NW Best Places to Retire Annual ‘Round-Up’

This special edition of Northwest Prime Time features our 19th Annual Best Places to Retire issue. Read about the places in Washington State that have achieved national acclaim this past year as great places to live and to retire. Can you guess the Northwest towns and cities that made this year’s list of best places to retire?

Tri-Cities: Kiplinger, the well-known personal finance advisor publication, suggests the Tri-Cities area as their Washington State retirement destination. “The low cost of living is particularly attractive…whether you’re partial to exploring the great outdoors or focusing on wine country, you have plenty of options.” Enjoy boating and fishing on the many area rivers, hiking or biking on the 23-mile Sacagawea Trail, and exploring the more than 200 wineries within a 50-mile radius. Photo: Stepframe Interactive Media, courtesy of Visit Tri-Cities.

Three of the heavy-hitters for the best places to retire rankings—Forbes, Kiplinger and US NEWS—publish new findings every year. Each organization utilizes similar criteria when selecting their lists: cost of living including housing prices and taxes, access to quality healthcare, services and amenities targeting seniors, recreational and cultural opportunities, ease of travel, safety and economic factors, and climate. To attain their lists, organizations must analyze the amenities seniors want vs. cost of living.

Despite using the same factors when developing their lists, the places selected can vary widely. Still, places in Washington always make the grade of best places to retire in the country and this past year has been no exception.

One Washington city made Forbes’ top 25: Wenatchee. With its location at the confluence of the Wenatchee and Columbia Rivers, Forbes describes Wenatchee— the Apple Capital of the World—as having an abundance of sports and recreational activities for any season. Relatively low real estate prices, high quality medical care and abundant sunshine make Wenatchee, according to Forbes, one of the best cities in the country for successful aging.

Kiplinger took a different approach this past year. Since most retirees expect to stay in the same state or region when they retire, Kiplinger’s most recent best places rankings highlighted “one great destination in each state that offers attractive advantages for retirees.” For Washington State, they selected the Richland/ Kennewick metro area, citing, among other factors, the area’s outdoor amenities and the more than 200 wineries within a 50-mile radius.

Emily Brandon from US NEWS says that retirees can save money and improve their quality of life by relocating to a place that better suits their budget and interests. Forbes and Kiplinger both chose smaller cities for consideration, but US NEWS compared only the largest metropolitan areas in the country. While they didn’t recommend any Washington State destinations within their top 25—Portland, Oregon was the closest at #20—Seattle ranked ninth in overall best places to live. But Seattle falls to 55 on their retirement list because of cost of living. Spokane trailed close behind at 56. (Fort Myers, Florida topped their list; four places in Florida were within the top 10.)

In recent years, many other organizations have jumped on the best places to retire bandwagon. Stacker.com, which “transforms expert analysis into digestible stories,” recommends Port Townsend as Washington’s Best Place to Retire. Stacker’s Seth Berkman wrote, “Florida’s sandy beaches and Arizona’s green golf links aren’t the only ideal places to settle down after retirement. As towns and cities make themselves adaptable for aging populations, there are now more wonderful communities than ever before in every one of the 50 states to enjoy one’s golden years.” They point to not only Port Townsend’s grand views, relatively low rainfall averages and lower cost of living than Seattle, but the plentiful maritime and outdoor activities, as well as spas and shopping. Port Townsend is also known as “Washington’s Victorian Seaport and Arts Community.”

Situated on the Olympic peninsula, this picturesque seaport was designated as a national historic district. Surrounded by coastline and resting in the rain shadow, Port Townsend exudes Victorian charm. Artisans and boaters are amongst those that call it home. The Centrum Arts Foundation presents performances and workshops year-round.

Ritual.com ranked cities across the country for healthy aging and longevity. “With high life expectancies and advances in healthcare and technology, people are living active lifestyles later into their lives. A critical component of staying and feeling young is maintaining strong mental, emotional and physical health. For those who prioritize a healthy lifestyle, some cities offer better opportunities than others,” says Ritual. They looked at broad categories of data around health care and outcomes, community and general livability. Without considering cost of living, they ranked Seattle as the 9th best city for healthy aging and longevity, followed closely by Portland. San Francisco topped their list.

24/7 Wall St, an internet company specializing in financial news, ranked both Kirkland and Mercer Island as top cities to live in America. Manhattan Beach, California was their top pick. “24/7’s cities share certain attributes that are almost universally desirable, including safe streets, walkability, a strong economy, affordability, a range of entertainment options, cultural attractions, access to grocery stores and hospitals, to name a few.”

HomeSnacks.net, which “combines data from dozens of sources into ‘bite-sized’ articles to help you understand what it’s like to live in different places across America,” offers their Top 10 Places to Retire in Washington, including several destinations that don’t usually make retirement destination lists:

1. Camas
2. Vancouver
3. Anacortes
4. Washougal
5. Kenmore
6. Cheney
7. Bainbridge Island
8. Ferndale
9. Spokane
10. Des Moines

Chris Kolmar of HomeSnacks writes, “Why did Camas take the top spot? And where is Seattle? Many places in Washington get close to 40 inches of rain a year, so the biggest question is: what do 7.5 million residents including 825,000 retirees, find so appealing about this corner of the country? The state as a whole is pretty safe and there's a ton of great stuff to do. The people here are very nice and every place in the state is postcard worthy. But what's the best place to retire in Washington? That would be Camas, according to the latest FBI and Census data.”

Liberty Theater in Camas. According to Cheapism, “Camas is classic Pacific Northwest small-town cool…Camas is a scenic wonderland and a natural spot for active retirees. It sits near the Columbia River and Oregon- Washington border and sports a beautiful downtown with lots of art, good food and culture.”

If extraterrestrial visitation tops your list of importance, then Washington State is still your place. According to a report from the analysts at SatelliteInternt.net, Washington has reported the highest number of UFO sightings per capita.

Choosing a Retirement Destination

Each year, Northwest Prime Time summarizes national “Best Places to Retire” lists for notable Northwest locations that achieved national acclaim as great places to live and retire.

AARP defines a livable community as one with affordable and appropriate housing, a supportive community, and services and adequate mobility options. In short, “Best Places to Retire” are places where people can get to where they want to go, living comfortably and in good health, and be able to remain active and engaged.

Each organization that ranks “Best Places to Retire” uses its own criteria; most consider factors such as living and housing costs, how tax structures impact retirees, agreeable climate, access to quality healthcare, crime rates, scenic beauty and outdoor recreation such as walking and biking trails, a strong local economy and infrastructure that support services for seniors such as public transportation, a senior center, library and other services. Educational, volunteer and employment opportunities are important factors. Being near a college or university can boost a place’s ranking. Having dynamic downtowns with an array of dining, shopping and cultural experiences are often considered. Is the area prone to natural disasters? Does it have a safe and adequate water supply?

Organizations like AARP and the National Council on Aging advise looking at how your home is designed and if your community can support you as you age rather than prioritizing climate, cultural and recreational opportunities. AARP offers a resource: “Great Neighborhoods for All Ages,” which scores communities across the country for the services and amenities that impact older adults’ lives the most: https://livabilityindex.aarp.org.

And, says AARP, take a comprehensive look at what makes your life enjoyable and satisfying— factors that rankings can’t quantify. Cost remains one of the top considerations. Finally, despite all the raves and reviews of far-flung places, being near family and friends always ranks as the very best retirement destination for most retirees.

Wherever your retirement takes you, Northwest Prime Time wishes you a happy and healthy adventure.