Top 5 Safest States to Retire in 2026

If you're planning for your golden years, you may be wondering about the safest states for retirement. After all, you worked hard, and you want to be sure you stick around to enjoy it. Although each state has its advantages and disadvantages, several stand out as some of the safest states in the country to spend retirement.

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An infographic listing four safety factors to consider when deciding where to retire. — Image source: The Motley Fool.

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Safest states to retire in. Data source: Motley Fool Survey and FBI Data.

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Understanding the impact of these factors on the safest states to retire is important. According to FBI data reviewed by Seniorly, crime against America's seniors has risen exponentially over the past decade. Violent crime rates against this age demographic increased by 331% between 2013 and 2023 alone.

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New York

Spending your older years in New York could be more costly for both housing and non-housing expenses than in many other states. However, there are some notable benefits that retirees could enjoy as well.

New York retirees experience fewer accidents than those residing in many other states.
In fact, there are just 49.4 fall-related deaths per 100,000 retirees.
Meanwhile, just 8.1 older adults in New York are involved in fatal car crashes per 100,000 drivers.
The weather tends to be quite hot and humid in the summer and cold in winter, so retirees looking for a mild place to retire may want to look elsewhere.

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Mississippi

Mississippi could be a great place to retire if you're looking for low fraud rates, an extremely moderate rate of property and violent crimes, plus one of the best states for the ratio of hospital beds per 1,000 Medicare enrollees.

Mississippi has the lowest rates of elder fraud in the nation. In fact, the state has just 60.9 complainants ages 60 and up per 100,000 seniors.
There is a strong law enforcement presence per 100,000 older adults compared to the rest of the U.S. That figure comes to 1,431 police officers for every 100,000 senior citizens.
Mississippi boasts some of the lowest rates of property crime and violent crimes among older adults in the nation, ranking the fourth-safest out of all 50 states and the District of Columbia on these two metrics.
There are 34.5 violent crimes and 498.4 property crimes per 100,000 older adults in Mississippi.
There are 20.4 hospital beds per 1,000 Medicare enrollees, ranking Mississippi fourth in the nation overall on this safety metric.

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Louisiana

The scenic views offered by Louisiana, its cultural heritage, vibrant music scene, delicious cuisine, and affordable cost of living could be just what calls to you in retirement. And you can get them in one of the safest states for retirement.

Louisiana boasts one of the lowest rates of elder fraud in the country, coming in second place nationwide as one of the safest states to live on the basis of this metric.
There are 67.2 complainants ages 60 and up per 100,000 seniors for scams among older adults.
Louisiana ranks No. 2 nationwide for its ratio of law enforcement officers to senior citizens. There are 1,595 police officers per 100,000 older adults in Louisiana.
Louisiana ranks fourth nationwide for its ratio of fall-related fatalities among older adults, reporting just 46.4 such deaths per 100,000 individuals.
Louisiana also ranks third nationwide for its ratio of hospital beds per Medicare enrollees. The state has 22.5 hospital beds per 1,000 Medicare enrollees, with only North Dakota and the District of Columbia rating higher on this metric.

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Nebraska

Nebraska is known for its low cost of living, friendly communities, a variety of outdoor activities, and many charming small as well as mid-sized towns and cities. It's the fifth safest state for seniors in the nation. Here's why.

The state has one the lowest rates of violent crime against seniors, with just 35.5 incidents per 100,000 older adults.
Besides having one of the lowest rates of violence against older adults in the country, Nebraska has a strong police presence.
The state also has low rates of elder fraud while maintaining good access to hospital beds for older residents.
In 2024, there were 380,220 Medicare beneficiaries in Nebraska.
26.4% of Nebraska residents had incomes below 200% of the federal poverty level (FPL) in 2023, less than the U.S. share (28.2%).

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About the Author

Robin Hartill, CFP, is a contributing writer at The Motley Fool. Robin’s work has also been published by Yahoo Finance, USA Today, and Penny Hoarder. She is a graduate of the University of Florida.

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The Safest States to Retire in 2026