Georgia is a better place to retire than Alabama

Planning to retire soon? Georgia is better than most states to take that step, according to Wallethub.com, the website that rates such things.

Georgia ranks 20^th among all the states, based on affordability, quality of life and health care options, the website claims.

Affordability is based on cost of living, taxes, and cost of in-home services and adult day care. Quality of life is based on the share of the population over 65, the share of that population living under the poverty level, labor market, access to public transportation, weather, crime and environmental concerns. Health care is based on physicians, dentists and nurses per capita, quality of hospitals, life expectancy and death rates for persons over 65.

Florida ranked as the best place in the country in which to retire, while Rhode Island ranked the worst.

Florida and Rhode Island were best and worst, respectively, in affordability. New York was best and Washington, D.C., worst in quality of life. Minnesota ranked No. 1 in health care and Mississippi ranked last.

Georgia earned its 20^th ranking by rating 11^th in affordability, 32nd in quality of life and 41st in health care.

And don’t bother looking across the river, because Alabama ranks 36^th overall. While it ranked second in affordability, it was near the bottom at 47^th in quality of life and 50^th in health care.

This story was originally published January 23, 2017 at 8:24 AM with the headline "Georgia is a better place to retire than Alabama."