While putting away money toward eventual retirement can be achallenge, some states are better at it than others.

Although people often need all the help they can get fromemployers and from providers, how well they succeed at savingvaries widely across the country.

Next-generation financial advisor Personal Capital crunched thenumbers to see which states' residents did the best at saving forretirement, and which did the worst.

Here are the 10 states whose residents are the best prepared,with the highest average retirement balances in the country.

1. Delaware:Average retirement balance $286,277

Delaware plays host to lots of financial firms — in fact, thefinancial industry is one of the state's largest.

In addition, because the state bends over backward tobusinesses, the National Law Review says that more than half of allU.S. publicly traded companies and 63% of the Fortune 500 areincorporated in Delaware.

Maybe that's why the state is tops in retirement savings.

2. Connecticut:$279,367

Connecticut has long had a reputation for being the “bedroomcommunity” for lots of New York City and Boston execs, as well asbeing the home of lots of the high-net-worth crowd.

Fairfield County, in particular, boasts lots of money managementbusinesses and private equity funds, and of course a number ofmajor insurers are headquartered here — along with casinos forthose who like to play the odds in other ways.

With all that financial know-how in residence, it's notsurprising that those who have enough to save for retirement haveamassed pretty good balances.

3.New Jersey: $272,919

Just a short (but expensive) commute away from Wall Street, theGarden State is home to business executives, pharmaceuticalcompanies, and — again — casinos.

In the state where memories of Tony Soprano linger, it must besecond nature to put a little something aside for a rainy day, lestthose halcyon days at the Jersey Shore come to an end.

4. Alaska:$271,196

Eighty-five percent of the state's budget comes from oilrevenues, and 34% of its jobs come from the petroleum sector.

Since the state sets aside some of its oil revenues into theAlaska Permanent Fund, and Alaskan families are treated to annualdividends, it's perhaps a little easier to save such a windfalltoward retirement than to watch a weekly or monthly amount add upslowly.

5. NewHampshire: $264,624

Back to the east coast, where preparation for retirement seemsto have a distinct priority it lacks elsewhere in the country.

In New Hampshire, that's perhaps particularly apt, since thestate not only plays host to biotech and medical research companiesbut also to an aging population that's going to need strong healthcare services.

An understandable link between business and planning for futureretirement?

6. Iowa:$245,071

In Iowa, finance, insurance, and real estate firms provide20.54% of the state's GDP, followed by manufacturing.

Most of the jobs, however, come from sectors as diverse aseducation, health care, government, manufacturing and retail.

The mix provides enough incentive — and funds — for Iowans torank sixth in the nation in average balances saved forretirement.

7.Maryland: $244,689

As close as they are to Washington, D.C., Maryland residents nodoubt appreciate the importance of being prepared financially forwhatever might come down the pike.

Bankrate.com only rated it as 32nd best in the country as aplace to retire, so maybe those Marylanders are hoping to finance amove to some other state when the big day finally arrives.

8.North Carolina: $241,807

North Carolina is another state in which the financial industryplays a major role as a driver of the economy.

No accident, then, that state residents can count themselvesamong the 10 best prepared in the country.

9. Michigan:$241,934

Home to the Big Three automakers, Michigan thus has lots ofworkers who have retirement plans at work.

And with the resurgence in demand for vehicles, thanks to lowgas prices, that's been good news for workers who have obviouslybeen putting money away for the future.

But with 36% of the state's job growth since 2009 coming fromtemporary and contract jobs, instead of full-time/permanentemployment, that could be why the state doesn't rank even higherfor retirement savings.

10.Massachusetts: $241,142

Heavy on business but with a diverse economy, Massachusettsrelies on services for a major part of its employment and GDP.

As one might expect for the state that houses Boston, financialservices are a significant part of that economy — and, byextension, likely a significant factor in its people's preparednessfor retirement.