WA Ranking Among 2025’s Best and Worst States to Retire

Have you considered staying put and retiring in Washington? Many of us have close friends and family here or across the state. But we have to ask a tough question. Can you afford it?

If you’re about to retire, WalletHub’s January study will help you decide where it would make sense to settle down and quit.

A recent retirement study ranked all 50 states using four dozen metrics, ranging from best to worst for retirement. Health care, affordability, and quality of life were the crucial categories used to determine where to settle down.

What are the top five and worst five states to retire?

WalletHub unveiled the best and the worst states to retire.

The top five states to retire to this year are the following:

—Florida

—Minnesota

—Colorado

—Wyoming

—South Dakota

The five worst states to retire to this year are the following:

—New Mexico

—Washington

—Mississippi

—Louisiana

—Kentucky

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A closer look at retiring in Washington

WalletHub ranked Washington in the bottom five, at No. 47. Here’s the good, the bad, and the ugly of retiring in the Evergreen State.

The Good

Washington ranked 23rd for quality of life. We do have it good when it comes to being able to drive some world-class ocean beaches, mountain views, lake getaways, and great, cozy small towns.

Washington’s health care rankings also stayed in the upper half, at 24th. We do have great regional hospitals in almost every corner of the state.

The Bad and the Ugly

A significant drawback for prospective retirees spending their golden years in Washington is the high cost of living. Washington ranked 48th for affordability, and we are even more expensive than New York. Only Massachusetts and Hawaii have a higher cost of living than Washington.

How does Washington rank compared to its PNW neighbors?

Washington’s neighbor’s rankings fared better in the study — Overall, Oregon came in 39th. Idaho? The Gem State ranked 24th. Montana came in slightly higher as America's 22nd best state to retire.

To dive deeper and see where all 50 states rank, investigate Wallethub's recent study.

Source: WalletHub

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