Housing costs are rising across the United States, with home ownership becoming more expensive. Median home prices surged in the early 2020s, property taxes continue to go up, and home insurance costs are becoming more expensive. All those costs, plus home maintenance costs, add up to around $21,400 a year just to maintain a home, according to Bankrate.

That could be expensive for anyone, but particularly so for seniors who may be more sensitive to cost increases or are paying for their housing —either as homeowners or renters—on a fixed income. A record 12.5 million senior households are now spending at least 30% or more of their income on housing. Renting can be even harder on seniors, with 56.9% of renters spending at least 30% of their income on housing compared to 26.9% of homeowners.

Where a senior lives can also weigh on their bank accounts, with some states costing much more than others. So if you’re a senior worried about housing costs, here are some states to avoid if you want to keep a little bit more cash in your pocket, as reported by CareScout.

California is a Cost Burden

California topped the list of states that have the biggest housing burden on seniors. The biggest factor may be the cost of a home with the median home price in the state around $775,000, according to Zillow, while the average home price in the United States is around $370,000.

But CareScout also factored in other costs related to housing that are a burden to seniors, especially those in a fixed income. California, for example, has high real estate taxes that seniors will want to factor in when considering the total cost of owning or renting.

The top five most-expensive states for housing for seniors also include second-place Massachusetts followed by Connecticut, Hawaii, and New Jersey. The issues faced by seniors can vary with electricity costs being a factor in states like Hawaii, which has the highest average monthly electricity bill of any state. Other states have big real estate taxes that can affect the pocketbooks of seniors. New Jersey tops the list for median real estate taxes among homeowners with a median bill of $9,358 —second-place New Hampshire is almost $3,000 less.

West Virginia’s Affordability for Seniors

West Virginia tops the list of most affordable places for seniors to live, helped by the fact that it has the lowest real estate taxes in the country. The median annual tax bill for homeowners in the state in only around $881. It also has the lowest percentage of homeowners paying at least $2,000 a year in home insurance with only 10.2% of the state facing that high of an insurance bill.

Other states that made the top five for most affordable include Arkansas, North Dakota, Iowa, and South Dakota.

Housing Costs that Seniors Need to Consider

It’s not just the cost of a home that seniors have to consider when trying to find the cash for rising housing costs. Taxes, utilities, and rising assisted living costs can also be issues for seniors, especially those on tight budgets.

From 2019 to 2024, insurance premiums rose 40.4% with costs going up 11.4% in 2024 alone, according to LendingTree. In particular, Colorado tops the list of insurance by state, with 54.9% of homeowners paying at least $2,000 in home insurance followed by 53% of Floridians paying at least that much, based on data from the US Census Bureau.

Owning or renting a home aren’t the only two options for seniors, who can also choose assisted living that caters to older adults. However, the cost of assisted living can be an even bigger housing burden for some seniors. The average yearly cost for assisted living in Hawaii, which is the most expensive state for that type of housing, is $145,155, according to CareScout.

On the other end, the most affordable state for assisted living is Mississippi with an annual cost of $52,425.

More State-By-State Data: