#1 Worst State To Retire In: Oregon

[ABM]

Ouch.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/10-worst-states-for-retirement-153214340.html

Oregon ranks dead last on Bankrate's list of bad states for retirement for a variety of reasons. Its crime rate, state and local tax burden and cost of living are all higher than the national average. Its annual average temperature is 48.8 degrees, which is colder than the 30-year national average of 52.8 degrees.

However, The Beaver State offers spectacular scenery from Mount Hood to the Pacific coast, and plentiful opportunities for hikers to climb its rugged terrain and kayakers to experience its exhilarating white-water rapids -- perhaps unsuitable activities for all but the hardiest retirees.


Sources: Kaiser Family Foundation; U.S. Census; 2011 FBI Uniform Crime Report; the Tax Foundation; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and Western Regional Climate Center; Council for Community and Economic Research.

Source methodology: Medical statistics include number of hospital beds per 1,000 people from the Kaiser Family Foundation and number of doctors per 100,000 residents from the U.S. Census. Crime statistics of violent crimes and property crimes per 100,000 people are courtesy of the 2011 FBI Uniform Crime Report. Tax rates are based on an estimate of the state and local tax burden (income, sales, property and other taxes) by the Tax Foundation. Average temperatures over 30 years (from 1981-2010) come courtesy of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Western Regional Climate Center. Cost-of-living stats are from the Council for Community and Economic Research.

 

[tlongII]

Probably true. But I love Oregon anyway.

 

[MickZagger]

Oregon has a high crime rate?

 

[NOVoodoo]

Oregon has a high crime rate?

I thought that was pretty weird too... what are the crimes? Weed related crimes? Littering?

Just checked the violent crime rates, and Oregon's towards the bottom, with the same violent crime rate as North Dakota.

I wonder what metrics they were considering, because other than the weather, and maybe the price of real estate, I can't see why Oregon would finish dead last.