Florida Ranks as the #2 State to Retire In for 2026
WalletHub study names Florida as the number two retirement destination in the nation.
WalletHub, a popular personal finance site, has just released their annual rankings list for the "Best States to Retire In" for 2026. This study, which comprised a panel of experts, sought to identify the most retirement-friendly states based upon three main categories including 1) affordability, 2) quality of life and 3) health care.
For each of these categories, specific mertrics were evaluated to help compute a weighted average for each state as part of the ranking process. In total, 46 relevant metrics were used including the following.
Based upon the weighted average metrics for all 50 states, Florida took the #2 slot as the "Best State to Retire In" for 2026 narrowly being beaten out by Wyoming. South Dakota, Colorado and Minnesota round out the top 5.
Conversely, looking at the opposite end of the ranking list, the least preferred states to retire in this year include Hawaii, West Virginia, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Kentucky.
Affordability
Affordability metrics included:- Adjusted cost of living
- Annual cost of in-home services
- Tax-friendliness on estate or inheritance tax
Quality of Life
Quality of life metrics included:- Share of the population aged 65+
- Risk of social isolation
- Elder-friendly labor market
Health Care
Health care metrics included:- Family medicine physicians per capita
- Dentists per capita
- Home health aids per capita
Conversely, looking at the opposite end of the ranking list, the least preferred states to retire in this year include Hawaii, West Virginia, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Kentucky.
Best States to Retire In (2026)
| Rank | State | Population |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Wyoming | 0.6 Million |
| 2. | Florida | 23.4 Million |
| 3. | South Dakota | 0.9 Million |
| 4. | Colorado | 6.1 Million |
| 5. | Minnesota | 5.9 Million |
| 6. | Alaska | 0.7 Million |
| 7. | Delaware | 1.1 Million |
| 8. | Pennsylvania | 13.2 Million |
| 9. | New Hampshire | 1.5 Million |
| 10. | Iowa | 3.3 Million |
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