Best States For Older Americans: Here’s How Maryland Ranks

When it comes to quality of life for older Americans, Colorado takes the lead as the best state in the U.S. for aging, according to a new set of rankings released by U.S. News & World Report.

The rankings, released this week, evaluate how states address and prioritize the needs of older populations. U.S. News evaluated all 50 states across 12 metrics to determine the rankings, looking at factors like quality of Medicare programs, cost of care and population health.

So is Maryland a good place to get old? The rankings show how the Free State stacks up when it comes to places for seniors to live.

Maryland came in at No. 28 on the list. Of note, Maryland's older adults were the 4th most able-bodied in America, health care was ranked 19th best in the nation, while indicators such as life expectancy and cost of living were not so hot, ranking 44th.

U.S. News explains in its methodology that the rankings measure the effort of states to “effectively serve their senior citizens by keeping them healthy, financially secure and involved in their communities.” U.S. News scored states relative to each other in 12 categories that were averaged into one overall score.

According to U.S. News, these are the top 10 states for aging:

1. Colorado
2. Maine
3. Hawaii
4. Iowa
5. South Dakota
6. Wisconsin
7. Minnesota
8. Vermont
9. New Hampshire
10. Florida

U.S. News used data from sources like the CDC and the Kaiser Family Foundation to evaluate the states.

See the full list of best states for aging in America, according to U.S. News & World Report.

The factors used to determine the rankings are:

• Life expectancy at age 65
• The share of adults age 65 and older reporting at least “good health”
• The share of adults age 65 and older reporting minimal physical inactivity during leisure time
• The share of adults age 65 and older reporting frequent mental distress
• Unemployment for adults age 65 and older
• The share of adults age 65 and older with a dedicated primary care physician
• The share of adults age 65 and older that are considered able-bodied, with no cognitive, visual, auditory, ambulatory, self-care or independent living difficulty disability
• Average monthly costs for various assisted living and care options
• The share of Medicare Advantage enrollees in plans that are rated four stars or better
• The share of state nursing homes rated four stars or better
• The share of the state population that is 65 years old or older
• Cost of living

— By Patch Editors Feroze Dhanoa and Elizabeth Janney

Image via Shutterstock.

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