Every year since 2002, Northwest Prime Time has reported on Best Places to Retire in Washington State.
Once upon a time, thanks to a comparatively low cost of living — including the advantage of no state income tax — plus beautiful scenery, abundant recreational opportunities, a mild climate, excellent healthcare, and strong services for seniors, Washington state was the darling of national “Best Places to Retire” surveys like Forbes, US News, and Kiplinger. Back in the day, it wasn’t unusual for multiple Washington towns and cities to dominate the Top 10 national lists.
Today, with skyrocketing real estate prices and other factors, the picture has changed.
Washington no longer sweeps the rankings—but one Washington community in particular continues to earn national recognition.
Most organizations that publish “Best Places to Retire” lists advise keeping the following factors in mind when contemplating a move in retirement:
⦁ Access to quality healthcare
⦁ Cost of living—especially but not limited to housing costs
⦁ Climate
⦁ Taxes (keeping in mind the full tax burden including state income tax, estate tax, real estate and property taxes, utility costs, sales tax and gasoline tax)
⦁ Access to services that seniors rely on such as senior centers, aging services, libraries, and public transportation
⦁ Low crime rates
⦁ Lifestyle factors such as outdoor recreation and cultural opportunities
⦁ Air and water quality
⦁ Walkable downtowns with dining options and shopping options
⦁ Increasingly important, access to high-speed broadband internet connectivity—now essential for everything from telehealth visits to keeping up with grandchildren online.
The bottom line: these lists analyze the amenities seniors value most against the cost of living.
This year, while Washington may no longer be the runaway favorite of “Best Places” rankings, the state still makes a respectable showing—thanks largely to one standout community that continues to shine on national lists.
Forbes’ 2025 list of the top 25 Best Places to Retire include both Spokane and Pasco as top places to retire.
Spokane is noted as a scenic river city of 230,000, 230 miles east of Seattle. Forbes’ describes Spokane’s PROS as having a median home price of $390,000 (3% below national median, although overall cost of living is noted as 3% above the national average). Spokane offers a good ratio of primary care physicians per capita, and is very bikeable, “pretty walkable” and, like all Washington state places, there is no income tax. CONS: Cold winters. Serious crime is above the national average. Like all places in Washington, Spokane has an estate tax (although only for estates that hit $3 million or more), and an excise tax on some gains.
Pasco is a sunny city of 82,000 on the Columbia River. 225 miles east of Seattle, Pasco is part of the Tri-Cities in southeastern Washington. PROS: Median home price of $406,000 is slightly above the national average (but far less than popular locations in western Washington). Pasco offers good access to primary care physicians, good air quality and a comfortable climate — cold in winter but usually not much below the low 30s. Summer can see temperatures in the mid-90s. Crime is considered low; Pasco also has a relatively low FEMA natural hazard risk. Like all Washington places, there is no state income tax. CONS: Same as Spokane when it comes to estate and excise taxes. Another con: Forbes said Pasco is not very walkable or bikeable.
US News & World Report’s 2025 list
In this list, Washington had one city in the top 25, with two in the top 100. Seattle ranked #22 in US News’ Best Places to Retire, although only #425th in Best Places to Live. (Naples, Florida was the top Best Place to Retire). Seattle ranked high despite the fact that the average housing cost in Seattle is $923,623 as compared to the national average of $370,489. This report describes what it is like to live in Seattle but didn’t note the specific reasons it came in 22nd. Spokane ranked 59th in the nation, and was the only other place in Washington to make it in the top 100.
Kiplinger’s list of Best States to Retire did not include Washington in their top 10 or even in their top 20. In fact, Washington ranked 47 out of 50 and is in Kiplinger’s 10 worst states to retire. Washington ranked 48th out of 50 in affordability, 23rd in quality of life, and 24th in health care. Hawaii wasn’t much better at 41st, with Kentucky coming in last. Florida, same as last year, came in tops on the Kiplinger list.
Despite Washington’s poor ranking with Kiplinger, AARP reported that Washington was in the top five states where retirees were moving to–with Florida topping that list, and South Carolina, New Jersey and Texas rounding out the top five. (Read the report at: AARP – States Popular with Retirees)
Travel & Leisure ran an article listing two Washington places in their 50 Best Cities to Retire in the U.S. in 2025. Pomeroy in Garfield County (the smallest of the destinations, with a median housing value of $214,200) and Omak, made the list. Omak, the largest town in Okanogan has a median home value is $282,200, excellent access to health care, plentiful outdoor activities and a lively calendar of cultural events.
Retireable listed 35 best places to retire in the U.S. and grouped them in the categories of: affordability, coastal retreats, nature enthusiasts, warm weather destinations, urban centers, and rural towns off the beaten path. Spokane was Washington’s only place on the list (in the nature enthusiast group). The article mentioned Spokane’s relative affordability and it’s longtime motto of “Near Nature, Near Perfect.”
Retirable also compiled a list of the 10 best cities to retire in Washington, focusing specifically on in-state options rather than comparing Washington on a national level. Since most retirees already living in Washington plan to stay here, this list may be most useful for Washington seniors. Retirable based its rankings on factors such as tax burden, availability of doctors, recreation and retirement centers, percentage of seniors, and overall placement on their “Best Places to Retire” index. Here are their current top picks for retirement destinations in Washington:
1. Gig Harbor
2. Snohomish
3. Spokane
4. Yakima
5. Olympia
6. Port Orchard
7. Wenatchee
8. Longview
9. Port Townsend
10. Sequim
To read Retireable’s full article, which includes plenty of detail, check out this link: retirable.com/advice/lifestyle/10-best-cities-to-retire-in-washington.
A helpful resource to compare cost of living in different Washington state cities and towns is a survey called the Cost of living in Washington State (via doxo.com). Click on the link and you can look up the cost of living in various cities.
FinanceBuzz reported that while the Pacific Northwest won’t offer bargains in terms of retirement towns, there are affordable places to be found. Their big tip for finding friendlier prices was to head to the smaller towns off the beaten track but with some proximity to larger cities. They suggest Sequim on the Olympic peninsula with its famous “rain shadow” (less rain), also known as the lavender capital of North America. The same survey listed the Port Townsend area with its endless opportunities for water views at a lower cost than what you would pay for a similar property in Seattle. (Port Townsend is known for being a quaint small city with Victorian architecture, stunning scenery, plus, with Fort Worden State Park and its nearly continuous music and arts festivals, there is no shortage of things to do.) Wenatchee – the Apple Capital of the World — has more than 20 parks, a vibrant cultural scene, and noticeably lower costs than west of the mountains. For those wanting to stay closer to Seattle, they suggest taking a look at Issaquah. While the cost of living in Issaquah is higher than the national average, it is lower than closer-in suburbs with similar lifestyle choices, according to the report.
Point2homes had the same idea. Last year, they analyzed the qualities of suburban destinations closest to expensive cities like Seattle, looking at suburbs within a 30-mile driving distance from the city center — and the percentage of differences between the price per square foot compared to the suburbs. Last year’s report showed that Boulevard Park (a non-incorporated area south of the Seattle city limits) took the lead as the most affordable close-in suburb, with Federal Way, Lakeland North and Auburn following. Looking at census data for age 65+ populations in various cities, cost of living index and other factors, last year, GoBankingRates.com called Centralia the best city in Washington to retire.
Many seniors who move in retirement do so to take advantage of the equity in their homes and look for destinations with a more favorable cost of living, especially housing prices. Earlier this year, AARP found that Washington was in the top five states that drew the largest percentage of interstate moves by retirees. A cooling housing market was one likely factor, says Miranda Marquit, a consumer advocate and spokesperson for Hire A Helper, which created the report. Retirement was the fastest-growing reason people gave for moving. SmartAsset had a similar report and ranked the cities where retirees are moving. Vancouver, Washington came in at #14, and is one of the cities, according to SmartAsset, that have proven themselves to be most attractive to retirees in the country.
AARP offers a resource: “Great Neighborhoods for All Ages” (livabilityindex.aarp.org/), which scores communities across the country for the services and amenities that impact older adults’ lives the most. Check out your community to see where it lands. AARP advises that you take a comprehensive look at what makes your life enjoyable and satisfying— factors that rankings can’t quantify.
The Office of the Washington State Climatologist offers more factors to keep in mind when selecting your personal best place to retire: wildfire risk, heat wave risk, and air quality. A report by the climate office found that people of all ages in communities affected by poor air quality lived an average 2.4 years less than people in the rest of Washington due to health conditions linked to air pollution. It’s no surprise that towns closest to the ocean have the best air quality in the state – (check out this article about affordable beach towns in Washington: Want to Live by the Ocean?).
Keeping all these factors in mind may seem daunting. And despite all the raves and reviews of far-flung places, being near family and friends always scores as the very best retirement destination for most retirees.
Wherever your retirement takes you, as always, Northwest Prime Time wishes you a happy and healthy adventure.
