How Much a Comfortable Retirement Will Cost You in Each State in 2025

There’s a stark difference between what it means for couples to retire with and without Social Security benefits, regardless of whether you live in a high cost-of-living state or not.

GOBankingRates reviewed each state’s population ages 65 and over, the cost-of-living index from Q1 of 2025 and the national average costs for retirees. After calculating the average mortgage cost and combining it with the expenditure cost, we found the cost of living for necessities. A 20% buffer was added to this cost to find the cost of a comfortable retirement, ranked from lowest cost to highest.

Social Security benefits for a married couple are $2,961 per month, $35,532 per year.

• West Virginia is the most affordable state for a comfortable retirement. A couple with Social Security will spend $2,032 annually to fund their retirement.
• It costs less than $5,000 annually for a couple to retire comfortably in the top five states. In ranking order, they are West Virginia ($2,032), Mississippi ($2,917), Arkansas ($4,264), Louisiana ($4,626) and Oklahoma ($4,976).
• Retirees need six figures to comfortably retire in Hawaii without Social Security. The total annual cost, without benefits, is $109,863.
• There are 14 states where couples can retire with Social Security for less than $10,000 annually: West Virginia, Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Kentucky, Alabama, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Michigan, Indiana, Ohio and Nebraska.

Ranked from states with the lowest to highest retirement costs, here’s how much a comfortable retirement costs in 2025.

• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (without Social Security): $37,562
• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (with Social Security): $2,032
• Annual cost of necessities: $31,302
• Average monthly mortgage: $882

• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (without Social Security): $38,448
• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (with Social Security): $2,917
• Annual cost of necessities: $32,040
• Average monthly mortgage: $972

• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (without Social Security): $39,795
• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (with Social Security): $4,264
• Annual cost of necessities: $33,162
• Average monthly mortgage: $1,117

• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (without Social Security): $40,156
• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (with Social Security): $4,626
• Annual cost of necessities: $33,464
• Average monthly mortgage: $1,087

• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (without Social Security): $40,506
• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (with Social Security): $4,976
• Annual cost of necessities: $33,755
• Average monthly mortgage: $1,116

• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (without Social Security): $41,127
• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (with Social Security): $5,597
• Annual cost of necessities: $34,273
• Average monthly mortgage: $1,145

• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (without Social Security): $41,773
• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (with Social Security): $6,242
• Annual cost of necessities: $34,811
• Average monthly mortgage: $1,187

• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (without Social Security): $42,228
• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (with Social Security): $6,697
• Annual cost of necessities: $35,190
• Average monthly mortgage: $1,211

• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (without Social Security): $43,571
• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (with Social Security): $8,040
• Annual cost of necessities: $36,309
• Average monthly mortgage: $1,242

• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (without Social Security): $43,714
• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (with Social Security): $8,183
• Annual cost of necessities: $36,428
• Average monthly mortgage: $1,347

• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (without Social Security): $44,025
• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (with Social Security): $8,494
• Annual cost of necessities: $36,687
• Average monthly mortgage: $1,325

• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (without Social Security): $44,078
• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (with Social Security): $8,547
• Annual cost of necessities: $36,732
• Average monthly mortgage: $1,304

• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (without Social Security): $44,125
• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (with Social Security): $8,594
• Annual cost of necessities: $36,771
• Average monthly mortgage: $1,260

• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (without Social Security): $45,473
• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (with Social Security): $9,943
• Annual cost of necessities: $37,894
• Average monthly mortgage: $1,415

• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (without Social Security): $47,201
• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (with Social Security): $11,670
• Annual cost of necessities: $39,334
• Average monthly mortgage: $1,472

• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (without Social Security): $47,287
• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (with Social Security): $11,757
• Annual cost of necessities: $39,406
• Average monthly mortgage: $1,468

• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (without Social Security): $47,726
• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (with Social Security): $12,195
• Annual cost of necessities: $39,772
• Average monthly mortgage: $1,495

• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (without Social Security): $47,753
• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (with Social Security): $12,222
• Annual cost of necessities: $39,794
• Average monthly mortgage: $1,562

• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (without Social Security): $47,978
• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (with Social Security): $12,447
• Annual cost of necessities: $39,982
• Average monthly mortgage: $1,557

• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (without Social Security): $48,043
• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (with Social Security): $12,513
• Annual cost of necessities: $40,036
• Average monthly mortgage: $1,708

• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (without Social Security): $48,946
• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (with Social Security): $13,416
• Annual cost of necessities: $40,789
• Average monthly mortgage: $1,612

• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (without Social Security): $49,813
• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (with Social Security): $14,283
• Annual cost of necessities: $41,511
• Average monthly mortgage: $1,637

• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (without Social Security): $50,374
• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (with Social Security): $14,843
• Annual cost of necessities: $41,978
• Average monthly mortgage: $1,721

• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (without Social Security): $50,654
• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (with Social Security): $15,124
• Annual cost of necessities: $42,212
• Average monthly mortgage: $1,711

• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (without Social Security): $51,278
• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (with Social Security): $15,747
• Annual cost of necessities: $42,732
• Average monthly mortgage: $1,725

• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (without Social Security): $52,293
• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (with Social Security): $16,762
• Annual cost of necessities: $43,578
• Average monthly mortgage: $1,884

• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (without Social Security): $52,436
• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (with Social Security): $16,905
• Annual cost of necessities: $43,696
• Average monthly mortgage: $1,829

• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (without Social Security): $55,206
• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (with Social Security): $19,676
• Annual cost of necessities: $46,005
• Average monthly mortgage: $2,054

• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (without Social Security): $56,566
• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (with Social Security): $21,036
• Annual cost of necessities: $47,138
• Average monthly mortgage: $2,065

• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (without Social Security): $57,115
• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (with Social Security): $21,584
• Annual cost of necessities: $47,596
• Average monthly mortgage: $2,126

• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (without Social Security): $58,052
• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (with Social Security): $22,521
• Annual cost of necessities: $48,377
• Average monthly mortgage: $2,221

• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (without Social Security): $58,987
• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (with Social Security): $23,456
• Annual cost of necessities: $49,156
• Average monthly mortgage cost: $2,106

• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (without Social Security): $59,716
• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (with Social Security): $24,186
• Annual cost of necessities: $49,763
• Average monthly mortgage: $2,122

• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (without Social Security): $59,742
• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (with Social Security): $24,212
• Annual cost of necessities: $49,785
• Average monthly mortgage: $2,399

• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (without Social Security): $60,120
• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (with Social Security): $24,590
• Annual cost of necessities: $50,100
• Average monthly mortgage: $2,377

• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (without Social Security): $60,359
• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (with Social Security): $24,828
• Annual cost of necessities: $50,299
• Average monthly mortgage: $2,408

• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (without Social Security): $61,073
• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (with Social Security): $25,543
• Annual cost of necessities: $50,894
• Average monthly mortgage: $2,298

• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (without Social Security): $63,868
• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (with Social Security): $28,337
• Annual cost of necessities: $53,223
• Average monthly mortgage: $2,378

• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (without Social Security): $63,881
• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (with Social Security): $28,350
• Annual cost of necessities: $53,234
• Average monthly mortgage: $2,495

• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (without Social Security): $63,955
• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (with Social Security): $28,424
• Annual cost of necessities: $53,296
• Average monthly mortgage: $2,043

• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (without Social Security): $64,455
• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (with Social Security): $28,925
• Annual cost of necessities: $53,713
• Average monthly mortgage: $2,779

• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (without Social Security): $65,223
• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (with Social Security): $29,692
• Annual cost of necessities: $54,352
• Average monthly mortgage: $2,588

• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (without Social Security): $66,829
• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (with Social Security): $31,299
• Average monthly mortgage: $2,615
• Annual cost of necessities: $55,691

• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (without Social Security): $66,945
• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (with Social Security): $31,415
• Annual cost of necessities: $55,788
• Average monthly mortgage: $2,706

• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (without Social Security): $67,833
• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (with Social Security): $32,303
• Annual cost of necessities: $56,528
• Average monthly mortgage: $2,869

• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (without Social Security): $70,697
• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (with Social Security): $35,167
• Annual cost of necessities: $58,914
• Average monthly mortgage: $3,004

• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (without Social Security): $74,631
• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (with Social Security): $39,100
• Annual cost of necessities: $62,192
• Average monthly mortgage: $3,168

• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (without Social Security): $83,407
• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (with Social Security): $47,876
• Annual cost of necessities: $69,506
• Average monthly mortgage: $3,479

• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (without Social Security): $90,110
• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (with Social Security): $54,579
• Annual cost of necessities: $75,091
• Average monthly mortgage: $4,069

• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (without Social Security): $109,863
• Comfortable retirement cost for two annually (with Social Security): $74,333
• Annual cost of necessities: $91,553
• Average monthly mortgage: $4,943

Review more original studies and surveys in the GOBankingRates original research center.

Methodology: To find the comfortable cost of retirement in each state, GOBankingRates analyzed each state to find total population, population ages 65 and over and total households — all sourced from the U.S. Census 2023 American Community Survey. The cost-of-living indexes from Q1 2025 were sourced from Missouri Economic and Research Information Center and the national average expenditures for retirees were sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey for retired consumer units; the average expenditure cost was then calculated for each location. The average home value was sourced from the July 2025 Zillow Home Value Index, and the national average 30-year fixed mortgage rate of 6.58% was sourced from the Federal Reserve Economic Data on Aug. 27. The average mortgage cost was then calculated. Using the average mortgage and expenditure cost, the necessities cost was calculated. To find the cost of a comfortable retirement, a 20% buffer was added to the necessities cost of living in each state. The states were sorted to show the lowest to highest cost of a comfortable retirement. All data was collected on and is up to date as of Aug. 27, 2025.