Photo credit: Getty

We compiled our list of the Best Places To Retire In Each State by comparing data on more than 650 places across all 50 states. Generally, we looked for relatively affordable places (as measured by median home price and cost of living) with high quality of retirement living and populations of 10,000 or more (except for our top Alaska pick, Homer, population 6,000). The keyword when it comes to affordable is “relatively”. Some states, especially in the Northeast and along the West Coast, are just a lot more expensive than others.

.

When it came to judging quality of life, we looked at a range of factors. Among them: doctor availability, the serious crimes rate, ranking on the Milken Institute list of best cities for successful aging, air quality, and walkability and bikeability. Since this is a retirement list, we ignored data on local school districts. But the presence of colleges was considered a plus, as that tends to expand cultural and other amenities for senior citizens.