Virginia among top 10 states for retirees in 2025, study finds
(NewsNation) — Safe streets, quality health care and a strong retiree community make New Hampshire the best state to retire in 2025, according to a new report.
The Granite State finished first on Bankrate’s annual list of the best states for retirees, edging out Maine and Wyoming in second and third.
Bankrate’s rankings, released Monday, evaluated all 50 states across eight key categories, including affordability, weather, safety and health care.
Four New England states cracked the top 10 with strong health care, safety and a high share of similar-aged residents. Three Mountain West states also ranked high thanks to affordability and low local taxes.
Meanwhile, the Sun Belt appears to have lost some of its shine, with eight of the 10 worst states for retirees located there, according to Bankrate.
“Our survey results may be shocking to any retirees who only considered warm weather and income taxes in their relocation plans,” Stephen Kates, CFP, Bankrate financial analyst, said in the report.
Florida, long seen as a retirement haven, ranked just 41st overall. The Sunshine State was strong on local taxes and the abundance of other retirees but was dragged down by health care, home insurance costs and natural disasters.
Bankrate weighted each category based on how Americans ranked their priorities in a recent survey — with affordability, weather, safety, health care and local taxes topping the list of retirement must-haves.
Here are the 10 best states to retire in 2025 and how each one stacks up in those five key areas.
United states – 2023/05/08: a woman is looking at the great falls from an observation platform along the potomac river, great falls park, virginia, united states of america. (photo by wolfgang kaehler/lightrocket via getty images)
Affordability: 16th
Weather: 8th
Safety: 16th
Health Care: 25th
Local Taxes: 27th
9 – Utah
Moab, utah – september 24: tourists enjoy the view and take photos of sandstone formations with a blue sky at arches national park on september 24, 2022 in moab, utah. (photo by dominik bindl/getty images)
Affordability: 11th
Weather: 6th
Safety: 15th
Health Care: 27th
Local Taxes: 16th
8 – Wisconsin
A sailboat moves across the water on lake michigan in milwaukee, wisconsin on july 1, 2024. (photo by tannen maury / afp) (photo by tannen maury/afp via getty images)
Affordability: 6th
Weather: 44th
Safety: 9th
Health Care: 15th
Local Taxes: 19th
7 – West Virginia
Nps new river gorge national park. (photo by: edwin remsberg/vwpics/universal images group via getty images)
Affordability: 1st
Weather: 12th
Safety: 6th
Health Care: 38th
Local Taxes: 23rd
6 – Rhode Island
New shoreham – august 14: the crowded beach scene at ballard’s restaurant on block island in the town of new shoreham, ri on aug. 14, 2020. (photo by matthew j. Lee/the boston globe via getty images)
Affordability: 38th
Weather: 34th
Safety: 4th
Health Care: 7th
Local Taxes: 39th
5 – Idaho
A hiker carries a fishing rod along a trail in the gospel hump wilderness in idaho. (photo by pete zimowsky/idaho statesman/tribune news service via getty images)
Affordability: 9th
Weather: 24th
Safety: 3rd
Health Care: 19th
Local Taxes: 11th
4 – Vermont
Vermont, usa – october 13: a woman canoeing on a lake amid colorful fall foliage in vermont and new hampshire, united states on october 13, 2024. (photo by lokman vural elibol/anadolu via getty images)
Affordability: 12th
Weather: 43rd
Safety: 19th
Health Care: 1st
Local Taxes: 43rd
3 – Wyoming
Yellowstone national park, wy – september 18: hundreds of visitors watch as old faithful geyser springs to life (every 90 minutes) in yellowstone national park’s upper geyser basin on september 18, 2022, in yellowstone national park, wyoming. (photo by george rose/getty images)
Affordability: 4th
Weather: 21st
Safety: 7th
Health Care: 39th
Local Taxes: 1st
2 – Maine
Bar harbor, me – june 25: a couple look out at the view on top cadillac mountain at acadia national park on thursday, june 25, 2020. The popular acadia spot was fairly empty on the sunny summer afternoon. (staff photo by brianna soukup/portland press herald via getty images)
Affordability: 17th
Weather: 41st
Safety: 2nd
Health Care: 3rd
Local Taxes: 29th
1 – New Hampshire
New hampshire, usa- october 22: a special 470 club chartered conway scenic railroad rail fan train makes it way through crawford notch in crawford notch state park, in north conway, new hampshire, united states on october 22, 2022. (photo by joseph prezioso/anadolu agency via getty images)
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