10 Worst States For Retirement

There's a two-way tie for this spot. Maryland and Vermont rank among the worst places to retire on Bankrate's list for a variety of reasons.

Both have relatively high costs of living and high state and local taxes. Maryland's crime rate also is worse than the national average, and Vermont's weather could be tough on a lot of retirees. Temperatures have been an average of 43.1 degrees in Vermont from 1981 to 2010, making it one of the coldest states in the country.

Of course, those drawbacks may not be enough to dissuade lovers of Maryland crab cakes or Vermont's rolling blue-green hills.

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Delaware is home to excellent beaches, hiking trails and other natural beauties. It's also a shopper's haven since it doesn't levy sales taxes on consumers. Yet, despite relatively low state and local taxes and a temperate climate, The First State can be tougher on retirees than many other states. Its cost of living is higher than average, according to data from the Council for Community and Economic Research, and access to medical care is below average.

Delaware's crime rate also is among the highest in the nation, with 3,970 property and violent crimes per 100,000 people, according to the FBI's 2011 Uniform Crime Report.

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