Best States For Older Americans: How Washington Measures Up

When it comes to deciding where to live, many older Americans opt to live in a warmer place or closer to family. While personal preference may be the deciding factor for most, older Americans should keep in mind which states are objectively better suited for living out their golden years.

According to a new ranking by 24/7 Wall St., some states are better for older Americans to call home when it comes to factors such as income, health care, safe streets, reliable public transportation and more.

Washington is among the best states for older Americans, according to the ranking. Overall, our state ranked 8th out of all 50 states.

To determine each state’s place on the list, 24/7 Wall St. looked at which states have an advantage when it comes to the aforementioned factors such as health care and income.

24/7 Wall St. also determined how well Washington might suit older Americans by taking into determining the following figures:

• Life expectancy at age 65: 84.9 years (tied – 10th highest)
• 65 and older poverty rate: 7.2% (7th lowest)
• 65 and older population with a disability: 34.0% (tied – 20th highest)
• Median income for 65 and older households: $52,150 (9th highest)
• Population 65 and older: 1.2 million (15.4% – 9th lowest)

More from the findings:

"For many senior citizens with deteriorating vision and reaction time, driving is not an option. This is often why older Americans may choose to live in areas with reliable public transportation. In Washington, public transit is likely easier to rely on as 10.7% of workers commute using public transportation or by walking, above the 7.5% share of commuters nationwide.

Life expectancy at age 65 in Washington is also higher than average. The typical 65 year old in Washington is expected to live to be 84.9 years old, about half a year above the national average."

Out of all states, Colorado ranked as the best state for older Americans. According to the ranking, the state has one of the lowest senior poverty rates and one of the smallest shares of 65-and-over residents with a disability, as well as the third lowest annual mortality rate for residents 65 and over.

Here are the top five best states for older Americans:

1. Colorado
2. Maryland
3. Hawaii
4. New Hampshire
5. Connecticut

On the other hand, several states were considered not good fits for older Americans, according to the ranking. At the bottom of the list is West Virginia, followed by Arkansas and Mississippi, respectively.

See more on 24/7 Wall St.’s methodology in determining the best states for older Americans.