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U.S. States Where You Can Retire at 65 with Less Than $1 Million in Savings
Many Americans view $1 million as the retirement savings benchmark, but in lower-cost states, the minimum needed to cover basic living expenses (housing, groceries, transportation, utilities, health care) over 25 years can be significantly less. A recent GOBankingRates analysis (based on 2025–2026 data) uses U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics retiree cost-of-living figures, subtracts average Social Security benefits, and applies a 4% safe withdrawal rate to estimate household savings required.
These figures represent minimums for essentials only—not a luxurious lifestyle—and assume household-level expenses (potentially shared). They exclude extras like travel, paid-off mortgages, or inheritances. About half of workers think they'll need $500,000+ for comfort (per recent surveys), but basics are more achievable in the South and Midwest.
Here are the 32 states where the estimated minimum falls below $1 million (listed alphabetically with annual retiree cost of living and required savings):
Alabama: Annual COL $53,999 → Savings needed: $789,037
Arkansas: Annual COL $54,859 → Savings needed: $810,538
Florida: Annual COL $61,125 → Savings needed: $967,190
Georgia: Annual COL $56,395 → Savings needed: $848,933
Idaho: Annual COL $60,818 → Savings needed: $959,511
Illinois: Annual COL $58,913 → Savings needed: $911,901
Indiana: Annual COL $55,657 → Savings needed: $830,504
Iowa: Annual COL $55,473 → Savings needed: $825,896
Kansas: Annual COL $54,613 → Savings needed: $804,395
Kentucky: Annual COL $56,456 → Savings needed: $850,469
Louisiana: Annual COL $56,947 → Savings needed: $862,756
Michigan: Annual COL $58,176 → Savings needed: $893,472
Minnesota: Annual COL $57,869 → Savings needed: $885,793
Mississippi: Annual COL $52,524 → Savings needed: $752,178
Missouri: Annual COL $54,674 → Savings needed: $805,931
Nebraska: Annual COL $56,272 → Savings needed: $845,862
Nevada: Annual COL $60,572 → Savings needed: $953,368
New Mexico: Annual COL $56,825 → Savings needed: $859,684
North Carolina: Annual COL $59,835 → Savings needed: $934,938
North Dakota: Annual COL $56,087 → Savings needed: $841,254
Ohio: Annual COL $57,009 → Savings needed: $864,291
Oklahoma: Annual COL $51,849 → Savings needed: $735,284 (lowest)
Pennsylvania: Annual COL $59,650 → Savings needed: $930,331
South Carolina: Annual COL $56,825 → Savings needed: $859,684
South Dakota: Annual COL $56,395 → Savings needed: $848,933
Tennessee: Annual COL $55,473 → Savings needed: $825,896
Texas: Annual COL $55,780 → Savings needed: $833,575
Utah: Annual COL $60,879 → Savings needed: $961,047
Virginia: Annual COL $61,493 → Savings needed: $976,405
West Virginia: Annual COL $54,122 → Savings needed: $792,109
Wisconsin: Annual COL $60,019 → Savings needed: $939,546
Wyoming: Annual COL $58,545 → Savings needed: $902,686
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Lower costs in these states (often driven by affordable housing and utilities) make sub-$1M retirement realistic for basics. In contrast, high-cost states like Hawaii or California often require $1.5M–$2M+.
Location, lifestyle, and Social Security play big roles—plan accordingly, and consider consulting a financial advisor for personalized projections. Small differences in COL can add up to hundreds of thousands over decades.
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