The Best Retirement States in the U.S. in 2026
Key Points
The Motley Fool ranked all 50 states across seven categories -- including quality of life, healthcare, and taxes.
Results from this research were based on what 2,000 surveyed retirees said actually matters most.
Florida topped the list, offering no income tax, excellent healthcare access, and near-perfect climate.
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When most people think about where to retire, they fixate on one thing -- such as taxes, weather, or housing costs -- and build a ranking from there.
Optimizing for one factor usually means giving something up somewhere else. A state with no income tax might have sky-high insurance costs. The best weather might come with the worst affordability. The cheapest housing might mean limited access to quality healthcare.
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That's what makes The Motley Fool's approach useful. Rather than ranking states on a single metric, they scored all 50 across seven weighted categories, based on what 2,000 surveyed retirees said actually matters to them:
- Quality of life (31%)
- Healthcare access and quality (15%)
- Housing affordability (13%)
- Crime and safety (12%)
- Weather and climate (12%)
- State and local taxes (11%)
- Non-housing affordability (6%)
Quality of life alone carries nearly a third of the total score, so states that are cheap but offer little else get penalized. Here are the best retirement states, according to research from the Motley Fool. Let's start with a four-way tie for the No. 5 spot.
5. (tie) Pennsylvania
Total retirement score: 58
Pennsylvania offers one of the best cost-of-living scores -- 94 -- with decent costs of housing and crime scores -- 83 and 63, respectively. For history buffs, Pennsylvania is hard to beat.
5. (tie) Ohio
Total retirement score: 58
Ohio has the best cost-of-living score on this list -- 96 -- and the best cost of housing -- 90. The larger cities provide access to great hospitals like the Cleveland Clinic.
5. (tie) Minnesota
Total retirement score: 58
The best healthcare score of these top picks goes to Minnesota -- 92 -- anchored by the Mayo Clinic. It has world-class cultural institutions like the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis and access to phenomenal outdoor beauty.
5. (tie) Wisconsin
Total retirement score: 58
Wisconsin scores high in affordability, with cost of living at 85, housing at 77, and healthcare also at 77. And the state is extremely safe, with a crime and safety score of 85, one of the highest on this list.
4. Michigan
Total retirement score: 59
Michigan scores an 87 on housing and an 89 on cost of living -- making it one of the most affordable options for retirees in the entire country. But unlike many super-affordable states, you're not giving up much. Healthcare comes in at 70, a crime score of 72, and access to quaint college towns and Lake Michigan.
3. Texas
Total retirement score: 65
Texas, on the other hand, has the best climate score on the entire list -- a perfect 100. The state is also a tax haven for retirees: no state income tax; no tax on Social Security, pensions, 401(k) distributions, or IRA withdrawals; no estate tax; and no inheritance tax.
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Texas does, however, have some of the highest property tax rates in the country. Still, the cost-of-living score of 94 and the housing score of 81 tell you that this is an affordable, comfortable place to retire.
2. California
Total retirement score: 66
California has the highest quality-of-life score on the entire list -- a perfect 100 -- reflecting its restaurant density, access to arts and entertainment, easy access to major airports, and access to outdoor recreation. If you want the widest range of things to do in retirement, this is your state.
But all this costs real money. California's housing score is 10 -- the second-worst on the list behind only Hawaii. The state income tax tops out at 13.3%, the highest in the country, and while Social Security is exempt, pensions, 401(k) withdrawals, and IRA distributions are all fully taxable. The cost of living scores just 37.
1. Florida
Total retirement score: 70
The state offers seniors a mix of tax benefits: no income tax, no estate tax, and no inheritance tax. And with a climate score of 98 and a crime safety score of 96, Florida is a paradise for many retirees.
It also offers great healthcare options like the Mayo Clinic Jacksonville, Tampa General, and Cleveland Clinic Florida. There's a reason Florida has been the default retirement destination for decades.
However, there are some real costs. Homeowner's insurance average annual premiums topped $5,600 in 2025, making Florida the most expensive state in the country for property coverage. You're paying a real premium to live in a hurricane zone.
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