32 States With the Largest Retiree Populations

Think you can guess which state has the largest population of retirees? The answer might surprise you. 

To determine the states with the biggest retiree populations, GOBankingRates found the total population, population ages 65 and over and percentage of the population that is ages 65 and over for every U.S. state using the 2022 American Community Survey.

This roundup includes every state with a population of more than 500,000 retirees ages 65 and over. Ranked in ascending order, let’s see which states have the largest populations of retirees.

• Total population: 3,104,817
• Population 65+: 503,234
• Percentage of population 65+: 16.2%

• Total population: 3,018,669
• Population 65+: 519,434
• Percentage of population 65+: 17.2%

• Total population: 3,188,836
• Population 65+: 560,125
• Percentage of population 65+: 17.6%

• Total population: 3,611,317
• Population 65+: 629,108
• Percentage of population 65+: 17.4%

• Total population: 3,970,497
• Population 65+: 632,751
• Percentage of population 65+: 15.9%

• Total population: 4,640,546
• Population 65+: 743,243
• Percentage of population 65+: 16%

• Total population: 4,502,935
• Population 65+: 756,439
• Percentage of population 65+: 16.8%

• Total population: 4,229,374
• Population 65+: 773,258
• Percentage of population 65+: 18.3%

• Total population: 5,028,092
• Population 65+: 871,034
• Percentage of population 65+: 17.3%

• Total population: 5,770,790
• Population 65+: 855,353
• Percentage of population 65+: 14.8%

• Total population: 5,142,750
• Population 65+: 938,517
• Percentage of population 65+: 18.2%

• Total population: 5,695,292
• Population 65+: 939,396
• Percentage of population 65+: 16.5%

• Total population: 6,161,707
• Population 65+: 986,154
• Percentage of population 65+: 16%

• Total population: 5,882,128
• Population 65+: 1,038,620
• Percentage of population 65+: 17.7%

• Total population: 6,154,422
• Population 65+: 1,062,483
• Percentage of population 65+: 17.3%

• Total population: 6,784,403
• Population 65+: 1,097,201
• Percentage of population 65+: 16.2%

• Total population: 6,923,772
• Population 65+: 1,155,313
• Percentage of population 65+: 16.7%

• Total population: 6,984,205
• Population 65+: 1,195,589
• Percentage of population 65+: 17.1%

• Total population: 7,688,549
• Population 65+: 1,228,940
• Percentage of population 65+: 16%

• Total population: 7,172,282
• Population 65+: 1,297,802
• Percentage of population 65+: 18.1%

• Total population: 8,624,511
• Population 65+: 1,381,006
• Percentage of population 65+: 16%

• Total population: 9,249,063
• Population 65+: 1,532,614
• Percentage of population 65+: 16.6%

• Total population: 10,722,325
• Population 65+: 1,540,445
• Percentage of population 65+: 14.4%

• Total population: 10,470,214
• Population 65+: 1,747,925
• Percentage of population 65+: 16.7%

• Total population: 10,057,921
• Population 65+: 1,786,825
• Percentage of population 65+: 17.8%

• Total population: 11,774,683
• Population 65+: 2,068,562
• Percentage of population 65+: 17.6%

• Total population: 12,757,634
• Population 65+: 2,070,907
• Percentage of population 65+: 16.2%

• Total population: 12,989,208
• Population 65+: 2,434,405
• Percentage of population 65+: 18.7%

• Total population: 19,994,379
• Population 65+: 3,402,284
• Percentage of population 65+: 17%

• Total population: 29,243,342
• Population 65+: 3,768,977
• Percentage of population 65+: 12.9%

• Total population: 21,634,529
• Population 65+: 4,520,647
• Percentage of population 65+: 20.9%

• Total population: 39,356,104
• Population 65+: 5,865,300
• Percentage of population 65+: 14.9%

Methodology: For this piece, GOBankingRates used the 2022 American Community Survey as conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau to find the following for every state: (1) total population; (2) population 65+; and (3) percent of the population that is aged 65+. All data was collected and up to date as of March 26, 2024.