This Midwestern State Was Named the Best Place to Retire in …

The Midwest is gaining popularity with Americans seeking affordability, cooler temperatures, and outdoor recreation. And that includes retirees. States like Missouri, Ohio, and Wisconsin are getting traction with those 65 and over, thanks to their low cost of living, affordable housing, and friendly communities. 

In fact, Wisconsin recently topped Universal Drugstore’s ranking of the best places to retire in America for senior well-being. 

“This Midwestern state has the lowest poverty rate among seniors, at just 3.9 percent, making it a good place for local affordability. It also has a wide range of senior living facilities, with 21.52 per 100,000 people,” the company’s report noted.

Universal Drugstore also highlighted Wisconsin’s low social isolation risk rate for seniors, based on data from America’s Health Rankings. According to the same study, seniors in the Badger State rarely avoid health care because of cost and seldom suffer from mental distress or insufficient sleep. The percentage of retirees in Wisconsin who exercise regularly is also higher than the national average  (30.3 percent versus 23.1 percent). Preventive cancer screenings have been on the rise there, too. It also has the lowest number of seniors who reported having “cognitive, visual, auditory, ambulatory, self-care and/or independent living difficulty disabilities.”

However, Universal Drugstore noted that Wisconsin’s lowest score was in the health care access category, ranking at No. 17. This score is based on a U.S. News study, which considered health insurance enrollment, adult wellness visits, adult dental visits, and health care affordability. 

Three of the first five spots on Universal Drugstore’s ranking are occupied by Midwestern states. Minnesota is second, which led the company to conclude that since the two top performers are neighboring states, “there may be some cultural or regional impacts that make the area a great place for senior living.” Vermont, which performed well in all categories, is third.

On the bottom of the ranking are Alabama (No. 48), Mississippi (No. 49), and Oklahoma (No. 50).

Universal Drugstore, a Canada-based prescription service provider, noted that because of America’s expensive health care, the U.S. performed “poorly” for senior well-being compared to other nations.

On the other hand, Switzerland takes the prize for the best country for senior well-being. Iceland and Norway are second and third, respectively, while the U.S. ranks No. 26 out of all 100 nations.

You can see the full study on universaldrugstore.com.