Report: Best and Worst States for Workers Older Than 65

Money expert Clark Howard recommends that you delay taking your Social Security benefits until you reach age 70. If you’re approaching the traditional retirement age, waiting may mean you’ll need to hold onto your job a few years longer.

Seniorly, an online platform for senior housing, recently released a study that shows which states in America are the most favorable for older workers.

What Is the Best State for Older Workers?

To determine the rankings, Seniorly analyzed state data from the U.S. Census, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as well as the Tax Foundation, a tax policy nonprofit, across the following five categories:

• Labor force participation
• Income
• Taxes
• Health care
• Life expectancy

Here are some key findings from the report:

• Wyoming comes in as the best state for older workers, ranking favorably in every category except life expectancy (30th).
• Kentucky is the worst state for older workers, ranking near the bottom of every category except Medicare (fourth).
• Washington, D.C., and Vermont tied for the highest percentage of labor force participation among seniors while West Virginia came in at the bottom.

Let’s take a look at the top states for seniors, then we’ll view the worst states, according to Seniorly. The lower the score, the better the ranking.

10 Best States for Older Workers

State	Score
Wyoming	64
South Dakota	69
Alaska	82
Washington	82
Vermont	85
North Dakota	87
Colorado	92
Hawaii	96
Virginia	98
Nebraska	101

10 Worst States for Older Workers

State	Score
Kentucky	180
West Virginia	178
Alabama	176
New Mexico	175
Arkansas	171
North Carolina	165
Louisiana	165
Mississippi	164
South Carolina	159
Oklahoma	152

Read the complete report on Seniorly.com.

The senior workforce is expected to grow over the next decade by nearly 41%, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Clark.com frequently lists jobs articles that older workers can apply for, from apps and websites that cater to seniors to ways to make extra money.

More Senior Resources From Clark.com:

• The Best Cell Phone Plans for Seniors
• 14+ Senior Discounts You Should Know About
• 15 Retail Stores That Offer Senior Discounts