Disabled seniors considering moving somewhere warmer to retire should consider Alabama, which has a number of pros to retiring in the state. These include mild winters and a low cost of living index as well as low taxes. However, there are also some negatives to disabled seniors planning retirement in Alabama, which ranks among the worst states in the United States for access to healthcare facilities, especially in rural areas. The state also has high levels of poverty and, in some cities, crime.
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However, for seniors living on Social Security disability benefits alone, Alabama can be a terrific choice as some cities have a lower median household income than the average social security benefit for two people, according to a
U.S. News & World Report story on retirement. One city that made the magazine's Top 10 list was the university town of Auburn. "The median household income in this city is $21,630, about $6,000 less than a couple who each receives the average Social Security check would earn. The home of Auburn University has mild winters, hot summers, and plenty of outdoor recreation opportunities," the U.S. News & World Report story noted.
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On the negative side, however, when it comes to healthcare accessibility, Alabama is considered one of the worst states in the country to retire. While the big cities have decent hospitals, retirees in rural areas have much fewer choices. This can pose a significant problem to disabled seniors who may need easy access to medical care. "There are just 178 physicians per 100,000 people in Alabama, compared to 221 in the U.S. as a whole." The website
MarketWatch reported in an article about the pros and cons of retiring in Alabama.
Other negatives to retiring in Alabama include higher levels of poverty when compared to other parts of the country as well as crime.
Bankrate, which rated the nation's best and worse states to retire, reported that in Alabama 17.1 percent of the population lives below the poverty line, compared to the national average of 13.8 percent.
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