The East Coast State That's Officially Considered America's Safest Place To Retire

While many retirees choose to live out their remaining years in the state they've lived in for years, many decide to relocate, sometimes to another part of the world, such as Central America. For those who do decide to move to another state, many factors affect where they choose as their relocation location, including state taxes and the overall cost of living, cost of healthcare, weather conditions, and more. One of the most significant factors is safety. According to data compiled by the FBI, violent crime against senior citizens increased by 331% between 2013 and 2023. The problem is significant enough to have led some in the medical community to declare the issue of elder abuse an epidemic. However, some states have gained positive reputations for being senior-citizen friendly and ideal retirement places. And contrary to the Golden Girls-inspired image of retirees settling into the sunshine of Florida, data shows that the safest state for retirement is New Jersey.

Senior living assistance company Seniorly identified New Jersey as the safest state for retirees based on a methodology that analyzed federal data across multiple categories, including financial scams, violent crimes, and property crimes. They also considered public service support systems, such as the police and hospitals. The most significant data factors supporting this conclusion were New Jersey's low rates of property and violent crimes against senior citizens. The number of senior citizens impacted by traffic accidents and falls was also lower than in other states.

New Jersey joined many other East Coast states as the safest for senior citizens to retire, including New York, Rhode Island, and Pennsylvania. West Coast states, such as Arizona, New Mexico, and Washington, did not fare as well. One notable exception, however, was California, which ranked in the Top 20, as the 15th safest state for senior citizens to retire. Also of note is that many southern states cracked the Top 15, including Alabama and Louisiana. The Seniorly study also reported the best and worst states by individual safety categories. In other words, if financial scams are a high priority in choosing the best state to retire, the study concluded that Mississippi is the safest, while Nevada is the worst. Similarly, if violent crimes are top of mind, New Hampshire ranked as the safest and Washington D.C. as the worst.

Data shows that many retirees continue to flock to Florida, despite its ranking as the 20th safest state. Research showed that Florida ranked significantly higher than other states, at 20% with Minnesota a distant second at 7% as the state most retirees moved to in 2024. Interestingly, New Jersey did not even rank as one of the top 10. Perhaps its current distinction as the safest state for retirees will change that fact in years to come, especially as New Jersey features some charming, underrated towns. Or if island living is your dream retirement location, consider these hotspots.