12 Best States for Retirement: 2019
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(Related: Top 15 Best States for Retirement: 2018)
Although Americans generally retire when they become eligible to receive Social Security or pension benefits, some people cannot do so when they would like, according to a report from WalletHub, a personal finance website.
A quarter of non-retired adults have no retirement savings or pension, WalletHub notes, citing U.S. Federal Reserve data.
Those whose retirement is a question mark because of finances may consider relocation to an affordable state that does not demand a drastic lifestyle change. But finding the best place can require a lot of research.
According to WalletHub, even in the most affordable locations, Social Security or pension distributions by themselves are unlikely to cover all of a retiree’s living expenses — Social Security benefits rise with local inflation, but still replace only some 39% of the average worker’s earnings, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.
WalletHub has taken up the research burden and identified the best states for retirement. Researchers focused on affordability, quality of life and health care in the 50 states, using 46 key indicators of retirement friendliness and grading each one on a 100-point scale, with 100 being the most favorable conditions for retirement.
Some of the differences between states are dramatic. For instance, in the state with the lowest cost-of-living index for retirees, the number is 85.95, compared with 188.34 in the state with the highest.
Check out the gallery to see WalletHub’s 12 best states for retirement in 2019.
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