Iowa has earned the top spot as the best state to retire in 2026

[NorthernHawkeye]

Iowa jumps to No. 1 in 2026 retirement rankings​

DES MOINES, Iowa — Iowa has earned the top spot as the best state to retire in 2026, according to a new national analysis that measured affordability, quality of life and economic strength.

The Retirement Living Research Team evaluated all 50 states, finding that Iowa offers one of the strongest overall combinations of financial security, safety, and opportunities for an active lifestyle.

Full article:

Iowa tops national list of best states to retire in 2026

DES MOINES, Iowa — Iowa has earned the top spot as the best state to retire in 2026, according to a new national analysis that measured affordability, quality of life and economic strength. T…

who13.com

 

[LafayetteBear]

But what do you do for entertainment there?!

 

[Scrubby]

Kim Reynolds supremacy

 

[lucas80]

 

[NorthernHawkeye]

But what do you do for entertainment there?!

You're limited only by your imagination.

 

[r_desihawk]

sunbears trending up and snowbirds trending down in 2026

 

[baltimorened]

Kim Reynolds supremacy

would this designation cause anyone to doubt the claims on here about the governors incompetence? Or would a different governor get Iowa to a higher position than "best"

 

[Alwayssmooth]

Sure, if you like pigs and corn.

 

[McLovin32]

would this designation cause anyone to doubt the claims on here about the governors incompetence? Or would a different governor get Iowa to a higher position than "best"

If she was a competent governor she wouldn't be the least popular governor in the country, two years in a row.

Even Republican Iowans dislike her.

 

[NorthernHawkeye]

If she was a competent governor she wouldn't be the least popular governor in the country, two years in a row.

Even Republican Iowans dislike her.

Only some Rs. She's had a few missteps.

But this is a good lesson for you McLovin. Pertaining to the difference between competency vs popularity. It's kind of like parenting, whereas some aspire to be their child's friend vs being their parent. You may not have turned out to be the way you are if your parents had parented instead of the alternative.

 

[52317Hawk]

In before-
MAGA!
Poison Water!
White Supremacy!
Brain Drain!
Transphobia!

 

[AFM22]

Prob a good place if you can’t afford to go anywhere else.

 

[dgordo]

Iowa is a great place from may through October.

 

[lucas80]

If you have money and live in or around IC, Des Moines, the QC and a few other blue areas Iowa is a decent place to retire for half of the year. You have access to entertainment and social activities, plus healthcare. Rural Iowa, not so much on the healthcare.

 

[lucas80]

You're limited only by your imagination.

What are your favorite activities and places to recreate? Be specific.

 

[EvilMonkeyInTheCloset]

But what do you do for entertainment there?!

Debate which kind of Casey's pizza flavor is the best.

 

[SB_SB]

If you have money and live in or around IC, Des Moines, the QC and a few other blue areas Iowa is a decent place to retire for half of the year. You have access to entertainment and social activities, plus healthcare. Rural Iowa, not so much on the healthcare.

If you're not close to the UofI hospital then the health care in Iowa sucks really bad. When my father was in the hospital the cardiologist told me I needed to check him out and drive him to IC or Omaha. He didn't want to go, and, well, he basically died in the hospital from bad care.

 

[Rifler]

Sure, if you like pigs and corn.

It's not so bad...

 

[WDSMHawk]

Prioritizing policies that make your state more attractive for retirees and less attractive to young people fresh out of school is probably not a good strategy for Iowa in the long run.

 

[jimneffer]

Prioritizing policies that make your state more attractive for retirees and less attractive to young people fresh out of school is probably not a good strategy for Iowa in the long run.

well, one group is a reliable voting base for the governor's party and one isn't

 

[THE_DEVIL]

Iowa has Ottumwa.

 

[Moogy]

would this designation cause anyone to doubt the claims on here about the governors incompetence? Or would a different governor get Iowa to a higher position than "best"

“I’ve made it so that this is the best place to contribute nothing to society while waiting to die. You’re welcome.”

 

[JMNSH0]

****, I was planning on saving up and retiring somewhere awesome. Does this mean I've already made it!?!?!!? I thought I'd have to move to Florida if I wanted my chance to get chlamydia from a rando granny at the pickeball complex. Turns out the opportunity was here all along.

 

[bdgan]

Iowa jumps to No. 1 in 2026 retirement rankings​

DES MOINES, Iowa — Iowa has earned the top spot as the best state to retire in 2026, according to a new national analysis that measured affordability, quality of life and economic strength.

The Retirement Living Research Team evaluated all 50 states, finding that Iowa offers one of the strongest overall combinations of financial security, safety, and opportunities for an active lifestyle.

Full article:

Iowa tops national list of best states to retire in 2026

DES MOINES, Iowa — Iowa has earned the top spot as the best state to retire in 2026, according to a new national analysis that measured affordability, quality of life and economic strength. T…

who13.com

What changed to move Iowa from 16th to first? I assume they're measuring different things. A lot of college towns rank high because of educational and entertainment opportunities.

Every state has it's share of good and bad things. It all comes down to what's important to you. I would never live in CA due to high taxes but it has the best weather. People are moving to FL & TX because taxes are low but summers are brutally hot.

 

[SeventhSon]

would this designation cause anyone to doubt the claims on here about the governors incompetence? Or would a different governor get Iowa to a higher position than "best"

There will always be plenty of folks who have never accomplished anything noteworthy in their lives calling her incompetent just beacause of the letter in front of her name no matter what she does, but you know this.

Stupid people calling other people stupid is entertaining to me.

This article is going to be a huge boon for Iowa in terms of the quality of our WalMart greeters.

 

[CountingSheep]

But what do you do for entertainment there?!

Use your housing savings to travel elsewhere. Honestly Iowa is a much better place to retire than raise a family. Raise a family in Naperville or somewhere where kids have real opportunity, then when they graduate find a small house in some Iowa exurb that's a short drive to the airport or Amtrak.

 

[Rifler]

Iowa has Ottumwa.

No we don't...

 

[Anon1750875978]

If she was a competent governor she wouldn't be the least popular governor in the country, two years in a row.

Even Republican Iowans dislike her.

Republican candidate for Governor, Kansan Zach Lahn, is in a tough spot.

He realizes Reynolds is wildly unpopular, but he's forced to accept her because he runs the risk of alienating die hard GOP supporters.
Whether he has her help campaign for him is a tricky venture.
On a side note, the enthusiasm we're seeing at these Rob Sand townhalls is pretty impressive.
I suspect Sand wins by 5/6 pts this November, which would be pretty significant given how deep Red Mississippi North has been.
Can he coattail enough down ballot Dems?

 

[scotchtiger]

Yea, the criteria with these things can really skew results. Someone posted the ten worst states to live in not long ago. Highlighted criteria included, and I’m quoting:

Inclusiveness of state laws
Reproductive rights
Food insecurity
Worker protections
Air quality
Inclusiveness

I mean, maybe some people worry about those things, but none of them affect my everyday life. Things like air quality are odd. Hard to imagine the air in Arkansas as worse than the air in NYC…

Probably the same thing here. A bunch of factors I don’t care that much about. I don’t care about the number of golf courses if they are ******. I don’t care about affordability if there nothing worth spending money on.

In retirement, give me great beaches or mountains depending on the season, great culinary scene, great weather, good healthcare providers, great people, good hunting and fishing and close proximity to my family.

 

[Moogy]

Use your housing savings to travel elsewhere. Honestly Iowa is a much better place to retire than raise a family. Raise a family in Naperville or somewhere where kids have real opportunity, then when they graduate find a small house in some Iowa exurb that's a short drive to the airport or Amtrak.

Iowa: A Great Place to Travel Away From

 

[OnlyTheObscure]

But what do you do for entertainment there?!

The bike trail system is maybe second to none.

live music is everywhere. Breweries wineries and distilleries are all over.

Big Ten and Big XII sports. Easy drive to pro sports to north south and east.

I often wonder what people want and don’t have access to.

I notice on Ragbrai every year people taking pictures of the fields in the morning saying how beautiful the countryside looks. They also comment how nice everybody is. Ridden it many times and politics and religion never comes up between riders I encounter or even the regulars I ride with.

those that want to be bitter and pissed seem to find that because it’s the only thing that keeps them going.

those looking for entertainment seem to find it anywhere because that is what they seek.

 

[TimmyD97]

Maybe its a good place to retire if you're a poor but I wouldn't think slipping and falling on ice would be good for a retired person. Oh, and garbage options for entertainment. Don't miss that place one bit

 

[LunchBox50]

Too bad nobody with money and means wants to retire there.

 

[RollingballofButcherKnives]

Sure, if you like pigs and corn.

And cancer

 

[WDDT]

The article goes so far as to say the availability to live an active lifestyle pulls up the 18 degree weather average during winter and the people who spend their entire life bitching on a message board immediately jump to there being nothing to do.


Shocked face.

 

[Moogy]

The bike trail system is maybe second to none.

live music is everywhere. Breweries wineries and distilleries are all over.

Big Ten and Big XII sports. Easy drive to pro sports to north south and east.

I often wonder what people want and don’t have access to.

I notice on Ragbrai every year people taking pictures of the fields in the morning saying how beautiful the countryside looks. They also comment how nice everybody is. Ridden it many times and politics and religion never comes up between riders I encounter or even the regulars I ride with.

those that want to be bitter and pissed seem to find that because it’s the only thing that keeps them going.

those looking for entertainment seem to find it anywhere because that is what they seek.

Nothing says an enjoyable retirement like riding bikes through flat corn fields.

"Live music" ... Korn, perhaps? What live music? Hillbilly harmonies?

Des Moines, the largest city ... which is quite tiny ... let's say you lived there ... what's the closest major pro sport to drive to? I can't even determine on a map ... is it KC, like 3 hours away, without the traffic involved in getting to a pro sporting event? That's insane.

 

[PapaGanoush]

You people should get out more.

 

[WDDT]

Nothing says an enjoyable retirement like riding bikes through flat corn fields.

"Live music" ... Korn, perhaps? What live music? Hillbilly harmonies?

Des Moines, the largest city ... which is quite tiny ... let's say you lived there ... what's the closest major pro sport to drive to? I can't even determine on a map ... is it KC, like 3 hours away, without the traffic involved in getting to a pro sporting event? That's insane.

Number of movies made highlighting the geography of the suburb you live in: 0

 

[Ktrain1969]

The article goes so far as to say the availability to live an active lifestyle pulls up the 18 degree weather average during winter and the people who spend their entire life bitching on a message board immediately jump to there being nothing to do.


Shocked face.

Im bored during the nice weather. November and December are why I am here.

 

[Moogy]

The article goes so far as to say the availability to live an active lifestyle pulls up the 18 degree weather average during winter and the people who spend their entire life bitching on a message board immediately jump to there being nothing to do.


Shocked face.

It doesn't say that, but other than being completely wrong ... good job.

It says that the average high of 18 degrees in the winter is offset by it being cheap and safe, and an "overall value" - which is just rephrasing the cheapness. The safety aspect makes sense ... criminals don't want to freeze their arse off trying to drive to west bumblef.uck to try to steal grandma's corn cob collection.

There's nothing to do when your average high for a season is 18 degrees ... except stay inside and hope not to die.