Where can you buy this if you plan to continue working after age 65?

For years, retirement was a foregone conclusion for most of us: quit your job, move to Florida and practice your golf game.

However, older people are increasingly staying in the labor market or even rejoining it. In fact, workers aged 55 and over are the largest fastest growing age group has been active in the labor market for more than twenty years. And as we continue to live longer and healthier lives, more and more people will continue to work during their so-called retirement years.

That said, not every state or metropolitan area offers older workers the same opportunities as younger workers. As you look ahead to the next chapter and try to balance short-term affordability and opportunity with eventual long-term demise, where do you go from here?

A new report from CareScout has identified the top statuses for older workers. But your analysis shouldn’t stop there. Dive deeper into emerging markets and aging data to decide what’s best for you.

The Top States for Older Workers, Ranked

While some older workers keep their jobs to maintain a sense of purpose and community, many do so out of necessity: according to a recent study AARP Survey41% of respondents over 50 who are working or looking for work say their main reason is to pay for daily living expenses.

That means that even if you’re an older worker considering retirement, you may also want to live in an area where work opportunities (even part-time) are available in case costs increase or new needs arise.

CareScout’s new analysis ranks the states where older workers will do well in 2026, based on factors such as the level of ageism, the labor force participation rate of older adults, and the personal tax rate. As you can see from the map above, New Hampshire ranks first among the best places for seniors who still need to work. In fact, aside from Alaska, Utah, Colorado and Wyoming, the list is dominated by East Coast states

Close behind on this list are states such as South Dakota, New Jersey, Texas, Florida and Arizona.

Where to buy and where to avoid in the top states

While this may seem encouraging to buy, not every market is equally attractive, he says Joel Bernera senior economist Realtor.com®.

But almost every state at the top of the list promises opportunity for homebuyers.

“Inventory is improving in nine of these 10 states; only Alaska is currently seeing a decline in inventory,” Berner said. “In Virginia, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Hampshire and Vermont, inventory is actually growing at 10% or more year-over-year.”

Berner also highlighted a few metro areas with homes near the national median, where prices are rising year over year: Fort Morgan, CO ($424,500); Greenfield, MA ($427,000); and Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC ($436,000).

“These are healthy, viable markets to buy into,” he says.

Overall, Massachusetts – with a statewide average listing price of $770,000 – stands out as a state that may need to be avoided from this list. You’ll get less bang for your buck there unless you consider markets like Greenfield as valuable options.

To find your fit, dig into the data

A high ranking on CareScout’s list is a useful starting point, not a judgment. The factors that push a state higher or lower on the list may have little to do with what matters to your situation. To see how that plays out, take a look at a state that isn’t in the top 10 at all: South Carolina, which lands at 45th on CareScout’s list.

That placement may surprise you, considering the number of older movers who have the state in their sights. South Carolina is a prime landing spot for the “halfbacks,” retirees and near-retirees who once moved south to Florida and are now retreating halfway down the coast.

Joey Von Nessena research economist at the University of South Carolina’s Darla Moore School of Business, points out that the underlying numbers can sometimes be misleading. Median household income, one of CareScout’s six factors, is lower in South Carolina than much of the country, but that figure needs context.

“Family income is lower in South Carolina, but our cost of living is also lower, so that’s a factor that may not be as relevant when looking at a destination that caters to older workers,” says Von Nessen.

Another caveat is understanding the types of jobs available in a particular state or market, and whether availability in those sectors makes sense for you.

“In a state like South Carolina, the industrial mix is ​​certainly important,” says Von Nessen. “We have more manufacturing than the national average, but we also have a thriving service industry.”

That distinction is especially important for older workers.

“Service jobs tend to be better suited to older workers,” he says, “and often offer more opportunities to continue working if that is desirable for an individual.”

None of this makes South Carolina a better choice than New Hampshire, or whichever ranking is wrong. It just means that the criteria that are important to the people who compile these lists may not be the criteria that are important to you. So if a state like South Carolina appeals to you, read up on the methodology and decide for yourself which factors carry weight.

“A particular ranking can be good or bad… so it’s good to know what criteria they use so you know if that ranking will be useful to you.” says Von Nessen.

So where should you actually go?

Von Nessen tells older workers to consider looking at job availability first, especially part-time work, which he says trumps flexibility.

Then consider reliable access to healthcare, which becomes more important as you get older. Finally, think about homes that can grow old with you.

That last point is where the job search and the home search converge: Even people who plan to keep working will eventually retire, and most won’t want to move twice. A house designed to stay in place, with step-free access or a ground floor bedroom, is suitable for the long term, which no state rankings will show you.

Overall, the fact that older Americans are increasingly balancing job opportunities and retirement considerations speaks to a larger trend that no one has navigated before—which makes it more important than ever to dig deeper into what’s important to you. There is currently no blueprint.

“We see that the baby boom generation now has more choices than previous generations when it comes to how they want to shape their retirement,” says Von Nessen. “Pensions are clearly evolving and mean something completely different today.”