These Are the 10 Happiest States for Retirees in the U.S.

New Jersey, Connecticut, and South Dakota lead the rankings for senior well-being.

By Kristine Hansen, Published on June 4, 2026

1 Comment

Sun-drenched destinations like Florida and Arizona have always been popular places to retire, but a new study found the East Coast state of New Jersey was actually where retirees are happiest.

Named the Garden State for its agricultural and farming history, New Jersey also provides easy access to beaches, parks, and culture, according to the study that was shared with Travel + Leisure from the Legacy Healing Center, a collection of luxury rehab centers across the United States. The state boasts the lowest senior suicide rate in the country along with the lowest prevalence of senior depression at just 10 percent. The state also ranks third for life expectancy and third for overall happiness.

“Retirement isn’t just about warmer weather, lower taxes or moving closer to family,” Legacy Healing Center wrote in a statement shared with T+L. “New research suggests the happiest retirement years may depend more on mental health, life expectancy, social connection and whether older adults have access to support in their communities.”

Landing in second place was another East Coast juggernaut in Connecticut, which the report found had the highest life expectancy of all states it looked at, ranked fourth for overall happiness, and ranked fifth for the number of senior centers available per 100,000 seniors.

States considered popular with retirees like Florida came in lower on the list. The Sunshine State, for example, didn’t even crack the top 10, coming in at No. 19 overall.

At the other end of the spectrum was West Virginia, which came in with the lowest overall happiness score in the country and the highest senior depression prevalence of 21.5 percent. The state of Louisiana, which ranked 47th overall, had the second-lowest happiness score in the U.S. and a senior depression prevalence of 18.8 percent.

To come up with its study, Legacy Healing Center analyzed data provided by America’s Health Rankings, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), U.S. Census Bureau, America’s Health Rankings, World Population Review, and SeniorCenters.com, and examined factors specific to the quality of life and well-being for seniors like senior suicide rates, how many elders live alone, life expectancy at 65, senior volunteer rates, overall state happiness, and more.

The states of Hawaii and Alaska were excluded from the study.

This is the full list of the top 10 U.S. states that are the happiest places for retirees, according to the Legacy Healing Center.

1. New Jersey
2. Connecticut
3. South Dakota
4. Maryland
5. Nebraska
6. Massachusetts
7. Delaware
8. New York
9. California
10. Utah

Continue/Read Original Article: These Are the 10 Happiest States for Retirees in the U.S.