Mississippi. Not bad, a real sleeper. Try McComb, the whole southern part of the state from Jackson on down, incl the gulf coast. You can live within 50 miles of New Orleans and go down there to eat and party.
Missouri, the Ozarks are pretty but they are an awful thinly settled and remote area, except at Springfield and maybe at Branson if you like the shows there.
Montana, parts of the extreme W and NW arent bad, like Idaho...
Nebraska, avoid.
Nevada, unless you just want the gambling, avoid it, unless you like Las Vegas for constant excitement, and a low cost big city, or Reno/Tahoe if you already live in N Cal or that area. The outlying towns are to be avoided.
NH, low taxes but unless you are already in the Northeast it is TBAvoided.
NJ. TBA.
New Mexico, not really very good. Some pretty areas around Ruidoso or Alamogordo, or in the Indian pueblos of the N Central if you want to retire in Mexico but want to drink the water...Roswell is a nice W Texas town with occasional alien visits.
New York, TBA for taxes and govt generally.
OKla, anything bearable is in the Ozarks of far NE.
Oregon. If this was the place for you, you would already know it, and probably be there.
PA and RI. To be avoided, unless it is back home to Grandma for you.
SC Hilton Head, and a lot of little towns way up near the mtns in the NW, and the university communities, can be quite livable. Myrtle Beach getting a little crowded.
SDak The Black Hills and Hot Springs, Rapid City quite nice. Awful weather in eastern 3/4 of the state, but clean air and lots of room. Most interesting state in Midwest.
Tenn. The eastern half is a well kept secret, try Cleveland in the extreme SE.
To be continued...
As an expatriated Dakotan, thanks for the plug. The weather is probably too unpleasant in the whole state for a retired person. Nice people, cheap quiet living, but the weather flat out stinks. My mom, a tough woman in her own way, thanks God every day that she doesn't have to endure another South Dakota winter.