Best States to Retire Where to Live in Retirement 

The concept of mini-retirement changed my life. I'm no longer waiting for some retirement paradise when I'm 65. It helps to know how to fund the lifestyle. You know, making money while you sip that piña colada by the beach does help. I wouldn't have been able to do it otherwise.

I live in Rochester NY and homicides are up 60% from last year. I recently heard on the news that now we are almost double the murder rate of this time last year. So crime, which I personally believe is related to defunding police, is a major reason that I'd leave. Therefore, I would seek low crime (especially murders) and no defunding (non -Democrat) states. Cost of living, low rent, employment, not early release of those on patrol, weather are other considerations. This was a good presentation, but since things are changing so rapidly I'd appreciate you doing this again, an updated version please.🙏 NY state is going to be a heavy crime state, and NY city already is bad.

Thanks for this extremely important/necessary info. Just came across your channel and I'm binge watching. Just trying to catch up. Lots of helpful information to take in. Thanks again!👍🏾👍🏾

Sorta shouldn't let people know this but the best combo is all in Nevada. Reno in summer/spring/fall, Vegas in winter. Small houses at each end solves it all. No state taxes. Skiing 15 minutes from any house in Reno. Vegas cheap and world class sports and entertainment. Cheap houses in both cities.

An excellent report. You covered just about all the bases in one video. I'll have to save this link to revisit.

Very good video! Thanks for sharing this information.

Remember, do not vote for the same party you voted for when you leave....You leave California or New York because of taxes and poor energy grids or higher prices for the love of god do not vote for the same kind of politicians in other, tax and retirement friendly states.

Great video and getting on the road to a new location is exciting! However, I cannot help but see history repeating itself as the great migration, especially those who are living out of their RV's, vans, cars, and moving constantly for work purposes (even while retiring), look like the 2020's version of The Grapes of Wrath.

Great overview. Thanks for doing all that research.

Unfortunately because people are migrating from expensive states to cheaper states, the houses in the cheaper states are skyrocketing!

Great information your providing, thank you. Getting close now and checking out the information out & people like you giving the information we can trust. I feel that about you. As we all know trusting in information nowadays is few and far between!! Thank you.

Well done Richard. As you have said before think about what you plan to do after you retire. If your plans involve doing things outdoors move to where that is easier. If they involve cultural activities a city or a large college town may be for you. States are really big and there are many diverse areas. Always rent for at least a year before you commit to any one place.

Thanks my friend, answered all my questions

Thank you wonderfull graphs and information.

Your video popped up Just subscribed Great you looked at weather issues especially comfortable summer cities Enjoyed very much

Excellently researched and well presented!

Great video. So much good info and little excess talk!

(Belatedly)Thanks for the video. Thought-provoking factors. I would just add, in addition to natural disaster concerns you mentioned briefly, climate change predictions are already for some dramatic shifts over the next 20, 30, or 40 years. So consider your possible remaining life span. Also, tax-friendly or -unfriendly sometimes varies for retirees vs working people, so check those factors. One more issue to consider is political climate. In terms of laws impacting rights we may value, this usually is a state by state issue. But in terms of views of the general population, this seems to vary by locality, with metro-areas far more liberal and rural areas far more conservative. As for me, I am looking to retire in 10 to 12 years. I grew up in Washington state and miss the "vibe" and the natural beauty, but NOT the dreary cooler seasons, and NOT the skyrocketing cost of living. Having lived on the Gulf Coast for 35 years, in Louisiana the past twenty, I have only a modest 401k and barely a starter home. I can only afford to retire somewhat with modest cost of living. Surprisingly, as bad as incomes are in Louisiana, and also very costly(auto and home) insurance rates, cost of living here is solidly in the wrong (high) half. Cost, climate/natural disasters, crime, and natural scenery are my chief considerations, in that order. I am seriously eying northwest Arkansas.

Excellent preview of various areas in the United States

Thank you for the video. I retired close to 2 years ago to Western Illinois "down state Illinois" it's not as costly as you might think. I looked around at the other Midwestern states to see where I would move to. I compared what effected and is important to me. Some of the things I found is that most of the states have a property tax on your car and in Virginia on a $25,000 car it's over $1000 Yes the property tax is high per $1,000 of assessment but I couldn't find a comparable house for less than $80,000 more elsewhere so I'd be paying close to what I pay here in Property taxes and that $80,000 I saved will pay my property tax entirely for as long as I can expect to live. Then there's a homeowner exemption and a over 65 exemption and for being over 65 you can get your license plate tags as low as $10.00 a year. And Illinois doesn't tax any retirement income. Like I said it depends on what effects you. For instance why would I care that in Missouri cigarettes are $2.00 a pack and in Illinois they're $9 to $12 a pack I don't smoke it doesn't effect me. The point is do your research and see how your move will effect you, certainly you don't want to end up a place you really don't like after all and get stuck there.

Love your presentation...so upbeat! Thank you for the information provided.⚘

Very helpful and informative. Thank you

Crime maps imo are misleading at the state level. Neighborhood resolution is useful. In most areas you will find extremely high crime areas just a mile away from extremely low crime areas.

Great video! Thank you so much.

Again another great video

Great info, thanks.

Thank you. My twin brother lives in Tennessee but I feel they have a lot of the same weather as West Virginia. They have tornadoes and we don't.

THAT was fantastic! Excellent criteria, appreciate the hard work. I've spent weeks trying to sort this all out. I've narrowed things down to a few states but was not happy. Thru your efforts, I spotted a state I missed that I'm quite excited about. Just need the job to go with it! ...maybe put that chart in 'job growth' and/or unemployment chart in your collection? Otherwise, Thank you Sir!

Regarding possible future tax increases from moves, not all moves bring equal tax burdens. Retirees generally bring a much lower tax burdens than others because they generally don’t have school age children (for less schools and teachers), they have retirement income (for no commuting and less highway expenses), they have no crime (less police requirements), they have Medicare (for less social costs). Some states (like Tennessee) actively recruit retirees for more income but little costs. I believe this phenomenon helps explain why Florida has not had to increase its taxes. So, net moves alone will not be a good predictor of future tax burden.

Excellent video!

Great video. Thank you.

Nice video. This is my first time seeing your channel. Wish to make a comment on Montana. Too many folks moving here that have $$$ and buying 2nd homes. Driving prices way up. Some born and bred folk are leaving 'cause of the rising prices. Especially crazy market is Bozeman, where they are seemingly looking at every square inch to develop.

Great moderator!

You pointed out the hurricanes and tornado's in the south, but you didn't talk about the blizzards, ice storms and amount of snow in the north. I've lived in both areas, and will take a hurricane over 187 inches of snow per year.

Great information

You show Kentucky housing at $94 per ft. I assure you in Lexington, KY it is much closer to $150+ per ft now. I do agree that areas people are leaving may well become the place to move to. I especially like New England.

I enjoyed this video. Did you compile the chart that lists states from most tax friendly to least? How much weight did you give to access to cultural activities and to politics? I, for one, would like to live in an area with good access to culture and where people are of a similar political bent as I am.

The snowbirds migrate to the Palm Springs, CA area during the winter (OCT/NOV to APR/MAY) in RV Parks.

Nashville, Tn. Davidson County, just passed a 34% hike in property tax.

When you reach retirement age & decide to relocate, consider renting for at least a year to determine whether you really want to live there permanently! If you put the amount that you got from the sale of your previous house in a dividend paying investment, it should easily pay the rent & other expenses!

Just so you know, I live in AZ. The Californians are coming to AZ in droves. Rentals and housing costs goi into bidding wars. This has made the markets also skyrocket: $350k to $810k. Homeowners get between $30-$100k OVER asking price here in the North part of AZ. We are taking the money and living somewhere else more affordable. 07/08/2021

great presentation!!

There's a reason why the left coast is so expensive. It's the BEST coast.

Your video is fantastic with many pertinent data points. I enjoyed watching it. Thank you! Could you please share your thoughts about the point you made relating to increasing taxes in states that have significant migration coming in, for example, Arizona. You mentioned that those areas like Arizona may need to raise taxes. My question is why? Aside from building more infrastructure (new roads, street lights, etc), as the population grows, the tax base increases, thereby significantly increasing city, county and state tax income. Also, as people move into lower taxed states, retail and commercial businesses grow, thereby increasing the existing business tax income base as well. Infrastructure could be paid by bonds. Most people are migrating to lower taxed states to avoid higher taxes. When you say the states may need to increase taxes to sustain the increased population growth, that doesn't makes sense to me. Hopefully, those that migrate will not repeat history by voting for legislators that don't have fiscal accountability.

Would have been nice if you put the links to the websites you reference in the video rather than more of your videos. I know how to find your videos, I’m a SUBSCRIBER!!!

No fleas, hot weather or high crime. Good transportation.

You look like Motivational Doc's twin brother!! He's on YT too. Cool.

If you are thinking of Arizona, research the water situation. In drought for over 20 years. I’m leaving as soon as I figure out where to go.

Great information, wish you didn't rush through it as fast, and map guides could be larger for trying to keep up with the information.

It's very important to plan your retirement years before you're actually going to retire.

Even though most of Florida lists single family homes at 200k or more. Their are plenty deals at 80 to 125K And if you consider a prefab or mobil home your looking at 45K to 60K . With No State taxes and low retail tax . It's a good place to live. Been here 28 yrs. Now. Retired here. If you can take the summer heat. You will enjoy it. ♥️ Regards Brenda

Thank you !!!!

Want to stop driving. Any suggestions? Portland, OR used to be good. Not now.

As a retiree I think you have a one-sided view of what people mean when they consider the weather or they want a good climate. I definitely consider the weather but what is a good climate? I think it’s very subjective. For me it’s certainly not sweating to death in a humid climate in the south. I want four seasons. I want cold snowy winters with someone else to shovel the snow of course. I don’t mind the cold I can always put more clothes on. But if I’m too hot in the summer I can’t always take more off without getting arrested and offending people. I am an outdoorsy person and plan on doing a lot of fishing, canoeing & light hiking. That said, I love the snow, springtime, and the beautiful autumn colors. I live in southern Idaho and am an Idaho native. However, Idaho is turning into California I think there are more Californians here now than there are Idahoans. I have sold my house put everything in storage and I’m looking for a new place to move. You can bet it will have four seasons though or at least three, the one I could do without is a hot summer. July and August here in Idaho are very long 105° days. Thanks to the recent influx I cannot afford to rent or buy here any more. I feel like I’m being pushed out of my state perhaps because I AM being pushed out of my state financially. Social Security will not cover food and a place to live here, just a place to live if you are lucky. I’m looking at the Northeast. I would love to live in Vermont but unfortunately they are one of the states that will tax my Social Security income. Can’t afford that. New Hampshire is a better bet for taxes, but I understand that both states to get humid in the summer but summers don’t last forever that far north. I spent 15 years in South Florida where my AC ran 11 months out of the year. I won’t do that again. New Hampshire on the other hand has no state income tax and no sales tax. They have a very high property tax but I can’t afford to buy anything so c’est la vie. I’ve been checking and the rent is reasonable and usually includes heat which is something I was concerned about. New Hampshire or bust. 🚛

We have been looking at different areas of Florida. . Anything within 20 miles of the east cost and Orlando are more expensive.

Good video

we are thinking about Colorado springs in a couple yrs from Texas

As someone who lives in Illinois….yeah, the s is silent…..LOL. Otherwise great video!!!

Buying a Condo might be best for some people. The HOA is bound to increase though, so be prepared.

With all the Information you have which states would you say overall makes the top three choices?????

If you go to Texas be sure and bring a high powered A/C because you are going to need it.

Technical issue - closed caption is random words. Feedback - access to healthcare seems to be the biggest issue with my friends and I didn't even see this on the list.

I like to know South east borderline between Oregon and Washington state but more eastern side. Lake front land to build home but close to small town ( 25 miles ).

So many videos about Federal welfare programs, Social Security and Medicare. No need for seniors to be so greedy. These programs are paid for by the taxes young workers pay and the elderly should be grateful, not bitter. Have a nice day!!

People retire to cites, not states. State tax laws are important, but state ranking of health care can be misleading... example Nevada. Health care as a state is not great, but health care in Vegas is very good

Iam looking for some land to build a tiny house.. Wait for the bubble to burst in the housing market. Alabama looks good.

It's not a random thing people are moving out of NY, CA, IL...They don't want to live in an uncontrollable state.

The great thing about Texas is that there's a tax exemption for seniors and your property taxes go down every year!

In Texas, rated Veterans pay 0 property tax. NV pays very little.

Massachusetts has some of the best hospitals in the country. It showed very lacking in health care on your map.

Lived my whole life in Oregon and the mild weather is paradise. We have lots of beaches but the ocean is always cold. We have skiing, hiking, biking, hot springs and every outdoor thing one could imagine. We have lush valleys, waterfalls and high desert. We are very pet friendly and we welcome all types of people. I hear our electricity costs are less than most states because we have a hydro- electric plant in the Gorge. Every rose has its thorns though....our political leaders are killing our will to live here with their relentless efforts to give welfare to as many people as possible and make the hardworking pay for it. Homelessness as a lifestyle is taking over our cities and the resulting filth piles are unbelievable. Homelessness as a medical or addiction problem is perpetuated by all the social services that exist to hand out free food, clothes, healthcare and meth (-adone). Oregon literally just passed a law to legalize small amounts of heroin! The homeless relieve themselves on the sidewalk in front of restaurants, children, etc and the police have been instructed to do nothing. The past year of protests and violence have been encouraged by our leaders, many police have quit and insurance won't cover domestic terrorist or gang or mob violence so those folks who had their businesses, buildings, vehicles and homes destroyed have lost everything. Don't let the lack of sales tax fool you as there are many other taxes and often compounded by additional city and county taxes. For instance, state short term rental tax is .9% but they don't tell you that the city tax is another 9-14%. Tenant Landlord laws have become so backward that rental houses are getting hard to find. It breaks my heart to leave after 56 years but the ship is going down in flames and it isn't getting any better. Our legislators just won't listen.

Prefer to see a list of best states and why?

Where can I go to pursue the info at a slower pace?

Arkansas and southern Louisiana in 13 years

Are these graphics available on a website ? Not really easy to see on a smartphone

I moved from NJ to NC the second I retired. But that's just a first step in moving to Belize. America is just too expensive for what you get.

6:16 Shows why I left SC for CA.

In the factors of retirement you mentioned some very good factors. However I think you missed a big one. I live in Seattle and I hate the political climate. We want to move to a more conservative state that aligns with our values.

Tennessee has a higher sales tax because..The State Constitution forbids a State Income Tax. Cost of living is so cheap taxes don't matter. I keep hearing about tornados; do not live North of the ridge. In 20 years I've experienced ONE tornado, near work, not my home. BTW, My house has Hickory trees hanging over..I'm still here.

Are you thinking about moving when you retire or in retirement now?

Can you put the links to the sites in the comments?

Is there a way to watch the vid and stop it at important points to see the details?

Do not come to Alabama!!! Really nice people, nice places to see. But the heat in the summer is unbearable! We usually get heat warnings and advisories to stay indoors from about 11-2 during the day. It can still be 90 outside 11pm at night. Humidity makes it so much worse!

Pretty sure Florida has plummeted in that ranking. Homeowner’s insurance alone will kill you here. It’s also become next to impossible to get a doctor here. Too many people have moved in and not enough doctors.

with Global Warming, I've read where smart people are moving north and away from the coasts.

I can never find an apartment in Florida for under $900!

Did not realize IL.was a tax friendly State.

Interesting video. You should read off the states. On this video, you really cannot read the states. I think, and its only a thought, you should be able to take in consideration, what if people cant read the states. Room for imptrovement here.

I live in NJ and WILL not retire here. I am looking at Delaware.

California is so large and diverse that averages are almost meaningless.

Hannibal Missouri would be a great choice. There are events like every other day Very low crime rate with most of the crimes being stupid teens stealing from Walmart Most of the people who live there are elders The people are very welcoming and the police department are very friendly and treat all races equally

The stupidity of people voting for higher taxes can not be overstated. Those who do, stay out of Ohio!

Anyone ever thought retire in Enid OK? Not a bad place for retirement. 🇺🇸🐘🙏

Illinois is pronounced without an s.

PA doesn’t look so bad!

Oregon does to have sales tax. Well Portland does at least. I've lived there for 5 months and noticed that. Oregon sucks overall.

Good VA Hospitals?

This data need like a vend diagram. Top 10 with Cheapest taxes, best healthcare, best weather, etc. What states intersect with the most attributes otherwise you are just going from site to site with no real answer but only a single attribute. The southeast probably still wins but it would be better then islands of data with no correlation. Finally, how hard is it to add links to the actual data? Also, the crime information you show does not tell the correct story. While a whole state may be colored Red, the state itself may have just a few metro areas that account for the majority of the crimes. The website you used even says the information is for "Infotainment" purposes so I question the value of the data.

No surprise mn is in the red

Arkansas is good