Putting all the data together, the Motley Fool's analysis ranked Tennessee, Kansas, South Dakota, Missouri, and Oklahoma as the most affordable states for retirees based on overall cost of living scores. However, there are other factors to consider to assess a state's affordability.
For example, the study concluded that West Virginia, Mississippi, and Louisiana are among the top states with the most affordable homes for retirees. Considering healthcare, another metric that affects the long-term affordability of a state to spend one's older years in, Utah, Colorado, and Vermont were among the top states to retire to for healthcare.