When it comes to retirement, most of us are laser-focused on our savings—how much we’ve tucked away, whether it’s enough, and how long it’ll last. But here’s something a lot of people overlook: where you retire can have just as much of an impact as your nest egg itself.
Why? Because the cost of living can vary wildly from state to state.
According to a recent analysis by GOBankingRates, the difference in the cost of a “comfortable retirement” can be as much as $67,981 per year depending on where you live. That’s a huge spread!
Take Hawaii, for example. It tops the list as the most expensive state to retire in, with an average annual retirement cost of $129,296. On the other end of the spectrum? Mississippi, where retirees can live comfortably on about $61,315 a year. That’s less than half!
What Goes Into These Numbers?
To calculate the cost of retiring comfortably, the study looked at average expenses for Americans aged 65 and up—including essentials like food, housing, transportation, healthcare, and utilities. Then, to give the numbers a “comfort” cushion, they added a 20% buffer on top of the basics. That extra padding helps account for things like travel, hobbies, and unexpected costs—because retirement should be enjoyable, not just survivable.
And here’s something that probably won’t surprise you: housing is the biggest factor driving these cost differences. In places like Hawaii, real estate is pricey due to high demand and limited space. Meanwhile, states like Mississippi, with more affordable housing markets and lower property taxes, help keep retirement budgets more manageable.
So, What Does It Cost to Retire Comfortably in Your State?
Here’s a quick look at the annual cost of a comfortable retirement in each U.S. state, ranked alphabetically. These figures include that 20% comfort buffer:
(You can skip to your state or browse to get a sense of where your dollar goes furthest.)
Below are the annual retirement expenses for every state, in alphabetical order.
Alabama
- Total expenditures: $50,980
- 20% comfort buffer: $10,196
- Cost of a comfortable retirement annually: $61,176
Alaska
- Total expenditures: $72,390
- 20% comfort buffer: $14,478
- Cost of a comfortable retirement annually: $86,868
Arizona
- Total expenditures: $63,942
- 20% comfort buffer: $12,788
- Cost of a comfortable retirement annually: $76,730
Arkansas
- Total expenditures: $51,211
- 20% comfort buffer: $10,242
- Cost of a comfortable retirement annually: $61,454
California
- Total expenditures: $83,906
- 20% comfort buffer: $16,781
- Cost of a comfortable retirement annually: $100,687
Colorado
- Total expenditures: $58,908
- 20% comfort buffer: $11,782
- Cost of a comfortable retirement annually: $70,689
Connecticut
- Total expenditures: $65,504
- 20% comfort buffer: $13,101
- Cost of a comfortable retirement annually: $78,605
Delaware
- Total expenditures: $58,387
- 20% comfort buffer: $11,677
- Cost of a comfortable retirement annually: $70,064
Florida
- Total expenditures: $59,660
- 20% comfort buffer: $11,932
- Cost of a comfortable retirement annually: $71,592
Georgia
- Total expenditures: $52,832
- 20% comfort buffer: $10,566
- Cost of a comfortable retirement annually: $63,398
Hawaii
- Total expenditures: $107,746
- 20% comfort buffer: $21,549
- Cost of a comfortable retirement annually: $129,296
Idaho
- Total expenditures: $58,503
- 20% comfort buffer: $11,701
- Cost of a comfortable retirement annually: $70,203
Illinois
- Total expenditures: $53,989
- 20% comfort buffer: $10,798
- Cost of a comfortable retirement annually: $64,787
Indiana
- Total expenditures: $52,253
- 20% comfort buffer: $10,451
- Cost of a comfortable retirement annually: $62,704
Iowa
- Total expenditures: $52,137
- 20% comfort buffer: $10,427
- Cost of a comfortable retirement annually: $62,565
Kansas
- Total expenditures: $50,517
- 20% comfort buffer: $10,103
- Cost of a comfortable retirement annually: $60,620
Kentucky
- Total expenditures: $53,584
- 20% comfort buffer: $10,717
- Cost of a comfortable retirement annually: $64,301
Louisiana
- Total expenditures: $53,295
- 20% comfort buffer: $10,659
- Cost of a comfortable retirement annually: $63,954
Maine
- Total expenditures: $64,405
- 20% comfort buffer: $12,881
- Cost of a comfortable retirement annually: $77,286
Maryland
- Total expenditures: $67,240
- 20% comfort buffer: $13,448
- Cost of a comfortable retirement annually: $80,688
Massachusetts
- Total expenditures: $83,501
- 20% comfort buffer: $16,700
- Cost of a comfortable retirement annually: $100,201
Michigan
- Total expenditures: $53,121
- 20% comfort buffer: $10,624
- Cost of a comfortable retirement annually: $63,745
Minnesota
- Total expenditures: $54,857
- 20% comfort buffer: $10,971
- Cost of a comfortable retirement annually: $65,828
Mississippi
- Total expenditures: $51,096
- 20% comfort buffer: $10,219
- Cost of a comfortable retirement annually: $61,315
Missouri
- Total expenditures: $51,211
- 20% comfort buffer: $10,242
- Cost of a comfortable retirement annually: $61,454
Montana
- Total expenditures: $54,741
- 20% comfort buffer: $10,948
- Cost of a comfortable retirement annually: $65,689
Nebraska
- Total expenditures: $54,047
- 20% comfort buffer: $10,809
- Cost of a comfortable retirement annually: $64,856
Nevada
- Total expenditures: $59,428
- 20% comfort buffer: $11,886
- Cost of a comfortable retirement annually: $71,314
New Hampshire
- Total expenditures: $65,736
- 20% comfort buffer: $13,147
- Cost of a comfortable retirement annually: $78,883
New Jersey
- Total expenditures: $65,794
- 20% comfort buffer: $13,159
- Cost of a comfortable retirement annually: $78,952
New Mexico
- Total expenditures: $54,163
- 20% comfort buffer: $10,833
- Cost of a comfortable retirement annually: $64,995
New York
- Total expenditures: $71,233
- 20% comfort buffer: $14,247
- Cost of a comfortable retirement annually: $85,480
North Carolina
- Total expenditures: $56,998
- 20% comfort buffer: $11,400
- Cost of a comfortable retirement annually: $68,398
North Dakota
- Total expenditures: $53,700
- 20% comfort buffer: $10,740
- Cost of a comfortable retirement annually: $64,440
Ohio
- Total expenditures: $54,394
- 20% comfort buffer: $10,879
- Cost of a comfortable retirement annually: $65,273
Oklahoma
- Total expenditures: $49,996
- 20% comfort buffer: $9,999
- Cost of a comfortable retirement annually: $59,995
Oregon
- Total expenditures: $66,025
- 20% comfort buffer: $13,205
- Cost of a comfortable retirement annually: $79,230
Pennsylvania
- Total expenditures: $55,320
- 20% comfort buffer: $11,064
- Cost of a comfortable retirement annually: $66,384
Rhode Island
- Total expenditures: $65,620
- 20% comfort buffer: $13,124
- Cost of a comfortable retirement annually: $78,744
South Carolina
- Total expenditures: $56,477
- 20% comfort buffer: $11,295
- Cost of a comfortable retirement annually: $67,773
South Dakota
- Total expenditures: $54,047
- 20% comfort buffer: $10,809
- Cost of a comfortable retirement annually: $64,856
Tennessee
- Total expenditures: $52,253
- 20% comfort buffer: $10,451
- Cost of a comfortable retirement annually: $62,704
Texas
- Total expenditures: $53,468
- 20% comfort buffer: $10,694
- Cost of a comfortable retirement annually: $64,162
Utah
- Total expenditures: $59,544
- 20% comfort buffer: $11,909
- Cost of a comfortable retirement annually: $71,453
Vermont
- Total expenditures: $66,372
- 20% comfort buffer: $13,274
- Cost of a comfortable retirement annually: $79,647
Virginia
- Total expenditures: $58,618
- 20% comfort buffer: $11,724
- Cost of a comfortable retirement annually: $70,342
Washington
- Total expenditures: $66,604
- 20% comfort buffer: $13,321
- Cost of a comfortable retirement annually: $79,925
West Virginia
- Total expenditures: $48,492
- 20% comfort buffer: $9,698
- Cost of a comfortable retirement annually: $58,190
Wisconsin
- Total expenditures: $56,130
- 20% comfort buffer: $11,226
- Cost of a comfortable retirement annually: $67,356
Wyoming
- Total expenditures: $55,031
- 20% comfort buffer: $11,006
- Cost of a comfortable retirement annually: $66,037
