What are the most affordable states to retire? Washington ranks among the worst
There are many things to consider when choosing where to retire, including proximity to family members and recreation opportunities.
Another major factor is affordability.
“Retirement is a time in life when affordability matters more than ever,” Retirement Living contributor Meg Matthias wrote in a May 28 article. “As many retirees are operating on a fixed income, expenses can actually go up.”
To help retirees decide where to settle down, Retirement Living analyzed costs associated with housing and living in each state, as well as tax friendliness.
The retirement research journal then ranked most affordable states to retire in 2026.
Here’s how Washington state fared:
Why is Washington state one of the worst for retirees?
According to Retirement Living’, Washington state was the third-least affordable state to retire in 2026,
High costs for housing and living significantly hurt the state’s status as a cost-friendly place to spend your golden years.
The median home sale price in Washington state was $604,000, while median rent for a one-bedroom apartment was $1,641 a month.
Meanwhile, groceries cost $284 a month, and Medicare Advantage Plan premiums cost $18.20 monthly.
Washington residents pay about $5.66 per gallon of regular gasoline, according to AAA.
The Evergreen State has a property tax rate of 0.75%
Which states are the most affordable for retirees?
“Affordability plays a major role in retirement,” Kristina Quesada, a real estate agent at Douglas Elliman Real Estate in San Diego, told Retirement Living. “Most retirees are working within more fixed or carefully planned income structures, making it important to balance housing costs with everyday living expenses and long-term financial stability.”
In the most affordable U.S. state for retirees, West Virginia, you only need $303,199 in savings is needed to retire.
That’s nearly half of the savings needed in Wyoming, which required the most savings for retirement.
According to Retirement Living, these are the most affordable states to retire in the United States:
- West Virginia
- Mississippi
- Alabama
- Oklahoma
- Arkansas
- Kentucky
- Missouri
- Louisiana
- Indiana
- Kansas
Which states are most expensive for retirees?
According to Retirement Living, housing and living costs can be major concerns for seniors looking to settle down.
“We continue to see retirees evaluate affordability differently depending on their priorities,” “Some are seeking lower-cost markets entirely.”
Other retirees are “downsizing, relocating within the region or using equity from longtime homeownership to help offset costs,” Quesada said.
These states placed in the bottom 10 in terms of affordability:
- California
- Hawaii
- Washington
- Oregon
- Colorado
- New Jersey
- Massachusetts
- Utah
- New York
- Minnesota
How did Retirement Living rank US states on affordability?
To determine the most — and least — affordable states for retirement, Retirement Living looked at expenses across three key categories: housing costs, living costs and tax friendliness.
Housing cost metrics included the median monthly rent for a one-bedroom home and the median home sale price.
Living cost metrics included monthly grocery spending, the average per-gallon price of gas and Medicare insurance premiums.
Tax friendliness metrics included whether Social Security benefits are taxed by the state, the top marginal state income rate and the effective property tax rate.
Based on these criteria, each state was given an overall score out of 100.
The most affordable state, West Virginia, received a total score of 90.18.
In contrast, Washington state received a score of 43.69.
This story was originally published June 4, 2026 at 11:39 AM with the headline "What are the most affordable states to retire? Washington ranks among the worst."