New Study Reveals Best States for Retirees Turning 65 This Year

Key Takeaways

• A new study ranks Hawaii No. 1 and Florida No. 2 as states most prepared for an aging population.
• The study weighed nine indicators across population shifts, the finances of older adults in the state, and healthcare resources.
• States that are least prepared tend to have faster growth in the cost of health care, have a low nursing supply, and are populated with more older adults living alone. 

A new report from Seniorly/CareScout ranks every state (plus D.C.) on population trends, financial readiness, and health care capacity to see which is most prepared to help older adults age well at home.

The report lands as a record 4.2 million Americans are turning 65 this year, intensifying what researchers call the “Silver Tsunami”—a rapid demographic shift that will strain housing, health care, and caregiving systems unless states are ready for it.

Preparedness matters: states that score higher tend to have stronger nursing capacity, better-rated long-term care, more physicians per older adult, and housing stability—factors that directly affect quality of life and the ability to age in place. 

The 10 States Best Prepared for the Silver Tsunami

1. Hawaii: According to Seniorly, the state leads in the lowest share of older adults living alone (34.3%), above-average nursing-home ratings, and a high and growing level of nurse adequacy. Together, that points to strong caregiving capacity and quality. 
2. Florida: Tops the nation in future nurse adequacy (197% by 2035) and continues to draw older adults, signaling both capacity and desirability for retirees. 
3. Utah: The combination of strong nursing-home ratings, access to more physicians per older adult, and a solid nursing pipeline together support timely care and aging-in-place options. 
4. Washington, D.C.: Benefits from dense physician access and high nursing-home quality, placing it in the top tier for healthcare capacity. 
5. Delaware: Scores high on care quality and clinical access, with favorable workforce projections that should help meet rising demand from new retirees. 
6. Massachusetts: Strong physician availability and quality-of-care indicators that support older adults’ medical needs. 
7. Alabama: Among the potential surprises on this list, the state shows strengths that offset challenges the state faces in other rankings (poverty, educational attainment, etc.), including cost of living and the amount of health care workers needed to maintain access for older adults. 
8. New Hampshire: Benefits from stable housing among older adults and healthcare-capacity metrics that help residents remain in their communities longer. 
9. Alaska: Despite its remote geography, Alaska’s profile includes fresh air and natural beauty combined with projections that it’ll have enough nurses and supportive conditions to help older adults get the care they need. 
10. New Jersey: Rounds out the top 10 with stronger-than-average institutional care ratings and physician access that underpin better outcomes as residents age.

Why It Matters To You

If you’re planning for retirement or caring for aging parents, your state’s preparedness greatly affects how easily you can get quality nursing care, afford home health aides, and find physicians who specialize in medical issues for older adults. States with poor scores force difficult choices about relocating or moving loved ones into institutional care sooner than anyone planned.

The 5 Least Prepared

1. Oregon: Ranked last because of low older adult labor force participation (16.2%), low homeownership (77.7%), and the nation’s steepest climb in home health aide costs over the past decade (83.9% growth).
2. Missouri: Second-to-last with one of the lowest nursing home quality ratings (2.5 stars) and almost half of older adults living alone (44.9%), limiting at-home caregiving support.
3. South Dakota: Faces significant older adult out-migration and rapid growth in the cost of home health aides, outpacing most states and straining affordability for families trying to keep loved ones at home.
4. Rhode Island: More older adults are leaving than arriving, and accelerating care costs make aging in place increasingly difficult for those who stay.
5. Colorado: Rounds out the bottom five with the fastest-rising home health aide costs nationally, signaling significant problems ahead for older adults looking to afford staying in the state.

How To Check If Your State Is Ready For You To Age in Place

Seniorly’s team scored states on nine metrics—a useful checklist for retirees and policymakers alike:

• Population pressures: How fast the 65-plus population is growing; whether older adults are moving in or out; and how many older adults live alone (lower is better for built-in support). 
• Financial footing: Labor-force participation and homeownership rates among older adults, along with the growth in healthcare costs, including home health aides, demonstrate the state’s affordability.
• Healthcare capacity, including nursing home ratings, doctors per 1,000 older adults, and the projected ability of nurses to cover this population up to 2035, is key to ensuring timely access to and quality care.

If your state performs well across these categories, odds are higher that you’ll find reliable home-health options and quality long-term care—critical ingredients for aging in place. Weak scores (e.g., rapid increases in paying for care, too-few nurses, and many older adults living alone) can translate into longer wait times, higher out-of-pocket costs, and more people having to move in to long-term care facilities.

Tip

Planning for retirement requires more than just reviewing your portfolio. You can start by seeing where your state ranks on these crucial metrics, then prepare—whether that means budgeting for at-home modifications, arranging local caregiving resources, or considering a move to a state with a better old-age infrastructure.

As America approaches a record number of older adults, where you retire is almost as important as when you retire. The states that have made the top of Seniorly’s ranking aren’t simply the most popular—they have the infrastructure in place to support an aging population and ensure longer, healthier lives at home.