South Carolina scored top honors for the second-straight year in an annual ranking the best states for military retirees, while the Pacific Northwest again found itself at the bottom of the list.

The WalletHub survey, released May 19, compiles financial, health care, and other quality-of-life data from multiple sources, including MOAA, to rank states in 28 “relevant metrics.” These span from state taxes on military retirement pay to cost of living to veterans’ employment rates to the availability and quality of VA care.

South Carolina’s top overall ranking repeated last year’s performance. Maryland moved up two spots from fourth to second thanks to a first-place ranking in quality-of-life factors. New Hampshire, North Dakota, and Virginia rounded out the overall top five.

[RELATED: MOAA’s Retirement Resources]

Oregon took 51st overall in the rankings (which include the District of Columbia) for the third year in a row, with Washington state placing 50th. Oregon also finished last in the survey’s quality-of-life ranking, while Washington was 48th on that list and 50th in health care metrics.

Some other data points from the annual release:

• Massachusetts finished eighth overall, with a wide swing from first in health care to 50th in quality of life. The state also ranked ninth in economic environment factors, making it one of three states with two top-10 finishes: South Carolina ranked second in economics and third in quality of life, while Alaska ranked sixth in quality of life and seventh in economics.
  
  
• Alabama ranked 12th overall on the strength of a first-place finish in economics.
  
  
• Despite a top-10 finish in quality-of-life metrics, California ranked dead last in economics, just behind New York and New Jersey.
  
  
• Mississippi ranked last in health care considerations.

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Find the full rankings, and learn more about the survey methodology, at this link.