Choose the Northwest for Your Retirement Haven

To find your ideal retirement location, you're going to have to do some research, says John Howells. He, along with noted travel author, Richard Harris, wrote the book on where to retire in the Northwest. Their revised guide, Choose the Pacific Northwest for Retirement, offers advice and recommendations, but they say that you should do your own ranking instead of relying on others' recommendations.

"It's best to start your retirement analysis early," says Howells. "A great way to do this is by combining research with your yearly vacation. Instead of visiting the same old place each year, try different [areas].

"Even if you are already retired, you need to do some traveling if you plan on moving somewhere else. Try to spend a few nights in each locality if at all possible. Rent a motel with kitchen facilities and see what it's like shopping, and imagine yourselves living there."

Check out real estate prices, says Howells. "Look into apartment and house rentals. You'll probably want to rent for a few months before making any final decisions. Does the community provide the kinds of cultural events you will enjoy? A cultural event could be anything from light opera to hoisting a glass of beer at the corner tavern. The question is, will you be happy you moved there? Just looking closely, as if you truly intended to move there, will tell you a lot."

Don't forget to drop in on the local senior center. "A dynamic and full-service senior center could make a world of difference in your everyday life," says Howells. Younger retirees take note – even if you're not now interested in senior centers, it is worthwhile to get acquainted for future reference.

"When investigating a town, one of your first stops should be at the local chamber of commerce office," adds Howells. "Most chamber offices love to see retirees move into their towns; they recognize the advantages of retirement money coming into the economy and the valuable contributions retirees can make to the community. These offices will do just about anything to help you get settled and to convince you that living in their town is next to paradise."

The Best Place to Retire

According to an online poll by Money Magazine, the top retirement destination is staying home. The second most popular option is relocating to be near adult children and grandchildren.

While most people plan to stay near their family and friends in the place they established deep roots, 50% of baby boomers will buy a different home in retirement than their current one, according to a Del Webb survey.

Pacific Northwest retirees have the best of both worlds; they can stay right here and still live in top-rated retirement destinations. With its mild climate, spectacular natural beauty, abundance of services and things to do, the Northwest consistently makes the grade and is listed amongst the nation's best places to retire.

What is the best place? Harris says, "When visiting a community, our research isn't limited to statistics and superficial descriptions of the town. We try to capture the flavor of what it might be like to become a member of the community." The bottom line is, he advises, there is no "best" place to retire that suits everyone. Selecting your ideal retirement home is a highly individual decision and depends on personal lifestyle, future aspirations and, most important, by what you consider to be an ideal quality of life.

That said, here are a few of the authors' favorite Northwest retirement destinations.

Harris, who was raised in Seattle says: "My top recommendation for retirement in Washington, not surprisingly, is Sequim on the Olympic Peninsula." East of the Cascades, consider Goldendale, he says. "Goldendale remains the retirement haven of choice for those seeking lots of peace and quiet.

"Of course, my 84-year-old parents live in suburban Seattle (Lynnwood) and say they wouldn't live anywhere else. The main reason is that the metro Seattle area has some of the best health care facilities in the country."

Another great retirement spot, often overlooked, say the authors, is the Skagit Valley and Whidbey Island. These rural destinations offer many amenities, are within easy driving distance of Seattle, close to a variety of recreation areas, and have active arts communities. Tulips, too.

The biggest change they've seen since the previous edition of Choose the Northwest for Retirement is that some communities they used to recommend because of their affordability have experienced rapid growth and rapidly rising housing costs. "If cost of living were the controlling factor, the best bet today would probably be Aberdeen." And, of course, the economy, in addition to playing havoc with your retirement accounts, has also thrown a wrench in retirement-destination ratings. Still, Washington has weathered the changing housing market better than most states.

Read on in this special section for our annual round-up of "Best Places." And wherever your retirement takes you, we wish you health and happiness.

2009 Northwest Best Places to Retire Annual ‘Round-Up'

According to a poll by Where to Retire magazine, 92 percent of respondents plan to retire to small-town America or in outer suburban areas. A report by Bizjournals.com echoed these findings – although 83.5 percent of all Americans live in metropolitan areas, they say, large numbers of big-city residents reported a preference for small town lifestyles.

Indeed, our annual round-up of "Best Places to Retire" surveys found that Washington's smaller towns seemed to rise above the cities on this year's lists.

What was Sunset magazine's take on the West's best small towns? In their March '09 issue, Walla Walla was named a "food & wine haven." Walla Walla, famed for sweet onions, is now also known as producing some of the best wine in the country. Chefs and the arts have followed the grapes, says Sunset, but gentrification hasn't subdued Walla Walla's small-town charms.

Sunset's take on the attractions of small-town life? You commute less, know your neighbors more, and have ample opportunity to follow your passions. Considerations in their choices included towns that offered a sense of community, breathtaking settings, and a little something extra they call heart. Woodinville received honorable mention. Eastsound on Orcas Island topped Sunset's list for "dream towns" in their Aug '08 issue. Sunset described picturesque Eastsound as a Cape Cod village at the end of a Norwegian fjord. Small-town doesn't always mean small bucks, though. They report that living in the San Juan Islands will take a bigger bite out of your pocket-book.

On the other hand, Mill Creek came in second on Business Week's list of "America's Top Most Affordable Suburbs."

While Seattle and other Puget Sound cities are still held in high regard as great places to live – no small town can beat the medical care, services, transportation, cultural opportunities, and on-going activities of larger cities – Spokane was one of the few larger cities listed in this year's search of "Best Place" surveys. U.S. News and World Report (10 Great Low-Tax Places to Retire, Nov 25, 2008) recognized Spokane in their top-ten for its business-friendly tax structure. They also mention Spokane's amenities, pleasant setting along the Spokane River, and easy access to spectacular outdoor beauty. Relocate America In another poll, the magazine reported Issaquah as being one of the healthiest places to live in the country.

Overall, the most noted places in this year's polls were Olympia and Whidbey Island.

Kiplinger called Olympia a Northwest jewel and rated it high on their "best cities" list. At number 6, Olympia was the only place in Washington or Oregon to make Kiplinger's latest survey.

Olympia's thriving arts scene, waterfront location, and excellent services and amenities tipped the scales in its favor. Another bump-up in the rankings was given to our state's capitol because the economy hasn't hit Olympia as hard as other places. Employment is helped by its several colleges and state government.

Where to Retire magazine called Olympia an undiscovered haven (Jan/Feb '09). They describe Olympia as "clean, green and fresh." Outdoor recreation is a prime attraction, with easy access to ocean beaches and nearby Crystal Mountain. At the southern tip of Puget Sound, Olympia boasts an amazing array of waterfront property, including the myriad lakes that dot the region. A highly walkable city, Olympia is also home to boating, kayaking, and biking. A vibrant cultural arts scene keeps the city humming, and the much beloved Farmer's Market (one of the nation's largest) near the downtown waterfront boardwalk gives the city heart.

The Olympia area also took top honors for the second year in a row as the most secure place to live, according to the results of a Farmers Insurance 2008 survey. The survey looked at health, prosperity, safety and security (including risk of extreme weather, natural or other disasters).

Where to Retire named several other places in Washington this year. Their current issue (July/August '09) features Whidbey Island, the San Juan Islands, and Sequim (a perennial "best place to retire", was also noted this year by Money Magazine).

If you're a bicycle enthusiast, consider Puyallup, says Where to Retire (Sept/Oct ‘08) The Foothills Trail's 28-mile corridor from Puyallup to Buckley can also hook up with the popular Puyallup River Walk. This trail is also likely to yield incredible wildlife viewing from beavers to elk and great bird-watching, too. Downtown Puyallup is known for antiques, an outdoor art gallery, and don't forget the Puyallup Fair and Daffodil Festival.

What small towns did BizJournals.com recommend? Torrington, Connecticut ranked #1, while Oak Harbor (on Whidbey Island) turned up in the top 10 at #8 (the only Washington state town in their top 20). The report cited Oak Harbor's location in Washington's "sunbelt" as one of several factors for its selection.

Bizjournals looked for well-rounded communities, moderate cost-of-living, impressive housing stocks, strong educational systems, and easy access to big-city attractions. Oak Harbor has a laid-back island lifestyle while still offering easy access over the Deception Pass Bridge. Jill Johnson, executive director of the Greater Oak Harbor Chamber of Commerce says, "Cost of housing and the beauty of the area [is] the main attraction, followed by free public transportation, a low tax rate, quality on-island medical services and an active senior center." Safety and security are other reasons retirees say they like Oak Harbor.

In addition to Oak Harbor, BizJournals' top 140 included: Port Angeles #37; Centralia #80; Moses Lake #120; Aberdeen #125.

The economy seems to have impacted many "Best Places to Retire" lists. Washington's cities and are towns typically well-represented. But AARP The Magazine's annual survey lacked any northwest places, as did Forbes' 2009 "Best Places to Grow Old." Also notable, Bellingham, Anacortes, Poulsbo and Port Angeles – often ranked high in the past – were absent from our research lists this year.

The economy also affected Washington's neighbor to the south. Last year Portland, Oregon seemed to be the "sweetheart" of just about every survey. And while this year Where to Retire called Portland a "dream town" (March/April '09), it was absent from most lists. In fact Business Week called Portland one of our country's "unhappiest" cities, due to employment and housing factors. Other Oregon towns fared better this year: BestBoomerTowns.com named Bend and Ashland as "places to thrive in 2009."

Other notes:

The current issue of Where to Retire magazine (July/Aug '09) featured "America's 100 Best Master-Planned Communities." Port Ludlow and Trilogy at Redmond Ridge, both known for offering "resort lifestyles," were Washington's only planned communities listed.

Seattle Magazine called Queen Anne and Kirkland "Overall Best Neighborhoods." They named the Delridge/Highland Park, Beacon Hill, Mountlake Terrace, and Shoreline as having the best values. And the "Best Up and Coming Neighborhoods" – Lake City, Burien, and Bremerton/Manette.

Check out Seattle Metropolitan Magazine's "107 Neighborhoods by the Numbers." This interactive tool allows you to look at Seattle neighborhoods and compare by factors such as median home price, price changes since 2007, population density per square mile, condos sold, and more. Visit www.seattlemet.com and search 107 Neighborhoods by the Numbers.

This article is from Northwest Prime Time’s 2009 “Best Places to Retire” issue (July/August 2009).