Maryland Ranks 6th Worst State for Retirement

According to the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) and Money-Rates.com, Maryland is the sixth worst place to retire in the United States.

But that hasn’t stopped more than 94,000 people older than 60 who call Anne Arundel County home, according to the 2010 census. The number means approximately 17.6 percent of the county’s entire population are of the retiring age according to Mary Felter, public information officer for the county’s Department of Aging and Disabilities.

Since the mid-1990s, the average retirement age has risen from 62 to 64 for men and 60 to 62 for women, according to www.money.usnews.com.

However, according to publications, Maryland isn’t an ideal place to retire.

Money-Rates.com used a specific set of criteria in determining ideal retirement states, and Maryland ranked relatively low on almost all the categories. Ranging from economic factors to the state’s climate, Maryland didn’t stack up well based on retiree’s desired circumstances, according to the website.

One of the primary reasons for Maryland's low ranking is because of the high cost of living.

According to Money-Rates’ ranking system, Maryland’s life expectancy is set at 76.3 years, a number lower than most states. Maryland’s violent crime rate is also among the 10 worst in the nation, another detractor for the Old Line State.

Despite Marylands low ranking, senior citizens in southern Anne Arundel County benefit from a host of services provided by the county's Department of Aging and Disabilities.

With these transportation, financial and housing resources, retirement-age citizens in south county can conveniently get what the need, when they need it. 

Maryland only finished better than Alaska, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Michigan and Maine.

If you’re retired in Anne Arundel County, tell us in the comments why you like living in Maryland?