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This Is The Best Place To Retire: Every County in Your State, Ranked

Angelo Young

Published: May 7, 2024 1:10 pm

Reaching retirement age is a milestone in American culture. According to the 2020 Census, the population of Americans in retirement age (65 years and over) hit 55.8 million — translating to 16.8% of the United States population.

Many factors go into planning for retirement. Typically, it starts with deciding how much can be saved so that retirement funds can grow. As time moves on, considerations such as health, familial obligations, and job satisfaction all help shape what retirement will look like for any given American. For some, it might include a new place to call home — one that offers important amenities like easy access to physical activities and doctors. (Affordability is important too, and Hawaii is the most expensive state to retire in.)

The populations of the best counties to retire in each state range from small rural townships to large urban or suburban areas. (Find out if any of these are among the counties with the most affordable homes in America.)

To determine the best places to retire in every state, 24/7 Wall St. developed an index of 11 different measures related to the health and well-being of the 65 years and over population using data from County Health Rankings and Roadmaps. The measure included air quality, access to and quality of local health care, population makeup and change, leisure activity options, and more. U.S. county or county equivalents were ranked based on the index, and the best in each state are listed here.

Why This Matters

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24/7 wants you to better understand your personal wealth, and what factors might affect it. Every dollar counts when budgeting for retirement. We’re covering the best places to retire in each state to help you understand if changing locations will be beneficial to you when you retire. Or, if you are already retired, if a move to a different county is in the cards.

Scroll below to see are the best place to retire: every county in your state, ranked.

Alabama: Baldwin County

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• Residents who are 65 and over: 20.6% (state: 16.9%)
• Life expectancy: 77.7 years (state: 74.8 years)
• Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 65.7% (state: 60.9%)
• Amount of primary care physicians: 62.7 per 100,000 (state: 64.2 per 100,000)

Alaska: Haines Borough

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• Residents who are 65 and over: 20.9% (state: 12.3%)
• Life expectancy: 84.4 years (state: 78.6 years)
• Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 96.8% (state: 75.7%)
• Amount of primary care physicians: 289.7 per 100,000 (state: 97.3 per 100,000)

Arizona: Yavapai County

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• Residents who are 65 and over: 31.9% (state: 17.6%)
• Life expectancy: 78.4 years (state: 79.1 years)
• Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 85.0% (state: 86.2%)
• Amount of primary care physicians: 57.4 per 100,000 (state: 66.9 per 100,000)

Arkansas: Montgomery County

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• Residents who are 65 and over: 26.8% (state: 16.8%)
• Life expectancy: 75.1 years (state: 75.5 years)
• Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 97.2% (state: 63.0%)
• Amount of primary care physicians: 23.2 per 100,000 (state: 68.1 per 100,000)

California: Marin County

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• Residents who are 65 and over: 22.4% (state: 14.4%)
• Life expectancy: 85.2 years (state: 81.0 years)
• Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 97.5% (state: 94.6%)
• Amount of primary care physicians: 144.9 per 100,000 (state: 81.3 per 100,000)

Colorado: Pitkin County

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• Residents who are 65 and over: 19.3% (state: 14.3%)
• Life expectancy: 92.5 years (state: 80.0 years)
• Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 94.6% (state: 90.4%)
• Amount of primary care physicians: 86.5 per 100,000 (state: 83.0 per 100,000)

Connecticut: Middlesex County

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• Residents who are 65 and over: 20.5% (state: 17.2%)
• Life expectancy: 80.8 years (state: 80.1 years)
• Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 97.3% (state: 93.5%)
• Amount of primary care physicians: 78.3 per 100,000 (state: 84.4 per 100,000)

Delaware: Sussex County

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• Residents who are 65 and over: 28.3% (state: 19.0%)
• Life expectancy: 78.4 years (state: 78.0 years)
• Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 65.0% (state: 81.3%)
• Amount of primary care physicians: 57.8 per 100,000 (state: 73.9 per 100,000)

Florida: Sumter County

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• Residents who are 65 and over: 57.6% (state: 20.4%)
• Life expectancy: 80.2 years (state: 79.7 years)
• Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 88.8% (state: 88.2%)
• Amount of primary care physicians: 39.8 per 100,000 (state: 72.5 per 100,000)

Georgia: Towns County

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• Residents who are 65 and over: 33.7% (state: 13.9%)
• Life expectancy: 79.0 years (state: 77.3 years)
• Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 100.0% (state: 74.6%)
• Amount of primary care physicians: 54.4 per 100,000 (state: 66.5 per 100,000)

Hawaii: Kauai County

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• Residents who are 65 and over: 20.3% (state: 18.5%)
• Life expectancy: 82.3 years (state: 82.3 years)
• Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 91.8% (state: 93.7%)
• Amount of primary care physicians: 81.7 per 100,000 (state: 90.5 per 100,000)

Idaho: Blaine County

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• Residents who are 65 and over: 19.1% (state: 15.8%)
• Life expectancy: 85.2 years (state: 79.2 years)
• Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 74.5% (state: 74.7%)
• Amount of primary care physicians: 88.8 per 100,000 (state: 61.7 per 100,000)

Illinois: Monroe County

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• Residents who are 65 and over: 17.7% (state: 15.7%)
• Life expectancy: 80.7 years (state: 78.6 years)
• Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 85.6% (state: 90.4%)
• Amount of primary care physicians: 37.2 per 100,000 (state: 80.6 per 100,000)

Indiana: Dubois County

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• Residents who are 65 and over: 17.3% (state: 15.7%)
• Life expectancy: 79.2 years (state: 76.5 years)
• Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 75.5% (state: 76.8%)
• Amount of primary care physicians: 78.1 per 100,000 (state: 66.1 per 100,000)

Iowa: Dickinson County

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• Residents who are 65 and over: 25.9% (state: 17.0%)
• Life expectancy: 80.7 years (state: 78.7 years)
• Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 84.2% (state: 79.3%)
• Amount of primary care physicians: 72.8 per 100,000 (state: 73.0 per 100,000)

Kansas: Gove County

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• Residents who are 65 and over: 24.8% (state: 15.8%)
• Life expectancy: 80.2 years (state: 77.8 years)
• Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 42.9% (state: 79.7%)
• Amount of primary care physicians: 217.8 per 100,000 (state: 78.8 per 100,000)

Kentucky: Woodford County

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• Residents who are 65 and over: 18.5% (state: 16.4%)
• Life expectancy: 77.6 years (state: 75.1 years)
• Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 83.0% (state: 69.9%)
• Amount of primary care physicians: 66.5 per 100,000 (state: 64.0 per 100,000)

Louisiana: Jefferson Parish

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• Residents who are 65 and over: 17.3% (state: 15.5%)
• Life expectancy: 76.7 years (state: 75.2 years)
• Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 96.3% (state: 75.8%)
• Amount of primary care physicians: 97.8 per 100,000 (state: 70.4 per 100,000)
• County seat: Gretna

Maine: Hancock County

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• Residents who are 65 and over: 25.1% (state: 20.7%)
• Life expectancy: 79.5 years (state: 78.6 years)
• Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 66.4% (state: 65.7%)
• Amount of primary care physicians: 115.7 per 100,000 (state: 109.3 per 100,000)

Maryland: Talbot County

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• Residents who are 65 and over: 29.1% (state: 15.4%)
• Life expectancy: 79.3 years (state: 78.6 years)
• Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 71.6% (state: 92.1%)
• Amount of primary care physicians: 103.7 per 100,000 (state: 86.7 per 100,000)

Massachusetts: Dukes County

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• Residents who are 65 and over: 24.0% (state: 16.5%)
• Life expectancy: 81.3 years (state: 80.2 years)
• Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 96.7% (state: 94.7%)
• Amount of primary care physicians: 66.4 per 100,000 (state: 102.2 per 100,000)

Michigan: Emmet County

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• Residents who are 65 and over: 22.5% (state: 17.2%)
• Life expectancy: 79.3 years (state: 77.5 years)
• Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 82.4% (state: 85.2%)
• Amount of primary care physicians: 119.8 per 100,000 (state: 80.3 per 100,000)

Minnesota: Cook County

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• Residents who are 65 and over: 28.5% (state: 15.9%)
• Life expectancy: 82.5 years (state: 80.4 years)
• Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 83.8% (state: 86.0%)
• Amount of primary care physicians: 142.4 per 100,000 (state: 89.3 per 100,000)

Mississippi: Franklin County

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• Residents who are 65 and over: 20.1% (state: 15.9%)
• Life expectancy: 74.4 years (state: 73.9 years)
• Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 70.1% (state: 57.5%)
• Amount of primary care physicians: 26.1 per 100,000 (state: 54.1 per 100,000)

Missouri: St. Louis County

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• Residents who are 65 and over: 18.0% (state: 16.8%)
• Life expectancy: 77.2 years (state: 76.6 years)
• Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 95.4% (state: 75.8%)
• Amount of primary care physicians: 126.5 per 100,000 (state: 70.8 per 100,000)

Montana: Park County

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• Residents who are 65 and over: 23.0% (state: 18.8%)
• Life expectancy: 79.9 years (state: 78.4 years)
• Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 75.4% (state: 72.8%)
• Amount of primary care physicians: 114.5 per 100,000 (state: 80.9 per 100,000)

Nebraska: Brown County

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• Residents who are 65 and over: 28.1% (state: 15.7%)
• Life expectancy: 79.1 years (state: 79.0 years)
• Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 79.6% (state: 83.1%)
• Amount of primary care physicians: 103.2 per 100,000 (state: 75.8 per 100,000)

Nevada: Douglas County

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• Residents who are 65 and over: 29.0% (state: 15.8%)
• Life expectancy: 81.1 years (state: 78.1 years)
• Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 80.9% (state: 91.5%)
• Amount of primary care physicians: 52.1 per 100,000 (state: 58.8 per 100,000)

New Hampshire: Grafton County

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• Residents who are 65 and over: 20.8% (state: 18.2%)
• Life expectancy: 80.7 years (state: 79.6 years)
• Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 84.9% (state: 84.2%)
• Amount of primary care physicians: 187.6 per 100,000 (state: 88.0 per 100,000)

New Jersey: Morris County

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• Residents who are 65 and over: 17.0% (state: 16.2%)
• Life expectancy: 81.8 years (state: 79.5 years)
• Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 98.5% (state: 96.1%)
• Amount of primary care physicians: 97.1 per 100,000 (state: 81.2 per 100,000)

New Mexico: Los Alamos County

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• Residents who are 65 and over: 17.4% (state: 17.5%)
• Life expectancy: 83.9 years (state: 76.9 years)
• Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 99.3% (state: 74.3%)
• Amount of primary care physicians: 150.0 per 100,000 (state: 74.9 per 100,000)

New York: New York County

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• Residents who are 65 and over: 16.8% (state: 16.6%)
• Life expectancy: 83.7 years (state: 80.3 years)
• Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 100.0% (state: 93.2%)
• Amount of primary care physicians: 142.2 per 100,000 (state: 83.1 per 100,000)
• County seat: Manhattan

North Carolina: Transylvania County

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• Residents who are 65 and over: 30.1% (state: 16.3%)
• Life expectancy: 81.0 years (state: 77.7 years)
• Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 85.0% (state: 74.5%)
• Amount of primary care physicians: 72.4 per 100,000 (state: 71.1 per 100,000)

North Dakota: Mercer County

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• Residents who are 65 and over: 20.0% (state: 15.3%)
• Life expectancy: 81.9 years (state: 78.8 years)
• Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 79.1% (state: 72.5%)
• Amount of primary care physicians: 84.1 per 100,000 (state: 76.8 per 100,000)

Ohio: Medina County

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• Residents who are 65 and over: 18.0% (state: 17.0%)
• Life expectancy: 79.9 years (state: 76.5 years)
• Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 92.7% (state: 83.8%)
• Amount of primary care physicians: 62.8 per 100,000 (state: 76.8 per 100,000)

Oklahoma: Ellis County

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• Residents who are 65 and over: 23.2% (state: 15.6%)
• Life expectancy: 76.2 years (state: 75.5 years)
• Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 37.1% (state: 71.3%)
• Amount of primary care physicians: 53.2 per 100,000 (state: 60.4 per 100,000)

Oregon: Wallowa County

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• Residents who are 65 and over: 29.3% (state: 17.7%)
• Life expectancy: 82.0 years (state: 79.7 years)
• Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 58.5% (state: 87.9%)
• Amount of primary care physicians: 145.8 per 100,000 (state: 94.1 per 100,000)

Pennsylvania: Montgomery County

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• Residents who are 65 and over: 17.7% (state: 18.2%)
• Life expectancy: 80.5 years (state: 78.0 years)
• Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 96.4% (state: 85.8%)
• Amount of primary care physicians: 132.8 per 100,000 (state: 81.1 per 100,000)

Rhode Island: Bristol County

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• Residents who are 65 and over: 19.7% (state: 17.3%)
• Life expectancy: 81.2 years (state: 79.4 years)
• Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 99.5% (state: 95.5%)
• Amount of primary care physicians: 192.8 per 100,000 (state: 97.2 per 100,000)

South Carolina: Beaufort County

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• Residents who are 65 and over: 27.4% (state: 17.7%)
• Life expectancy: 82.6 years (state: 76.4 years)
• Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 86.0% (state: 70.3%)
• Amount of primary care physicians: 71.4 per 100,000 (state: 67.9 per 100,000)

South Dakota: Fall River County

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• Residents who are 65 and over: 29.9% (state: 16.6%)
• Life expectancy: 74.7 years (state: 78.2 years)
• Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 86.4% (state: 70.6%)
• Amount of primary care physicians: 69.4 per 100,000 (state: 80.2 per 100,000)

Tennessee: Johnson County

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• Residents who are 65 and over: 22.8% (state: 16.3%)
• Life expectancy: 74.0 years (state: 75.3 years)
• Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 100.0% (state: 67.6%)
• Amount of primary care physicians: 33.0 per 100,000 (state: 70.4 per 100,000)

Texas: Jeff Davis County

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• Residents who are 65 and over: 36.9% (state: 12.5%)
• Life expectancy: 84.4 years (state: 78.4 years)
• Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 44.3% (state: 81.7%)
• Amount of primary care physicians: 51.3 per 100,000 (state: 60.6 per 100,000)

Utah: Grand County

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• Residents who are 65 and over: 20.4% (state: 11.1%)
• Life expectancy: 79.4 years (state: 79.7 years)
• Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 94.5% (state: 84.2%)
• Amount of primary care physicians: 134.5 per 100,000 (state: 55.9 per 100,000)

Vermont: Washington County

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• Residents who are 65 and over: 19.7% (state: 19.5%)
• Life expectancy: 79.8 years (state: 79.7 years)
• Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 73.4% (state: 70.6%)
• Amount of primary care physicians: 100.1 per 100,000 (state: 112.9 per 100,000)

Virginia: James City County

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• Residents who are 65 and over: 25.2% (state: 15.5%)
• Life expectancy: 81.6 years (state: 79.1 years)
• Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 97.5% (state: 83.4%)
• Amount of primary care physicians: 111.4 per 100,000 (state: 75.0 per 100,000)

Washington: San Juan County

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• Residents who are 65 and over: 33.7% (state: 15.5%)
• Life expectancy: 86.3 years (state: 80.2 years)
• Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 86.2% (state: 86.0%)
• Amount of primary care physicians: 70.1 per 100,000 (state: 83.9 per 100,000)

West Virginia: Tucker County

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• Residents who are 65 and over: 26.3% (state: 19.9%)
• Life expectancy: 75.5 years (state: 74.3 years)
• Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 98.7% (state: 57.8%)
• Amount of primary care physicians: 60.0 per 100,000 (state: 78.6 per 100,000)

Wisconsin: Ozaukee County

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• Residents who are 65 and over: 19.8% (state: 17.0%)
• Life expectancy: 81.9 years (state: 78.9 years)
• Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 97.3% (state: 83.5%)
• Amount of primary care physicians: 141.6 per 100,000 (state: 79.7 per 100,000)

Wyoming: Park County

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• Residents who are 65 and over: 23.3% (state: 16.7%)
• Life expectancy: 80.5 years (state: 78.1 years)
• Pop. w/ access to physical activity locations: 72.5% (state: 77.5%)
• Amount of primary care physicians: 122.9 per 100,000 (state: 70.1 per 100,000)