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- 10 best & worst states to retire (9 15 25)
10 best & worst states to retire (9 15 25)
Sally McDonald
September 15, 2025
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💵 Today’s Top Stories
 | This report on the best and worst states to retire prioritizes affordability, quality of life and healthcare. Where does your state rank? Read more. |
 | Criminals are on their A game and financial institutions are on their F game, Clark says. Defend your money by never, ever, ever giving this number to another human being. Read more. |
Sponsor | Will you trek the Andes, kayak through glaciers, or explore ancient ruins? This guide helps you design the adventure that speaks to you with exclusive budgeting tools, packing lists, and even a sample travel calendar to plan it all. |
 | If you pay for streaming, odds are your bill increased significantly in the last few years. But how does it compare to what the average American spends? Read more. |
 | Are you one of the 63% paying for an unlimited data plan who uses less than 15GB each month? Here’s how to find out. Read more. |
🏠️ Today’s Current Mortgage Rates
According to Freddie Mac, 30-year mortgage rates are 6.35% and 15-year rates are 5.50% as of September 11, 2025. The following chart shows the 30-year mortgage rate trend over the last year.
Want to know the official Social Security cost-of-living adjustment for 2026? You’ll have to wait a little longer.
But that hasn’t stopped organizations from publishing predictions based on government data.
If those predictions are accurate, expect the COLA to come in at just less than 3%. (The CPI, often cited by the government as “inflation,” reached 2.9% in August – the highest since 3.0% in January.)
A CNBC report cited the Senior Citizens League estimating 2.7% and analyst Mary Johnson estimating 2.8% for ’26.
That would amount to an average increase of $54 or $55 per month.
The COLA in 2025 was 2.5%. The average COLA in the last 20 years is 2.6%.
📊 Stat of the Day
💰️ 4%: The increase in U.S. household wealth in Q2. Year-over-year inflation hit 2.9% in August, so we outpaced that in three spring months. Wealth grew more than $7 million to $176.3 trillion, including +$5.5 trillion from stocks and +$1.2 trillion from real estate.
💰️ Deal Alert: Today’s Top Deals
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🎙️ Podcast
It’s time for "Clark Stinks!" Christa reads the latest "Clark Stinks!" submissions and Clark responds. Also, thinking about a new car? Don't make a costly mistake! Clark reveals the secret to understanding the true cost of vehicle ownership. He explains how our Car Cost Calculator can help. You'll see exactly how much you can save by buying a used car or keeping your current one longer.
☎️ Need Money Help?
The Team Clark Consumer Action Center is a free helpline that can help you navigate your money questions. Call 636-492-5275. Visit clark.com/cac for more information.
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