Best, worst states to retire, according to Bankrate.com

By Ted StarkeyJuly 25, 2018

What are the best and worst states to retire? Bankrate.com ranked each state in 7 categories, including cost of living, taxes, health care quality, weather, crime, cultural vitality and well-being, and put them in order from best to worst.

See where the best places to spend your golden years are, and where you should move on from as you get closer to retirement.

1.) South Dakota

Credit: AP/Beth J. Harpaz

Cost of Living rank: 19
Crime rank: 21
Culture rank: 10
Health care quality rank: 12
Taxes rank: 2
Weather rank: 38
Well-being rank: 1

2.) Utah

Credit: AP/Rick Bowmer

Cost of Living rank: 22
Crime rank: 25
Culture rank: 15
Health care quality rank: 10
Taxes rank: 8
Weather rank: 32
Well-being rank: 9

3.) Idaho

Credit: AP/Beth J. Harpaz

Cost of Living rank: 12
Crime rank: 4
Culture rank: 31
Health care quality rank: 8
Taxes rank: 20
Weather rank: 41
Well-being rank: 8

4.) New Hampshire

Credit: AP/Jim Cole

Cost of Living rank: 43
Crime rank: 1
Culture rank: 9
Health care quality rank: 5
Taxes rank: 7
Weather rank: 43
Well-being rank: 7

5.) Florida

Credit: Bloomberg/Jayme Gershen

Cost of Living rank: 27
Crime rank: 33
Culture rank: 26
Health care quality rank: 36
Taxes rank: 4
Weather rank: 2
Well-being rank: 12

6.) Montana (tie)

Credit: AP/Beth J. Harpaz

Cost of Living rank: 23
Crime rank: 26
Culture rank: 7
Health care quality rank: 19
Taxes rank: 6
Weather rank: 45
Well-being rank: 10

6). North Carolina (tie)

Credit: AP/Joshua Corsa

Cost of Living rank: 12
Crime rank: 29
Culture rank: 40
Health care quality rank: 30
Taxes rank: 11
Weather rank: 12
Well-being rank: 19

8.) Wyoming

Credit: AP

Cost of Living rank: 28
Crime rank: 9
Culture rank: 16
Health care quality rank: 22
Taxes rank: 1
Weather rank: 46
Well-being rank: 16

9.) Nebraska

Credit: AP/John Peterson

Cost of Living rank: 17
Crime rank: 18
Culture rank: 25
Health care quality rank: 12
Taxes rank: 25
Weather rank: 29
Well-being rank: 17

10.) Mississippi

Credit: AP/Rogelio V. Solis

Cost of Living rank: 1
Crime rank: 23
Culture rank: 48
Health care quality rank: 26
Taxes rank: 24
Weather rank: 5
Well-being rank: 47

11.) Hawaii

Credit: AP/Marco Garcia

Cost of Living rank: 48
Crime rank: 35
Culture rank: 3
Health care quality rank: 17
Taxes rank: 27
Weather rank: 1
Well-being rank: 3

12. Massachusetts

Credit: AP/Michael Dwyer

Cost of Living rank: 46
Crime rank: 14
Culture rank: 12
Health care quality rank: 3
Taxes rank: 22
Weather rank: 34
Well-being rank: 11

13.) Virginia

Credit: AP/Alexa Welch Edlund

Cost of Living rank: 30
Crime rank: 4
Culture rank: 17
Health care quality rank: 24
Taxes rank: 31
Weather rank: 16
Well-being rank: 18

14. Michigan

Credit: AP/Paul Sancya

Cost of Living rank: 4
Crime rank: 23
Culture rank: 27
Health care quality rank: 32
Taxes rank: 12
Weather rank: 40
Well-being rank: 32

15.) Missouri

Credit: AP/David Carson

Cost of Living rank: 3
Crime rank: 41
Culture rank: 28
Health care quality rank: 35
Taxes rank: 16
Weather rank: 17
Well-being rank: 39

16. Iowa

Credit: AP/Charlie Neibergall

Cost of Living rank: 11
Crime rank: 16
Culture rank: 18
Health care quality rank: 12
Taxes rank: 40
Weather rank: 33
Well-being rank: 21

17.) Colorado (tie)

Credit: AP/David Zalubowski

Cost of Living rank: 35
Crime rank: 28
Culture rank: 12
Health care quality rank: 15
Taxes rank: 18
Weather rank: 37
Well-being rank: 7

17.) Texas (tie)

Credit: AP/David J. Phillip

Cost of Living rank: 20
Crime rank: 36
Culture rank: 43
Health care quality rank: 44
Taxes rank: 13
Weather rank: 4
Well-being rank: 13

19.) Delaware

Credit: The Washington Post/Michael S. Williamson

Cost of Living rank: 32
Crime rank: 40
Culture rank: 24
Health care quality rank: 6
Taxes rank: 15
Weather rank: 18
Well-being rank: 40

20.) North Dakota

Credit: Alamy /Danita Delimont

Cost of Living rank: 29
Crime rank: 17
Culture rank: 14
Health care quality rank: 8
Taxes rank: 30
Weather rank: 49
Well-being rank: 5

21.) Tennessee

Credit: AP/Mark Humphrey

Cost of Living rank: 7
Crime rank: 45
Culture rank: 36
Health care quality rank: 46
Taxes rank: 14
Weather rank: 13
Well-being rank: 29

22.) Maine (tie)

Credit: AP/Robert F. Bukaty

Cost of Living rank: 39
Crime rank: 2
Culture rank: 8
Health care quality rank: 4
Taxes rank: 28
Weather rank: 47
Well-being rank: 24

22.) Indiana (tie)

Credit: AP/R Brent Smith

Cost of Living rank: 9
Crime rank: 30
Culture rank: 42
Health care quality rank: 38
Taxes rank: 9
Weather rank: 25
Well-being rank: 42

24.) Alabama

Credit: AP/Dave Martin

Cost of Living rank: 6
Crime rank: 44
Culture rank: 47
Health care quality rank: 17
Taxes rank: 35
Weather rank: 7
Well-being rank: 38

25.) Kansas

Credit: AP/Orlin Wagner

Cost of Living rank: 14
Crime rank: 31
Culture rank: 34
Health care quality rank: 32
Taxes rank: 23
Weather rank: 19
Well-being rank: 33

26.) Vermont (tie)

Credit: AP/Wilson Ring

Cost of Living rank: 41
Crime rank: 3
Culture rank: 1
Health care quality rank: 2
Taxes rank: 47
Weather rank: 44
Well-being rank: 2

26.) Wisconsin (tie)

Credit: AP/Dan Powers

Cost of Living rank: 21
Crime rank: 15
Culture rank: 19
Health care quality rank: 6
Taxes rank: 38
Weather rank: 42
Well-being rank: 27

28.) Minnesota

Credit: AP/Jim Mone

Cost of Living rank: 26
Crime rank: 11
Culture rank: 23
Health care quality rank: 1
Taxes rank: 46
Weather rank: 48
Well-being rank: 4

29.) Arizona

Credit: AP/Rick Hossman

Cost of Living rank: 34
Crime rank: 43
Culture rank: 39
Health care quality rank: 27
Taxes rank: 21
Weather rank: 11
Well-being rank: 15

30.) Kentucky

Credit: AP/Morry Gash

Cost of Living rank: 9
Crime rank: 10
Culture rank: 46
Health care quality rank: 39
Taxes rank: 33
Weather rank: 15
Well-being rank: 45

31.) Pennsylvania

Credit: AP/Jose F. Moreno

Cost of Living rank: 31
Crime rank: 12
Culture rank: 30
Health care quality rank: 21
Taxes rank: 26
Weather rank: 30
Well-being rank: 34

32.) New Jersey

Credit: AP/Seth Wenig

Cost of Living rank: 42
Crime rank: 4
Culture rank: 11
Health care quality rank: 10
Taxes rank: 50
Weather rank: 24
Well-being rank: 28

33.) West Virginia

Credit: AP/Paul Vernon

Cost of Living rank: 18
Crime rank: 19
Culture rank: 38
Health care quality rank: 43
Taxes rank: 19
Weather rank: 22
Well-being rank: 50

34.) Rhode Island

Credit: AP/Steven Senne

Cost of Living rank: 40
Crime rank: 8
Culture rank: 6
Health care quality rank: 16
Taxes rank: 41
Weather rank: 28
Well-being rank: 41

35.) Connecticut

Credit: AP/Sean D. Elliot

Cost of Living rank: 44
Crime rank: 4
Culture rank: 4
Health care quality rank: 23
Taxes rank: 44
Weather rank: 31
Well-being rank: 20

36.) Alaska

Credit: AP/Mark Thiessen

Cost of Living rank: 44
Crime rank: 49
Culture rank: 5
Health care quality rank: 27
Taxes rank: 3
Weather rank: 50
Well-being rank: 25

37.) Georgia

Credit: AP/Sally Hale

Cost of Living rank: 15
Crime rank: 38
Culture rank: 49
Health care quality rank: 40
Taxes rank: 36
Weather rank: 6
Well-being rank: 31

38.) Ohio

Credit: Positively Cleveland/Cody York

Cost of Living rank: 5
Crime rank: 20
Culture rank: 33
Health care quality rank: 36
Taxes rank: 45
Weather rank: 26
Well-being rank: 44

39.) Oregon

Credit: AP/Don Ryan

Cost of Living rank: 37
Crime rank: 27
Culture rank: 22
Health care quality rank: 42
Taxes rank: 10
Weather rank: 35
Well-being rank: 35

40. Oklahoma

Credit: iStock

Cost of Living rank: 7
Crime rank: 41
Culture rank: 44
Health care quality rank: 47
Taxes rank: 32
Weather rank: 10
Well-being rank: 46

41.) South Carolina

Credit: NONE

Cost of Living rank: 23
Crime rank: 46
Culture rank: 41
Health care quality rank: 27
Taxes rank: 37
Weather rank: 8
Well-being rank: 37

42.) Nevada

Credit: AP/Julie Jacobson

Cost of Living rank: 33
Crime rank: 38
Culture rank: 32
Health care quality rank: 47
Taxes rank: 5
Weather rank: 27
Well-being rank: 43

43.) Washington

Cost of Living rank: 38
Crime rank: 37
Culture rank: 29
Health care quality rank: 34
Taxes rank: 17
Weather rank: 36
Well-being rank: 22

44.) Illinois

Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto/ferrantraite

Cost of Living rank: 36
Crime rank: 25
Culture rank: 35
Health care quality rank: 30
Taxes rank: 29
Weather rank: 23
Well-being rank: 36

45.) California

Credit: Getty Images/U.S. Navy

Cost of Living rank: 49
Crime rank: 32
Culture rank: 20
Health care quality rank: 19
Taxes rank: 48
Weather rank: 14
Well-being rank: 14

46.) Arkansas

Credit: AP/Danny Johnston

Cost of Living rank: 2
Crime rank: 47
Culture rank: 50
Health care quality rank: 50
Taxes rank: 39
Weather rank: 9
Well-being rank: 48

47.) Louisiana

Credit: AP/Gerald Herbert

Cost of Living rank: 16
Crime rank: 48
Culture rank: 45
Health care quality rank: 44
Taxes rank: 42
Weather rank: 3
Well-being rank: 49

48.) Maryland

Credit: AP/Brian Witte

Cost of Living rank: 47
Crime rank: 33
Culture rank: 21
Health care quality rank: 24
Taxes rank: 43
Weather rank: 20
Well-being rank: 30

49.) New Mexico

Credit: see caption MANDATORY CREDIT/see caption MANDATORY CREDIT

Cost of Living rank: 22
Crime rank: 50
Culture rank: 37
Health care quality rank: 49
Taxes rank: 34
Weather rank: 21
Well-being rank: 26

50.) New York

Credit: Alamy

Cost of Living rank: 50
Crime rank: 13
Culture rank: 13
Health care quality rank: 41
Taxes rank: 49
Weather rank: 39
Well-being rank: 23