1. Alaska.
High taxes, bad weather, poor drinking water quality and lots of snow—66 days per year!—all conspire to make Alaska finish at the very bottom for its hospitable atmosphere (or, rather, the lack of it) for seniors.
It does have its advantages -- for one thing, the scenery is incredible -- but disadvantages outweigh them.
When choosing a retirement location, many people look for ocean-side property or low-cost of living.
But mobility specialist Stannah has looked at different criteria—everything from burglary and violent crime to the cost of health care and nursing homes, air and water quality, how far away are supermarkets and libraries and whether there’s public transportation.
Such states could be considered rather unfriendly to older citizens, if not downright hostile.
Here are 10 not-so-friendly states for seniors, drawn from its ranking of all 50 states. (Photos: Shutterstock)
10. Colorado.
Colorado’s downfall is finance, with a dollar not buying as much as in 39 other states.
Home care, assisted living and nursing home costs are fairly high, with a shortage of staffed hospital beds, while house prices will eat up a lot of assets.
It’s right in the middle, at 25, on special provisions for taxes on Social Security and retirement benefit income, and its crime rates are, if not the highest, still nothing to boast about.
Surprisingly, air quality isn’t great some days in Denver, and there’s a substantial risk of tornadoes and wildfires; national parks are its biggest asset.
9. Nebraska.
Nebraska’s biggest weak point is its environment, and its best-kept secret is its water quality issues. Additionally, tornadoes do roll through in spring and summer.
It does pretty well, actually, when it comes to social life and accessibility, with good public transit, free education for seniors and parks, libraries and senior centers available.
But property taxes are pretty high, as are the costs of home care and assisted living, while retirement benefit income is taxed. There are special provisions for Social Security.
8. Arizona.
Arizona suffers when it comes to health, with a shortage of staffed hospital beds, and high crime rates.
Watch out for wildfires, as well as pollution and air and water quality issues. Need we mention extreme summer heat?
Public transportation isn’t good, nor is the number of libraries, and although “special provisions” are made for tax exemptions on Social Security, pension income is taxed.
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7. Oregon.
Pricey, but not as bad as California, Oregon makes special provisions for Social Security and retirement income—but doesn’t not tax them.
Nursing home, assisted living and home care costs are high, along with house prices; there aren’t enough staffed hospital beds; and the property crime rate is pretty high.
It also suffers from wildfires, pollution and water quality issues, flood insurance claims and earthquakes, lacks libraries, and doesn’t do well either on public transportation or in supermarket proximity to seniors.
6. California.
It all comes down to money, with California finishing at the very bottom for affordability.
Sales tax, housing prices, taxes on retirement income and Social Security—talk about unfriendly!
Then there are wildfires, pollution, air quality, flood insurance claims, earthquakes—shall we go on? The state does, however, do fairly well on public transportation, supermarket proximity, senior centers and free education for seniors.
5. North Dakota.
North Dakota does poorly on social life and accessibility, with poor public transit, poor libraries, supermarkets more than 10 miles away from seniors and no free education for seniors.
It ranks 49th for average annual temperature, something older people should consider, and has 45.2 snow days per year. It also ranked 30th for the number of wildfires it suffered in 2017.
It does only average on health and safety, but when it comes to taxes, watch out: Both Social Security and retirement benefits are taxed—and the cost of home care and nursing home care are close to the bottom in affordability.
4. New Mexico.
New Mexico finishes at the bottom on health. It also has high crime rates—property and burglary are the worst in the country and violent crime only up one step at 49th place. And it taxes Social Security, to boot.
The water quality is poor, with the state finishing in 43rd place. It’s also short on libraries, long on distance to supermarkets for seniors, and lacks good public transportation.
3. Montana.
Taxes on Social Security tend to make up for some of Montana’s other financial statistics, and it can be pretty pricey for home care, too.
It also has a property crime rate that places it in the bottom two fifths of the states, and finishes even below that for staffed hospital beds. And watch out for wildfires—it ranked 43rd out of 50 for the most in 2017.
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2. Vermont.
Next to the bottom, poor Vermont boasts high costs and high taxes, especially on retirement income and Social Security.
In addition, it ranks at the bottom for staffed hospital beds, is second only to Alaska in the number of snow days per year (54.4) and doesn’t boast much in the way of national parks.
Yet it does have good points, such as a top ranking for libraries and free education for seniors.
1. Alaska.
High taxes, bad weather, poor drinking water quality and lots of snow—66 days per year!—all conspire to make Alaska finish at the very bottom for its hospitable atmosphere (or, rather, the lack of it) for seniors.
It does have its advantages -- for one thing, the scenery is incredible -- but disadvantages outweigh them.
When choosing a retirement location, many people look for ocean-side property or low-cost of living.
But mobility specialist Stannah has looked at different criteria—everything from burglary and violent crime to the cost of health care and nursing homes, air and water quality, how far away are supermarkets and libraries and whether there’s public transportation.
Such states could be considered rather unfriendly to older citizens, if not downright hostile.
Here are 10 not-so-friendly states for seniors, drawn from its ranking of all 50 states. (Photos: Shutterstock)
10. Colorado.
Colorado’s downfall is finance, with a dollar not buying as much as in 39 other states.
Home care, assisted living and nursing home costs are fairly high, with a shortage of staffed hospital beds, while house prices will eat up a lot of assets.
It’s right in the middle, at 25, on special provisions for taxes on Social Security and retirement benefit income, and its crime rates are, if not the highest, still nothing to boast about.
Surprisingly, air quality isn’t great some days in Denver, and there’s a substantial risk of tornadoes and wildfires; national parks are its biggest asset.
9. Nebraska.
Nebraska’s biggest weak point is its environment, and its best-kept secret is its water quality issues. Additionally, tornadoes do roll through in spring and summer.
It does pretty well, actually, when it comes to social life and accessibility, with good public transit, free education for seniors and parks, libraries and senior centers available.
But property taxes are pretty high, as are the costs of home care and assisted living, while retirement benefit income is taxed. There are special provisions for Social Security.
8. Arizona.
Arizona suffers when it comes to health, with a shortage of staffed hospital beds, and high crime rates.
Watch out for wildfires, as well as pollution and air and water quality issues. Need we mention extreme summer heat?
Public transportation isn’t good, nor is the number of libraries, and although “special provisions” are made for tax exemptions on Social Security, pension income is taxed.
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7. Oregon.
Pricey, but not as bad as California, Oregon makes special provisions for Social Security and retirement income—but doesn’t not tax them.
Nursing home, assisted living and home care costs are high, along with house prices; there aren’t enough staffed hospital beds; and the property crime rate is pretty high.
It also suffers from wildfires, pollution and water quality issues, flood insurance claims and earthquakes, lacks libraries, and doesn’t do well either on public transportation or in supermarket proximity to seniors.
6. California.
It all comes down to money, with California finishing at the very bottom for affordability.
Sales tax, housing prices, taxes on retirement income and Social Security—talk about unfriendly!
Then there are wildfires, pollution, air quality, flood insurance claims, earthquakes—shall we go on? The state does, however, do fairly well on public transportation, supermarket proximity, senior centers and free education for seniors.
5. North Dakota.
North Dakota does poorly on social life and accessibility, with poor public transit, poor libraries, supermarkets more than 10 miles away from seniors and no free education for seniors.
It ranks 49th for average annual temperature, something older people should consider, and has 45.2 snow days per year. It also ranked 30th for the number of wildfires it suffered in 2017.
It does only average on health and safety, but when it comes to taxes, watch out: Both Social Security and retirement benefits are taxed—and the cost of home care and nursing home care are close to the bottom in affordability.
4. New Mexico.
New Mexico finishes at the bottom on health. It also has high crime rates—property and burglary are the worst in the country and violent crime only up one step at 49th place. And it taxes Social Security, to boot.
The water quality is poor, with the state finishing in 43rd place. It’s also short on libraries, long on distance to supermarkets for seniors, and lacks good public transportation.
3. Montana.
Taxes on Social Security tend to make up for some of Montana’s other financial statistics, and it can be pretty pricey for home care, too.
It also has a property crime rate that places it in the bottom two fifths of the states, and finishes even below that for staffed hospital beds. And watch out for wildfires—it ranked 43rd out of 50 for the most in 2017.
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2. Vermont.
Next to the bottom, poor Vermont boasts high costs and high taxes, especially on retirement income and Social Security.
In addition, it ranks at the bottom for staffed hospital beds, is second only to Alaska in the number of snow days per year (54.4) and doesn’t boast much in the way of national parks.
Yet it does have good points, such as a top ranking for libraries and free education for seniors.
1. Alaska.
High taxes, bad weather, poor drinking water quality and lots of snow—66 days per year!—all conspire to make Alaska finish at the very bottom for its hospitable atmosphere (or, rather, the lack of it) for seniors.
It does have its advantages -- for one thing, the scenery is incredible -- but disadvantages outweigh them.
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Marlene Satter
Marlene Y. Satter has worked in and written about the financial industry for decades.
