MS is one of the worst states to retire in 2026, study says. Here’s why
Mississippi is one of the worst states to retire in 2026, falling short in several areas retirees rely on most, a recent ranking found.
The ranking by Western & Southern Financial Group, a parent company of several diversified financial service businesses, calculated readiness scores for each different state.
The Magnolia State scored well on cost of living and homeownership rank, but struggled in nearly every other category.
Here’s what’s causing the low ranking.
How did Mississippi rank?
Mississippi ranked last in two out of five categories, second-to-last in one of the categories and within the top 10 of two categories, according to the study. Here’s how the state ranked in each category:
- Retirement savings & benefits: 50
- Earnings: 50
- Homeownership rate: 8
- Quality of life: 49
- Cost of living: 2
The state also ranked low in the following key factors:
- Percentage of households holding retirement accounts
- Median household income
- Life expectancy in years
Worst states to retire in
These are the worst states to retire in 2026, according to Western & Southern Financial Group:
1. Louisiana
2. Mississippi
3. Arkansas
4. New York
5. Alabama
6. Oklahoma
7. Kentucky
8. West Virginia
9. Georgia
10. California
Best states to retire in
These are the 10 best states to retire in 2026, according to Western & Southern Financial Group:
1. Delaware
2. Utah
3. Wyoming
4. Maryland
5. Virginia
6. Iowa
7. Idaho
8. Minnesota
9. Hawaii
10. New Hampshire
How did financial company conduct study?
Western & Southern Financial Group analyzed publicly available 2026 federal datasets to rank each state based on the financial, economic, and quality-of-life factors that impact a person’s ability to be secure and comfortable during retirement.
