RetirementRiskIQ research
September 2026 Retirement Risk Index
A directional ranking of state and major-city retirement risk pressure across longevity, market sequence, inflation, healthcare/LTC, tax, and housing/location signals. The September release uses refreshed July 2026 BLS LAUS inputs and the current public source snapshot.
State coverage
51 state profiles
Major city filter
466 cities
Release
September 2026
State index
Higher scores indicate more relative pressure across the six core RetirementRiskIQ risk pillars. Lower scores indicate less relative pressure in the same public-data model, not a personalized recommendation.
Highest-risk states
#1
California
Top risk driver: Housing & location risk (95/100)
Source snapshot: SSA 2023, CHR&R 2025/March 2026 supplemental, CMS Medicare Geographic Variation 2024, BEA RPP 2024, BLS LAUS July 2026, and 2026 state tax rates.
#2
New Jersey
Top risk driver: Housing & location risk (95/100)
Source snapshot: SSA 2023, CHR&R 2025/March 2026 supplemental, CMS Medicare Geographic Variation 2024, BEA RPP 2024, BLS LAUS July 2026, and 2026 state tax rates.
#3
Hawaii
Top risk driver: Housing & location risk (95/100)
Source snapshot: SSA 2023, CHR&R 2025/March 2026 supplemental, CMS Medicare Geographic Variation 2024, BEA RPP 2024, BLS LAUS July 2026, and 2026 state tax rates.
#4
Massachusetts
Top risk driver: Housing & location risk (95/100)
Source snapshot: SSA 2023, CHR&R 2025/March 2026 supplemental, CMS Medicare Geographic Variation 2024, BEA RPP 2024, BLS LAUS July 2026, and 2026 state tax rates.
#5
New York
Top risk driver: Housing & location risk (95/100)
Source snapshot: SSA 2023, CHR&R 2025/March 2026 supplemental, CMS Medicare Geographic Variation 2024, BEA RPP 2024, BLS LAUS July 2026, and 2026 state tax rates.
#6
District of Columbia
Top risk driver: Housing & location risk (95/100)
Source snapshot: SSA 2023, CHR&R 2025/March 2026 supplemental, CMS Medicare Geographic Variation 2024, BEA RPP 2024, BLS LAUS July 2026, and 2026 state tax rates.
#7
Connecticut
Top risk driver: Housing & location risk (92/100)
Source snapshot: SSA 2023, CHR&R 2025/March 2026 supplemental, CMS Medicare Geographic Variation 2024, BEA RPP 2024, BLS LAUS July 2026, and 2026 state tax rates.
#8
Maryland
Top risk driver: Housing & location risk (95/100)
Source snapshot: SSA 2023, CHR&R 2025/March 2026 supplemental, CMS Medicare Geographic Variation 2024, BEA RPP 2024, BLS LAUS July 2026, and 2026 state tax rates.
#9
Oregon
Top risk driver: Tax risk (95/100)
Source snapshot: SSA 2023, CHR&R 2025/March 2026 supplemental, CMS Medicare Geographic Variation 2024, BEA RPP 2024, BLS LAUS July 2026, and 2026 state tax rates.
#10
Colorado
Top risk driver: Housing & location risk (95/100)
Source snapshot: SSA 2023, CHR&R 2025/March 2026 supplemental, CMS Medicare Geographic Variation 2024, BEA RPP 2024, BLS LAUS July 2026, and 2026 state tax rates.
Lower-pressure states
#1
South Dakota
Top risk driver: Longevity risk (45/100)
Source snapshot: SSA 2023, CHR&R 2025/March 2026 supplemental, CMS Medicare Geographic Variation 2024, BEA RPP 2024, BLS LAUS July 2026, and 2026 state tax rates.
#2
Wyoming
Top risk driver: Longevity risk (51/100)
Source snapshot: SSA 2023, CHR&R 2025/March 2026 supplemental, CMS Medicare Geographic Variation 2024, BEA RPP 2024, BLS LAUS July 2026, and 2026 state tax rates.
#3
Tennessee
Top risk driver: Market & sequence risk (53/100)
Source snapshot: SSA 2023, CHR&R 2025/March 2026 supplemental, CMS Medicare Geographic Variation 2024, BEA RPP 2024, BLS LAUS July 2026, and 2026 state tax rates.
#4
North Dakota
Top risk driver: Longevity risk (54/100)
Source snapshot: SSA 2023, CHR&R 2025/March 2026 supplemental, CMS Medicare Geographic Variation 2024, BEA RPP 2024, BLS LAUS July 2026, and 2026 state tax rates.
#5
Arkansas
Top risk driver: Healthcare & LTC risk (55/100)
Source snapshot: SSA 2023, CHR&R 2025/March 2026 supplemental, CMS Medicare Geographic Variation 2024, BEA RPP 2024, BLS LAUS July 2026, and 2026 state tax rates.
#6
Iowa
Top risk driver: Longevity risk (53/100)
Source snapshot: SSA 2023, CHR&R 2025/March 2026 supplemental, CMS Medicare Geographic Variation 2024, BEA RPP 2024, BLS LAUS July 2026, and 2026 state tax rates.
#7
Kentucky
Top risk driver: Healthcare & LTC risk (53/100)
Source snapshot: SSA 2023, CHR&R 2025/March 2026 supplemental, CMS Medicare Geographic Variation 2024, BEA RPP 2024, BLS LAUS July 2026, and 2026 state tax rates.
#8
Missouri
Top risk driver: Healthcare & LTC risk (53/100)
Source snapshot: SSA 2023, CHR&R 2025/March 2026 supplemental, CMS Medicare Geographic Variation 2024, BEA RPP 2024, BLS LAUS July 2026, and 2026 state tax rates.
#9
Louisiana
Top risk driver: Healthcare & LTC risk (64/100)
Source snapshot: SSA 2023, CHR&R 2025/March 2026 supplemental, CMS Medicare Geographic Variation 2024, BEA RPP 2024, BLS LAUS July 2026, and 2026 state tax rates.
#10
Ohio
Top risk driver: Market & sequence risk (53/100)
Source snapshot: SSA 2023, CHR&R 2025/March 2026 supplemental, CMS Medicare Geographic Variation 2024, BEA RPP 2024, BLS LAUS July 2026, and 2026 state tax rates.
Major city watchlist
Cities below meet the major-city filter of population 100,000 or higher. The watchlist highlights places with the highest composite pressure in the September snapshot.
Rank
#1
Place
Burbank, CA
Population 105,165
Composite
Top risk driver
Housing & location risk (95/100)
Source snapshot: SSA 2023, CHR&R 2025/March 2026 supplemental, CMS Medicare Geographic Variation 2024, BEA RPP 2024, BLS LAUS July 2026, and 2026 state tax rates.
Rank
#2
Place
Downey, CA
Population 111,793
Composite
Top risk driver
Housing & location risk (95/100)
Source snapshot: SSA 2023, CHR&R 2025/March 2026 supplemental, CMS Medicare Geographic Variation 2024, BEA RPP 2024, BLS LAUS July 2026, and 2026 state tax rates.
Rank
#3
Place
East Los Angeles, CA
Population 114,617
Composite
Top risk driver
Housing & location risk (95/100)
Source snapshot: SSA 2023, CHR&R 2025/March 2026 supplemental, CMS Medicare Geographic Variation 2024, BEA RPP 2024, BLS LAUS July 2026, and 2026 state tax rates.
Rank
#4
Place
El Monte, CA
Population 107,066
Composite
Top risk driver
Housing & location risk (95/100)
Source snapshot: SSA 2023, CHR&R 2025/March 2026 supplemental, CMS Medicare Geographic Variation 2024, BEA RPP 2024, BLS LAUS July 2026, and 2026 state tax rates.
Rank
#5
Place
Glendale, CA
Population 192,270
Composite
Top risk driver
Housing & location risk (95/100)
Source snapshot: SSA 2023, CHR&R 2025/March 2026 supplemental, CMS Medicare Geographic Variation 2024, BEA RPP 2024, BLS LAUS July 2026, and 2026 state tax rates.
Rank
#6
Place
Inglewood, CA
Population 105,575
Composite
Top risk driver
Housing & location risk (95/100)
Source snapshot: SSA 2023, CHR&R 2025/March 2026 supplemental, CMS Medicare Geographic Variation 2024, BEA RPP 2024, BLS LAUS July 2026, and 2026 state tax rates.
Rank
#7
Place
Lancaster, CA
Population 170,013
Composite
Top risk driver
Housing & location risk (95/100)
Source snapshot: SSA 2023, CHR&R 2025/March 2026 supplemental, CMS Medicare Geographic Variation 2024, BEA RPP 2024, BLS LAUS July 2026, and 2026 state tax rates.
Rank
#8
Place
Long Beach, CA
Population 458,491
Composite
Top risk driver
Housing & location risk (95/100)
Source snapshot: SSA 2023, CHR&R 2025/March 2026 supplemental, CMS Medicare Geographic Variation 2024, BEA RPP 2024, BLS LAUS July 2026, and 2026 state tax rates.
Rank
#9
Place
Los Angeles, CA
Population 11,885,717
Composite
Top risk driver
Housing & location risk (95/100)
Source snapshot: SSA 2023, CHR&R 2025/March 2026 supplemental, CMS Medicare Geographic Variation 2024, BEA RPP 2024, BLS LAUS July 2026, and 2026 state tax rates.
Rank
#10
Place
Norwalk, CA
Population 100,713
Composite
Top risk driver
Housing & location risk (95/100)
Source snapshot: SSA 2023, CHR&R 2025/March 2026 supplemental, CMS Medicare Geographic Variation 2024, BEA RPP 2024, BLS LAUS July 2026, and 2026 state tax rates.
Rank
#11
Place
Palmdale, CA
Population 165,487
Composite
Top risk driver
Housing & location risk (95/100)
Source snapshot: SSA 2023, CHR&R 2025/March 2026 supplemental, CMS Medicare Geographic Variation 2024, BEA RPP 2024, BLS LAUS July 2026, and 2026 state tax rates.
Rank
#12
Place
Pasadena, CA
Population 136,462
Composite
Top risk driver
Housing & location risk (95/100)
Source snapshot: SSA 2023, CHR&R 2025/March 2026 supplemental, CMS Medicare Geographic Variation 2024, BEA RPP 2024, BLS LAUS July 2026, and 2026 state tax rates.
How to use the index
Treat rankings as a research prompt. A high composite score tells you which location assumptions deserve closer review; it does not determine whether a household can or cannot retire there.
For place-specific context, open the linked state or city page and compare the top driver against your own housing, healthcare, tax, income, and timing assumptions.