Apologies to all those New Yorkers out there who feel that The Empire State trumps the rest. Apparently the rest of America doesn’t agree. New York came in last in a new survey conducted by Bankrate. And while many might think states like Florida or Arizona, who are home to many retirement communities might come in first, think again. South Dakota took home the gold when it came to best places to retire in America.
The factors include local weather, cost of living, crime rate, health care quality, tax burden and well-being (a measurement from the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index that quantifies how satisfied residents are with their surroundings). South Dakota came out on top due to its low tax burden, low crime rate and high wellness score. Other states that round out the top five best states to retire are Colorado, Utah, North Dakota and Wyoming. “While the states that ranked highly may not be thought of as typical retiree havens, seniors should consider more than sunshine when choosing a place for their golden years,” said Bankrate.com research and statistics analyst Chris Kahn. “The Dakotas both ranked in our top 10 for the second year in a row due to their low cost of living, low crime rates, good health care quality, low taxes and excellent satisfaction scores from residents.” The five states that ranked the lowest for retirement are New York, West Virginia, Alaska, Arkansas and Hawaii. “Of course, the best place to retire will differ drastically depending on the individual,” said Kahn. “For some, the best place to retire is simply anywhere there’s year-round warmth and sunshine. For others, it’s where family and friends live. Retirees are best off deciding what factors matter most to them and checking the relevant statistics before making a final decision.”
And for all of those out there who are wondering why New York came in last? If you look at the methods in which the study was conducted it’s easy to conclude why New York didn’t fare well. Factors included in the study were metrics like Tax Rate, Crime Rate, Health Care Quality, and weather. Remember folks, this was a study for the best places to retire, not to lead a young and lavish lifestyle. The entire list can be viewed at Bankrate. While South Dakota was ranked number one, we’re pretty sure that many folks living outside of South Dakota might have something to say about this. Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images
