Why is Georgia one of the worst states for retirees?

Kim Moske, who is 56 and expects to retire in six years, outside her home in Delaware, Ohio, Feb. 11, 2017. Moske started to save and invest in her late 20s. Traditional pensions have grown scarcer, life expectancies are generally greater and, for workers of all ages, planning is more important than ever. (Maddie McGarvey/The New York Times)

Credit: Nedra Rhone

Credit: Nedra Rhone

Kim Moske, who is 56 and expects to retire in six years, outside her home in Delaware, Ohio, Feb. 11, 2017. Moske started to save and invest in her late 20s. Traditional pensions have grown scarcer, life expectancies are generally greater and, for workers of all ages, planning is more important than ever. (Maddie McGarvey/The New York Times)

Georgia is still one of the worst states for retirees according to a new survey from Bankrate.com .

The state ranked as the 16th worst state to retire.

According to retirees, cost of living, health care quality and crime were the most important factors when deciding where to retire.

While the weather and cost of living are favorable in Georgia, the state loses points for the overall lack of seniors 65 and older living here (the fourth lowest percentage among all states) and the well-being of those seniors.

Georgia seniors do well when it comes to taxes, but not so hot when it comes to the quality of health care. This has been a recurring theme for several years as Georgia is known for its tax friendly policies for older adults. But the quality and cost of health care in the state for seniors may offset some of those tax benefits.

Crime and the limited cultural vitality are other factors that may make Georgia less appealing to seniors.

So which state are most welcoming to older adults? Surprisingly, not the states that have traditionally attracted retirees.

While Florida, Maine and West Virginia have the highest percentage of residents ages 65 and over, only Maine cracks the top 10 for the best states for retirees. Arizona, another state that has historically attracted retirees, comes in at number 12 in the rankings.

In the top slot is New Hampshire for seniors who can brave the weather (the state ranked in the bottom five for weather). Colorado is the next best option for seniors who don't mind hanging out with a lot of younger people since the state, like Georgia, has one of the smallest retiree populations in the nation.