New Hampshire: #9 Best State to Retire in 2018

The Granite State is the only state in the Northeast to break into the top 10 states for retirement.

When you think retirement, you probably don't think about retiring to the Northeast. In that part of the U.S., winters can be cold, the cost of living can be steep, and taxes tend to be high. And yet, after analyzing all 50 states for retirement based on the financial factors most critical to retirees, New Hampshire managed to land a spot among the top 10 best states for retirees along with perennial warm-weather favorites such as Florida, Georgia and Hawaii. Read on to learn why the Granite State makes for an enticing retirement destination in the Northeast.

New Hampshire: #9 Best State for Retirement

Population: 1.3 million

Share of population 65+: 15.9% (U.S.: 14.5%)

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Cost of living: 18% above U.S. average

Average income for 65+ households: $53,204 (U.S.: $53,799)

Average health care costs for a retired couple: $424,052 (U.S.: $423,523)

Tax rating for retirees: Most Tax Friendly

The Granite State's current tax situation gives retirees a solid advantage. Ranking among the 10 Most Tax-Friendly States for Retirees, it doesn't tax Social Security benefits or other retirement income or levy any sales tax. That savings helps balance out the above-average living costs and below-average household incomes. Another plus: New Hampshire ranks fifth in the U.S. for senior health, according to the United Health Foundation.

Learn more about how we ranked all 50 states for retirement including our methodology and data sources.

Stacy Rapacon
Online Editor, Kiplinger.com

Rapacon joined Kiplinger in October 2007 as a reporter with Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine and became an online editor for Kiplinger.com in June 2010. She previously served as editor of the "Starting Out" column, focusing on personal finance advice for people in their twenties and thirties.

Before joining Kiplinger, Rapacon worked as a senior research associate at b2b publishing house Judy Diamond Associates. She holds a B.A. degree in English from the George Washington University.