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Retirement

9 Places to Retire If You Want to Be Happy and Live Longer

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Business Insider
Business Insider
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By
Business Insider
Business Insider
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October 13, 2017, 1:51 PM ET
Portsmouth Sunrise
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Colorado is the best place in America to spend your golden years.

That’s according to U.S. News & World Report, whose latest study ranked the top states for folks 65 and older.

In 2016, Americans older than 65 accounted for about 15% of the total US population.

By 2050, that share is expected to grow to 20%, thanks to increased life expectancy and population growth, and states are being forced to adapt programs that cater to the senior population.

To find out which states are prioritizing the needs of residents over 65, U.S. News evaluated a dozen different metrics, including life expectancy, physical and mental health, cost of living, and the cost and quality of medicare and nursing homes.

Below are the top nine US states for aging, according to U.S. News. States are scored relative to each other across 12 factors that average into one overall score. For each state, we’ve included individual scores for cost of living, life expectancy, positive mental health, and overall quality of health.

All scores are out of 100, with 100 being the highest possible rank.

Read more: The 10 Best Places to Retire in America

9. New Hampshire

Portsmouth Sunrise
Getty Images
Getty Images

All scores are out of a possible 100:

Cost of living: 83.84

Life expectancy: 60.53

Quality of health: 97.47

Positive mental health: 87.93

Read more at U.S. News.

8. Vermont

Lush autumn countryside in Vermont with grazing cows
Getty Images
Ron_Thomas Getty Images

All scores are out of a possible 100:

Cost of living: 65.24

Life expectancy: 50

Quality of health: 80.30

Positive mental health: 86.21

Read more at U.S. News.

7. Minnesota

Autumn on the St. Croix River
Getty Images
Getty Images

All scores are out of a possible 100:

Cost of living: 85.69

Life expectancy: 68.42

Quality of health: 87.88

Positive mental health: 94.83

Read more at U.S. News.

Read more: 3 Reasons to Retire in a City

6. Wisconsin

Skyscrapers skyline of Milwaukee and Lake Michigan, WI
Getty Images
Getty Images

All scores are out of a possible 100:

Cost of living: 88.90

Life expectancy: 52.63

Quality of health: 78.28

Positive mental health: 74.14

Read more at U.S. News.

5. South Dakota

USA, South Dakota, Pierre, South Dakota State Capitol
Getty Images
Getty Images/AWL Images RM

All scores are out of a possible 100:

Cost of living: 85.20

Life expectancy: 60.53

Quality of health: 71.72

Positive mental health: 98.28

Read more at U.S. News.

4. Iowa

Painted Barn
Getty Images
PickStock Getty Images

All scores are out of a possible 100:

Cost of living: 92.89

Life expectancy: 50

Quality of health: 88.89

Positive mental health: 100

Read more at U.S. News.

3. Hawaii

Diamond Head, Oahu, Hawaii aerial view into crater
Getty Images
NNehring Getty Images

All scores are out of a possible 100:

Cost of living: 0

Life expectancy: 100

Quality of health: 98.48

Positive mental health: 84.48

Read more at U.S. News.

2. Maine

Portland Head Lighthouse In Maine, USA
Getty Images
Getty Images

All scores are out of a possible 100:

Cost of living: 70.79

Life expectancy: 39.47

Quality of health: 85.35

Positive mental health: 82.76

Read more at U.S. News.

Read more: 10 Signs You’ve Found the Perfect Place to Retire

1. Colorado

Vail Village in Vail, Colorado
.Getty Images
bauhaus1000 Getty Images

All scores are out of a possible 100:

Cost of living: 83.84

Life expectancy: 60.53

Quality of health: 97.47

Positive mental health: 87.93

Read more at U.S. News.

This article originally appeared on BusinessInsider.com

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