Top 10 Retirement States, Ranked for Healthcare

Introduction

Many retirees hoping to relocate look to Southern and Southwestern states. A recent study by United Van Lines found that of the top 10 most popular retirement states in the U.S., more than half of them are located in those two geographic regions. 

Though warmer weather and a low cost of living may be top-of-mind for many retirees deciding where to live, healthcare is also an extremely important factor. 

In this study, HealthCare.com ranked the 10 most popular retirement destinations across three health categories: cost, access, and quality. We looked at various factors relevant to seniors such as average monthly insurance premium, share of doctors who opt out of Medicare, and average life expectancy.

Please read below for our findings and methodology.

Best Retirement State for Healthcare

Arizona is our top retirement state for healthcare, ranking well for both cost and quality metrics. In particular, Arizona has the third-lowest average max out-of-pocket for Medicare Advantage plans ($5,454). It also ranks fourth for average daily nursing home cost ($264), average Medicare Advantage plan premium ($56), and average Part D deductible ($398). 

Arizona ranks first for six of the eight quality metrics we considered. Among the 65+ population, it has the lowest fall, cardiovascular death, and stroke rates. The cancer mortality rate is also low, at 128 per 100,000 residents, and there are less than 450 emergency department visits per 1,000 Medicare beneficiaries. Finally, seniors in the Grand Canyon State are more likely to have better dental health; less than 12% of seniors report having all their teeth removed due to decay or gum disease. 

Best State in Each Category

Across the three categories, South Carolina ranks best for cost, Mississippi for access, and Arizona for quality. South Carolina has the both lowest average Medicare Advantage plan premium ($41) and average Part D deductible ($394). Mississippi ranks best for half of the access metrics we considered. These include hospitals, nursing homes, and pharmacists per 10,000 people ages 65+, along with the share of doctors who opt out of Medicare. Arizona ranks well in quality for the metrics previously noted.

Healthcare Rankings

State	Rank	Score	Cost	Access	Quality
Arizona	1	67.93	23.80	13.69	30.44
Idaho	2	59.36	22.37	17.39	19.60
South Carolina	3	58.39	24.28	20.35	13.76
Maine	4	55.87	15.23	24.79	15.85
New Mexico	5	55.31	19.99	17.39	17.93
Mississippi	6	54.76	19.04	27.38	8.34
Wyoming	7	54.34	19.99	15.17	19.18
Florida	8	52.25	14.28	12.95	25.02
Nevada	9	47.68	18.56	13.69	15.43
Delaware	10	41.12	5.71	19.98	15.43

Metric Breakdown

Methodology

To rank the 10 most popular retirement states for older Americans’ health, HealthCare.com compared states across three key categories: 1) Cost, 2) Access and 3) Quality.

We analyzed those categories using 24 relevant metrics, which are detailed below. Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing the best healthcare for older Americans at the most affordable cost. 

Lastly, we determined each state’s weighted average across all metrics to calculate its overall score and used the resulting scores to rank-order our sample.

Cost – Total Points: 33.33

• Average Daily Nursing Home Cost: Full Weight
• Health Spending per Capita: Full Weight
• Prescription Drug Prices Per Capita: Full Weight
• Average Medicare Supplement Premium of Plans: Full Weight
• Average Medicare Advantage Premium of Plans: Full Weight
• Average Max Out-of-Pocket for Medicare Advantage Plans: Full Weight
• Average Part D Deductible: Full Weight

Access – Total Points: 33.33

• Hospitals per 10,000 People Ages 65+: Full Weight
• Nursing Homes per 10,000 People Ages 65+: Full Weight
• Geriatricians per 100,000 People Ages 65+: Full Weight
• Physicians per 10,000 People Ages 65+: Full Weight
• Nurses per 10,000 People Ages 65+: Full Weight
• Share of Doctors Who Opt Out of Medicare: Full Weight
• Home Health Aides per 10,000 People Ages 65+: Full Weight
• Pharmacists per 10,000 People Ages 65+: Full Weight
• Percentage of 65+ Population With Dedicated Healthcare Provider: Full Weight

Quality – Total Points: 33.33

• Average Life Expectancy: Full Weight
• Fall Rate for 65+ Population: Full Weight
• Cardiovascular Deaths per 100,000 People Ages 65+: Full Weight
• Stroke Deaths per 100,000 People Ages 65+: Full Weight
• Cancer Mortality Rate: Full Weight
• Emergency Department Visits per 1,000 Medicare Beneficiaries: Full Weight
• Hospice Stays per 1,000 Medicare Beneficiaries: Full Weight
• All Teeth Lost Among Adults Ages 65+: Full Weight

Sources: Data used to create this ranking were collected from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Census Bureau, American Hospital Directory, America’s Health Rankings and the American Council on Aging.