Best Places to Retire in Washington

Once upon a time, because of low cost of living, beautiful scenery and unlimited recreational opportunities, a mild climate, great access to healthcare and outstanding services for seniors, Washington state was the darling of national "Best Places to Retire" surveys like US News, Kiplinger and Forbes -- with various towns and cities sometimes dominating the Top 10 lists.

Now, with sky high real estate prices and other factors... not so much. In fact, US News didn't have one Washington city in their top 100 Best Places to Retire list. Oregon scored three towns in the top 100: Portland at #77, Salem #91 and Eugene #93. Washington finally shows up with Spokane at #112 and Seattle at #126. (You can read the full list at https://realestate.usnews.com/places/rankings/best-places-to-retire.)

Most organizations that rank Best Places to Retire advise keeping the following in mind when contemplating a move in retirement:

⦁    Access to quality healthcare

⦁    Cost of living—especially but not limited to housing costs

⦁    Climate

⦁    Taxes (keep 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 serve seniors

⦁    Low crime rates

⦁    Access to lifestyle factors such as outdoor recreation and cultural opportunities

⦁    Air and water quality

⦁    Walkable downtowns with dining options can be a crucial quality. 

⦁    A more recent consideration is access to strong broadband internet connectivity, increasingly essential for everything from telehealth to connecting with grandchildren. 

The bottom line is that to attain their lists, organizations analyze the amenities seniors want vs. cost of living.

Washington is not totally out of the top Best Places lists: Forbes called Spokane one of the Top 5 Places to Retire in America in their 2024 survey. The fact that Spokane's housing prices are still comparatively reasonable is one reason it earned a spot in Forbes' top 5, which describes Spokane as a scenic river city with a strong economy and good ratio of physicians per capita. Spokane also has good air quality, offers wonderful recreational opportunities and it ranks low on the national hazard risk (think coastal flooding, earthquake, tornado, etc.). While the median home price is not low, it is well below the Puget Sound region average. Forbes said Spokane's pros are: Median home price of $386,000, 3% below national median. Good ratio of primary care physicians per capita. Very bikeable, pretty walkable. No state income tax (although there’s a 7% “excise tax” on investment gains above $250,000). Cons: Crime rate above the national average. 

Photo courtesy of VisitSpokane.com 

Kobocents ran a piece entitled 15 Best Cities to Retire -- Even if You Don't Have Much Money. Spokane is once again featured: "Spokane has slowly become a hot spot for recent retirees. The town is in the eastern state, between the Cascade Mountains and The Rocky Mountains. The area has over 70 lakes and rivers for individuals to enjoy a day fishing, swimming, hiking, and boating. There are also 33 golf courses, over 20 wineries, and many breweries where you can enjoy a lazy afternoon." The same article noted the cost of assisted living in Spokane: "Single occupancy in an assisted-living facility is typically about $48,000 per year, compared to the state’s average of $55,000." Spokane was also mentioned in a different survey as the best city in Washington for "Healthy Budget Dining." 

And Camas, which is located just east of Vancouver on the Columbia River, has been named by Money magazine as one of the 50 cities in the country to live. According to Money, they sought out cities that offered affordability, a strong job market, good schools and "a palpable spirit." Camas' downtown preservation efforts and job growth contributed to the city's selection on Money's list. 

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.” 

 

 

Despite having Spokane rank in Forbes' top 5, cost is the reason that Washington cities and towns have slipped off of many "Best Places" lists.

• A 2024 Cost of Bills Index Report showed that the Cost of Bills in Seattle (which includes mortgage/rent plus the other most fundamental expenses that comprise the cost of living in a given area) is 43% higher than the national average.  
• Data from a study conducted by the real estate industry (agentadvice.com) shows that Washington homebuyers are paying more than $420 per square foot for a new home or $665,925 as the median listing price, which placed Washington as 6th highest housing cost per square foot. (Hawaii had the most expensive housing at $825,000 median listing price; West Virginia showed the lowest cost of housing at $249,900.) 
• A study by Cinch Home Services showed that Washington residents pay approximately $48,881 per year in housing expenses -- the fourth most expensive in the nation. The Cinch study analyzed average property taxes, mortgage payments, and maintenance fees for a median-priced home in each state.
• A recent survey by CNBC called Washington the 3rd worst state to retire (Alaska came out as the top worst state, with New York at #2). 

But you really have to take these surveys with a grain of salt. Another survey by SmartAsset.com, which asked, "Where can I potentially pay the least in retirement taxes?" listed Alaska on top and Washington in the top 10. 

A site called FinanceBuzz reported that while the Pacific Northwest isn't going to 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. Sequim's population over age 65 is about 37.3%, so retirees will feel in good company. 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 Warden 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, is one of FinanceBuzz's top picks. 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, according to the report. 

Speaking of suburbs, point2homes, a real estate search and research portal, analyzed the qualities of suburban destinations closest to expensive cities like Seattle. They looked at suburbs that are 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. Boulevard Park (a non-incorporated area south of the Seattle city limits) takes the lead as the most affordable suburb, with the price per square foot 61% lower than in the city. Federal Way, Lakeland North and Auburn follow with median prices 48% lower than in the city. Two suburbs near Seattle go against the trend: Medina and Clyde Hill display costs per square foot of living space that exceed those in the city by 92%, and even by a stunning 110%.

Quick Notes: Looking at census data for age 65+ populations in various cities, cost of living index and other factors, GoBankingRates.com called Centralia the best city in Washington to retire (the report said Seattle was the worst city to retire in the state). MarketBeat.com surveyed retirees across the country to ask them what their ideal retirement destination would be. Several locations in Washington popped up, including Leavenworth, Langley on Whidbey Island, Medina and Clyde Hill. (Wailea on Maui came out top of the list.) Stacker, using data from Niche, tells us that Woodway, "The Quiet Place" in southwest Snohomish County ranked 29th in their top 50 for Best Place to Retire on the West Coast. Port Townsend, Clyde Hill, and Ocean Shores also made the list (#36, #44, #45). Niche offered a survey looking at the best county to retire in every state. If price is no object, they recommend San Juan County even though the cost of living is 35.2% above the national average and you don't have easy access to large medical centers. The recommendation is based on “Location, location, location,” as the adage goes. The report states the San Juan County is a spot where you can enjoy life with as few concerns as possible while at the same time enjoying your favorite activities. 

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 in 2023. A cooling housing market that year 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.

I found a new study from Retireable.com very interesting because it ranked the best cities to retire in Washington (rather than comparing Washington on a national level). Since most retirees who currently live in Washington are planning to stay in Washington, this list is probably the most helpful to Washington seniors. With this in mind, here is Retireable's list, which looked at tax burden, ratio of doctors, recreation centers, retirement centers, percentage of seniors, and how a place ranked on their overall "Best Places to Retire" index. Here is their current list for Washington state places: 

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 for each city on their list, check out this link: https://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. 

AARP offers a resource: “Great Neighborhoods for All Ages” (https://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?). Northwest Prime Time will run an article later this month on advice from the Office of the Washington State Climatologist on heat and air quality in the state, including helpful hints on how to make an inexpensive and simple air purifier and how to stay cool during heat waves if you don't have air conditioning. 

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. 

Vintage postcard, "Sunset on the Columbia River"