Retirement Score Comparison
Retirement

Arizona vs California: Retirement Score

Arizona scores higher for retirement California.

Arizona flag
Arizona
AZ • West
Winner
69.4
Composite score for comparing states for retirement, combining affordability, taxes, housing, health, safety, and winter climate.
California flag
California
CA • West
47.0
Composite score for comparing states for retirement, combining affordability, taxes, housing, health, safety, and winter climate.

Visual Comparison

Arizona 69.4
California 47.0

Difference: 22.40 points — Arizona leads.

National Rankings

Where They Rank Nationally

See where both states fall among all 50 states for retirement score.

Arizona #6 · 69.4
California #50 · 47.0
Lowest Highest

Top 10 States — Retirement Score

#1 Florida flag Florida
79.6
#2 Wyoming flag Wyoming
73.8
#3 Mississippi flag Mississippi
71.3
#4 Kentucky flag Kentucky
70.3
#5 Alabama flag Alabama
69.9
#6 Arizona flag Arizona
69.4
#7 North Carolina flag North Carolina
69.3
#8 West Virginia flag West Virginia
69.1
#9 Virginia flag Virginia
68.9
#10 Georgia flag Georgia
68.8
Selected states
#50 California flag California
47.0

Arizona ranks 6th and California ranks 50th nationally for retirement score.

What This Means

Arizona vs California: Retirement Score in context

Arizona has a retirement score of 69.4, compared with 47.0 in California, a gap of 47.7%. Composite score for comparing states for retirement, combining affordability, taxes, housing, health, safety, and winter climate.

Arizona
69.4
California
47.0
Difference
22.40 points

People Also Ask

Arizona vs California Retirement Score — Common Questions

Q What is Arizona's retirement score?

Arizona's retirement score is 69.4.

Q What is California's retirement score?

California's retirement score is 47.0.

Q Which state has a higher retirement score — Arizona or California?

Arizona scores higher for retirement California.

Q How much more retirement score does Arizona have compared to California?

22.40 points.

Sources: Core demographic data comes from the 2020 U.S. Census, with land area from U.S. Census Bureau TIGER files. Income, housing, affordability, and tax fields are maintained in our comparison dataset; purchasing-power figures use BEA Regional Price Parities. Minimum wage data comes from the U.S. Department of Labor, gas prices from AAA, and electricity rates from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Political control and election fields use 2024 presidential results together with National Conference of State Legislatures data. Gun-law labels use the Giffords scorecard, alcohol system data comes from NABCA, and marijuana status uses NCSL's state cannabis laws tracker.