Relocating for retirement in 2024 is your biggest plan. Check out the states you MUST avoid! 

If you plan on relocating this year because, finally, retirement years have come (yay! ), you’re probably thinking about going somewhere more affordable compared to the current place you’re living in.

Several variables might affect your capacity to “live comfortably” in retirement; what suits you might not suit someone else. An astute retiree will take into account variables such as retirement taxes, healthcare accessibility, crime rates, cost of housing, weather, and a plethora of other aspects.

We at Easy Seniors Club researched which states are the worst to relocate to provide you with a clearer understanding of the data for this year. In any case, keep in mind that moving is usually a significant financial commitment; therefore, we advise speaking with a financial adviser before making this important decision for your future! Now, without further ado, these are the worst states for relocating for retirement in 2024:

• Rhode Island

If you plan on relocating for retirement in 2024, you must avoid Rhode Island as much as possible! Why? Let’s see a couple of drawbacks. Rhode Island is very densely populated for such a tiny state. In terms of population density, the state ranks third in the nation.

Rhode Island, like many other states on this list, finds it difficult to provide for seniors on fixed incomes, and we know this is the situation for a lot of Americans. Given the high property prices in the state, the effective property tax rate of 1.53% may result in a sizable tax payment.

A portion of your retirement earnings, including payments from your IRA, which are completely taxable in Rhode Island, will also be claimed by the state. This doesn’t sound good at all, so if you thought about putting Rhode Island on your retirement list of possible relocation, you might want to reconsider the idea. After all, if the state is too expensive, you can always go there simply as a tourist!

• California

Living in California is costly no matter how you look at it. Along with taxes, gas prices, and grocery expenses, median house values are the second highest in the country. The Golden State completely taxes income from retirement funds and pensions, but in the grand scheme of things California won’t tax Social Security benefits.

If relocating for retirement in 2024 is on your priority list of things, think again because California ain’t the right choice for you! Locals claim that in certain areas of the state, media property tax bills may go over nine thousand dollars. Additionally, the typical homeowner’s tax bill is around $4,298. Oh my! That’s quite a few money.

Based on these statistics, a lot of local citizens of California were asked if they had the chance to move elsewhere, and 57% of the responses said yes in the blink of an eye. Nevertheless, it’s difficult to resist the temptation of a climate this pleasant. If you can’t resist California’s constant sunshine, you might want to focus on finding a smaller town with retirement-friendly home alternatives there.

Florida might be your next choice if you think about relocating for retirement in 2024, but in the past few years, there have been plenty of debates about how overcrowded the place has become, and the prices for everything aren’t exactly the way they used to be.

…psst! You always thought about relocating for your golden years, but it was just an idea in the back of your head and nothing more. However, time flies so fast, and probably some (if not all) of our readers are slowly approaching the date of freedom.

But before saying “hooray!” if you are seriously thinking about relocating for retirement in 2024, this book will help you understand if the decision is worth it or not.

ABA/AARP Wise Moves: Checklist for Where to Live, What to Consider, and Whether to Stay or Go is a book that helped many folks re-consider their initial thoughts or be bold and actually move somewhere else better! Convince yourself by reading it because now it’s on sale on Amazon for just $19.95 for the paperback version. 

• New Jersey

Reading about the low crime rates in New Jersey probably made you put it on the list. But one thing is for sure: New Jersey is one of the worst states to live in if you think about relocating for retirement in 2024.

The Garden State has the second-worst population density, meaning that retirees who are concerned about traffic and space may have to give up their ideal beach community for a rural one. On the bright side, New Jersey won’t tax your Social Security benefits, but median property tax bills exceed $8,700. Furthermore, the retirement income of a former military member is tax-exempt.

• Maryland

Even though over 17% of Maryland’s population is 65 years of age or older, our data research shows that this state is not the most popular place to retire. Maryland does well in terms of crime rate and health care, but it lags in two important areas that matter most to seniors: community and affordability when it comes to living expenses. If you intend to retire in Maryland, you won’t find either of these two things very soon.

In addition to the state being overpopulated, home prices are far higher than the retirement income threshold. Moreover, Maryland belongs to the category of states that have relatively high tax rates. You will be subject to partial taxes on 401(k), IRA, and pension funds if you live here.

• Massachusetts

The most important decision for you is relocating for retirement in 2024. That’s awesome because it means you’re a very determined person! But if by relocating you also mean cutting down on costs and saving money for health emergencies and such, Massachusetts isn’t a good option.

The majority of private pensions, withdrawals from traditional IRAs and 401(k) plans, and investment income are all subject to state taxes. Out of all 50 states, it has the third-highest housing prices, according to statistics from the U.S. Census. And this is probably the major drawback for this state since not many retirees want to relocate and pay rent throughout retirement!

Although Massachusetts is a state in which the crime rate is pretty low, this is usually a huge factor in determining if relocating is a good idea or not. According to local citizens, “the only reasonable thing about our hometown is health care!”

Do you plan on relocating for retirement in 2024? If the answer is yes, tell us more about the place you want to spend your golden years. Fingers crossed, it isn’t one of these states we’ve mentioned above!

If reading this article about relocating for retirement in 2024 made you curious for more but you’re new around it’s time to subscribe to our newsletter. And if you want to help us spread the word, we’d be very grateful if you spread it to a friend who’s interested in this topic.

Before leaving you might also enjoy these posts inspired by retirement and retirees:

10 Reasons Why California Is so Expensive

Bills-Savvy Seniors: Strategies to Keep More Money in Your Pocket