Our new study analyzing senior isolation across all 50 states found that seven of the top 10 most isolated states for older adults are in the South.
Louisiana leads the nation with an Older Adult Isolation Score of 93.55 out of 100, followed closely by Mississippi (92.87) and West Virginia (85.05).
More than 1 in 3 seniors in Louisiana (34.08%) and Rhode Island (34.07%) report feeling lonely.
Our research team analyzed data from the U.S. Census Bureau, America’s Health Rankings, and the Household Pulse Survey to examine how factors such as poverty levels, living arrangements, marital status, independent living difficulties, internet access, and self-reported loneliness impact adults aged 65+ across each state.
The Top 10 States With Most Isolated Seniors
The consequences of senior isolation go far beyond loneliness. Research shows that disconnected older adults face a 50% higher risk of developing dementia and a 29% higher risk of heart disease compared to their more socially engaged peers.
Beyond individual health, there are broader costs. Medicare spends an extra $6.7 billion a year on socially isolated older adults, with the challenge particularly pressing in regions where poverty rates are higher.
| Rank | State | % of Older Adults Living Below the Poverty Level | % of Older Adults Living Alone | % of Older Adults With An Independent Living Difficulty | % of Older Adults Who are Never Married, or are Divorced, Separated, or Widowed | % of Older Adults Who Always, Usually, or Sometimes Feel Lonely | % of Households with Older Adults with Internet & Device Access | Older Adult Isolation Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Louisiana | 14.20 | 29.08 | 14.51 | 47.30 | 34.08 | 80.60 | 93.55 |
| 2 | Mississippi | 15.80 | 28.88 | 15.43 | 48.00 | 30.39 | 77.90 | 92.87 |
| 3 | West Virginia | 12.00 | 29.39 | 15.30 | 44.80 | 30.02 | 77.60 | 85.05 |
| 4 | New York | 14.30 | 27.69 | 14.82 | 47.80 | 38.06 | 86.20 | 83.70 |
| 5 | Kentucky | 12.90 | 27.44 | 14.55 | 44.30 | 32.43 | 82.70 | 80.60 |
| 6 | New Mexico | 13.70 | 28.46 | 14.33 | 46.70 | 27.39 | 81.80 | 79.93 |
| 7 | Arkansas | 12.10 | 26.79 | 14.41 | 43.80 | 32.22 | 81.50 | 74.83 |
| 8 | Rhode Island | 11.80 | 28.05 | 12.86 | 47.40 | 34.07 | 87.20 | 73.13 |
| 9 | Oklahoma | 11.70 | 27.88 | 13.87 | 45.40 | 27.71 | 83.70 | 70.75 |
| 10 | Tennessee | 12.20 | 26.74 | 13.90 | 44.10 | 27.09 | 83.70 | 64.98 |
States with Least Isolated Seniors
The study also identified the 10 states where older adults are least isolated, with Idaho topping the list.
Idaho ranks as the least isolated state for older adults, with an Older Adult Isolation Score of just 13.58 out of 100. Utah takes the #2 spot, reporting the lowest percentage of older adults who are never married, divorced, separated, or widowed (35.9%). Delaware ranks #3, with the lowest share of older adults living below the poverty line (7.9%).
10 States with Least Isolated Seniors
| Rank | State | % of Older Adults Living Below the Poverty Level | % of Older Adults Living Alone | % of Older Adults With An Independent Living Difficulty | % of Older Adults Who are Never Married, Divorced, Separated, or Widowed | % of Older Adults Who Always, Usually, or Sometimes Feel Lonely | % of Households with Older Adults with Internet & Device Access | Older Adult Isolation Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Idaho | 9.50 | 21.39 | 10.38 | 36.30 | 24.50 | 88.80 | 13.58 |
| 2 | Utah | 8.20 | 21.48 | 10.52 | 35.90 | 29.48 | 89.80 | 17.68 |
| 3 | Delaware | 7.90 | 22.88 | 12.54 | 40.30 | 25.89 | 89.40 | 20.07 |
| 4 | Vermont | 9.60 | 26.64 | 8.61 | 39.90 | 24.70 | 86.40 | 23.47 |
| 5 | Montana | 9.50 | 26.28 | 8.87 | 38.80 | 27.25 | 84.90 | 26.18 |
| 6 | New Hampshire | 7.60 | 24.49 | 9.22 | 40.10 | 36.86 | 89.20 | 26.88 |
| 7 | Colorado | 9.20 | 25.97 | 10.12 | 40.70 | 31.26 | 90.10 | 27.53 |
| 8 | Maine | 9.40 | 25.74 | 9.28 | 41.00 | 29.49 | 87.10 | 29.93 |
| 9 | Arizona | 11.40 | 24.34 | 11.04 | 41.10 | 25.28 | 88.90 | 30.25 |
| 10 | Hawaii | 10.10 | 19.51 | 14.46 | 43.30 | 21.97 | 89.80 | 31.97 |
According to Dharam Khalsa, CEO and Co-founder of Mirador Living,
“The rankings highlight that isolation is not just about where seniors live, but about the conditions that shape their daily lives. States that combine lower poverty rates, stronger family ties, and better digital access are seeing older adults remain more connected. These examples show that isolation can be reduced when communities address both social and structural factors.”
Methodology:
This study identified the most isolated states for seniors in the U.S. by analyzing six key indicators of social and economic isolation among older adults. Data was sourced from America’s Health Rankings analysis of the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (1-Year Dataset), the Household Pulse Survey, and other Census Bureau data products.
Key Metrics Included:
- Percentage of older adults living below the poverty level
- Percentage of households with older adults with internet and device access
- Percentage of older adults living alone
- Percentage of older adults with an independent living difficulty
- Percentage of older adults who are never married, divorced, separated, or widowed
- Percentage of older adults who report always, usually, or sometimes feeling lonely
How Scores Were Calculated:
For the metric of seniors living alone, raw counts of one-person households were normalized against each state’s total population of adults aged 65 and older to calculate percentages. All six indicators were then percent-rank transformed and combined to generate a composite Older Adult Isolation Score for each state. This score provides a comparative measure of where seniors face the greatest risks of isolation, highlighting states with the most urgent need for targeted community and policy interventions.
