, or are you in love with big sky country? Where can your Social Security benefits stretch the most? Where can I live my best life? At least asking these questions can help guide your heart to the right choice for you.
Plus, if you were ever curious, you can always travel to these states to visit rather than uproot entirely. You’re retired, you’ve got the time. Might as well have some fun and see some sights.
The Council for Retirement Security and their Social Security Lock-Box Petition seek to protect the Social Security Trust from reckless government spending; so, no matter what state you find yourself retired in, your hard-earned benefits will be protects regardless.
