Bankrate releases a list of the best states to retire every year based on a number of factors that the company considers to be essential for a happy retirement.
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One of the most essential elements of the list is the cost of living, which means that expensive states such as New York and California are near or at the bottom of the list despite the fact that they have a lot to offer from a cultural standpoint.
Factors considered by Bankrate when determining its rankings include cost of living, crime rate, culture, health care quality, taxes, weather and well-being. Here are the 10 best states to retire for 2018:
- South Dakota: The Midwestern state ranks 19 for cost of living, 21 for crime, 10 for culture, 12 for health care quality, two on taxes, 38 for weather and number one for well-being.
- Utah: The Western state is near the top of the list as it is number eight for taxes and number nine for well-being.
- Idaho: This state has a lot going for it as its number four in crime, eight in health care quality and eight in well-being.
- New Hampshire: The Northeastern state is number one in lowest crime, five in health care quality and seven in taxes and well-being.
- Florida: The sunny state is near the top of the list as it has the second best weather in the country.
- Montana: Here’s another underrated selection which ranks seven in culture and six in taxes.
- North Carolina: The Eastern state is 12 in both cost of living and weather.
- Wyoming: This state has the lowest taxes in the country and its nine in crime, making it one of the best states to retire.
- Nebraska: The health care quality in this state ranks at number 12.
- Mississippi: The Southern state rounds out the top 10 as it has the lowest cost of living in the U.S.
Where would you like to retire.
