Magazines like to publish rankings of places for various purposes, listing them from best to worst. These results are highly dependent on which factors the rankers chose to include in their calculations and how they went about reducing those factors to numbers. So rankings can vary widely from one study to another, and I wouldn't put much stock in any one.
Money-rates.com has this story on the worst states for retirement, and it includes crime rates as an important factor. They list 11 "worst" states due to a tie for 10th, with some surprises.
Money-rates.com has this story on the worst states for retirement, and it includes crime rates as an important factor. They list 11 "worst" states due to a tie for 10th, with some surprises.
The list is: Alaska, Nevada, Louisiana, Washington, Illinois, Georgia, Michigan and Texas (tied), Maryland, Ohio and New York (tied).
Nevada's second-worst ranking is a bit of jolt. Many Californians with sense seriously consider Nevada as a place to escape the insanity.
Nevada, Louisiana, Georgia, Texas, and Ohio were all dinged for their crime rates in this study.
The best states to retire, by this metric, are: Iowa, Hawaii, Arizona, Florida, Maine, Idaho, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Kansas and Virginia (tied).
Low crime is noted for Vermont particularly and also for Iowa (deemed above average in every category, which would include crime), Maine, Idaho, New Hampshire, and Virginia. Arizona and Florida are noted as making the list despite their crime issues.
The study's consideration of crime rates put a lot of cold places on the "best" list that aren't usually considered retirement destinations.
One problem I can immediately see is that ranking entire states by crime doesn't really apply to the retirement decision. You retire to a community as well as a state. Some factors are statewide, like the income tax, and others are local. Crime rates are more local. They are affected by statewide policies, to be sure, but local factors are likely to predominate in determining the rate.
Nevada's second-worst ranking is a bit of jolt. Many Californians with sense seriously consider Nevada as a place to escape the insanity.
Nevada, Louisiana, Georgia, Texas, and Ohio were all dinged for their crime rates in this study.
The best states to retire, by this metric, are: Iowa, Hawaii, Arizona, Florida, Maine, Idaho, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Kansas and Virginia (tied).
Low crime is noted for Vermont particularly and also for Iowa (deemed above average in every category, which would include crime), Maine, Idaho, New Hampshire, and Virginia. Arizona and Florida are noted as making the list despite their crime issues.
The study's consideration of crime rates put a lot of cold places on the "best" list that aren't usually considered retirement destinations.
One problem I can immediately see is that ranking entire states by crime doesn't really apply to the retirement decision. You retire to a community as well as a state. Some factors are statewide, like the income tax, and others are local. Crime rates are more local. They are affected by statewide policies, to be sure, but local factors are likely to predominate in determining the rate.
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