Honolulu low among healthy, affordable cities for retirees

Seattle and 57 other cities are better choices than Honolulu for retirees who want to be healthy and live affordably, according to a new survey.

Seattle topped the list of the 60 largest U.S. markets studied by the Bankers Life Center for a Secure Retirement.

Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn.; Denver, Colo.; Portland, Ore., and Hartford, Conn., followed Seattle in the top-five, while Honolulu is 58th among the 60 markets ranked, followed by New York and Los Angeles at the very bottom.

The study, titled “America’s Best Cities for a Healthy (and More Affordable) Retirement,” ranked what the Bankers Life Center says are all factors of health and affordability for middle-income retirees including healthcare, a market’s economy and affordability, social aspects, general wellness, activities, the local environment, transportation dynamics and crime rates.

Researchers statistically weighted each category to reflect needs of the retired population.

The low ranking for Honolulu in this study is in stark contrast to the Gallup-Healthways study released earlier this year naming Hawaii the best state for well-being for older Americans.

However, yet another study earlier this year by personal finance site Bankrate.com, put Hawaii in 44th place on a list of the best states for retirement.