9 Best Cities To Retire In Washington

Washington, the beautiful evergreen state on the US West Coast, is an amazing place for a fulfilling retirement. Bordering the Pacific Ocean and full of unique beaches, vast forests, and mountains like the Cascade Range, this state promises a peaceful life surrounded by natural treasures and exciting outdoor activities. On top of that, Washington State boasts world-class health care with a long list of top-notch medical facilities, plus the state’s climate is mild, and retirees get to enjoy zero tax on retirement benefits. In these nine cities, all of these features and more await to make post-work life absolutely fulfilling. From Vancouver to Everett, these cities sit at the top of the list of best places to retire in Washington.

Seattle

Seattle, the largest city in Washington, is, without doubt, an amazing place to retire in the state, with some of the most appealing features the country has to offer. For starters, Seattle is the proud home to the Virginia Mason Medical Center, a highly-rated hospital that provides a wide range of services from primary and specialty care to surgery, rehabilitation, and plenty more. Notably, Seattle is a bustling hub of arts, education, entertainment, and culture, and the Seattle Center sits at the center of it all. This center will make life exciting for retirees, as it is home to diverse attractions, including the Museum of Pop Culture, featuring a huge collection of exhibits covering music, video games, science, film, and more.

Additionally, the world-famous Space Needle stands tall in the Seattle Center, evoking a futuristic feel and offering breathtaking views of the city from an observation deck. In the meantime, retirees will enjoy spending time at the Discovery Park, the city’s largest public park. Located right on the shores of Puget Sound, the park is a great spot to relax and enjoy some coastal pleasures with over 10 miles of trails, forests, a lighthouse built in 1881 known as the West Point Lighthouse, and lots of marine mammals and birds. Beyond the parks, entertainment complexes, and technology appeal, Seattle’s shopping scene will delight retirees, especially as it is home to the Pike Place Market, one of the oldest continuously running markets in the US. Established in 1907, this historic market is vast and features nearly everything from vinyl records to coffee shops and restaurants serving delicious seafood.

Vancouver

The fourth most populous city in Washington, Vancouver, sits on the Columbia River, where it promises retirees a pleasant lifestyle full of natural scenery and relaxing adventures. Here, retirees will be met with the Vancouver Waterfront Park, which is excellent for relaxing walks or picnics, with beautiful views of the river. The park also hosts the unique Grant Street Pier and is surrounded by several restaurants that offer waterfront dining, including the Cove Restaurant, which serves fresh seafood, alongside local beer and wine.

Meanwhile, Vancouver is home to the Columbia River Renaissance Trail, a five-mile-long riverfront trail that winds through several parks, including the Vancouver Waterfront Park. This trail is ideal for strolling, jogging, and biking, plus its east end is on the 12-acre Wintler Community Park, one of the most charming attractions in the area, featuring a sandy beach, picnic tables, and beautiful trees that transform magically in the spring and fall. Vancouver also has a strong community spirit, best experienced in its annual events, particularly the Wine & Jazz Festival. Usually held in late August at the Esther Short Park, this event brings together thousands of people from all over the world with a long lineup of renowned jazz artists, plenty of wine, and food trucks.

Bellevue

Bellevue is more than the birthplace of Amazon and a thriving tech city. It is also an amazing place to live and retire, especially for those seeking an urban lifestyle where top-notch facilities are never too far away. Located just across Lake Washington from Seattle, this city will delight retirees with upscale attractions like Bellevue Square, which boasts over 200 retail stores offering everything from apparel to home goods, and services like massage and eye care. Retirees will also enjoy quality healthcare here, with the Kaiser Permanente Bellevue Medical Center located right in the city center. This hospital is one of the most highly rated in Washington and provides a wide range of services, including urgent and specialty care, pharmacy, diagnostic and imaging, and surgery. And thanks to the city’s location on Lake Washington, seniors will have several waterfront attractions to choose from, including Newcastle Beach Park, the city’s largest, featuring a sandy beach, a nature trail, a 300-foot dock, and picnic areas, among other fun facilities. Moreso, Bellevue hosts unique attractions like the Bellevue Botanical Garden, where thousands of plants offer a respite from the hustle and bustle.

Everett

One of the fastest-growing cities in Washington, Everett is a worthy place to retire, particularly for those who love coastal living. This city is situated on Possession Sound, a part of the Puget Sound, where it boasts gorgeous waterfront scenery and easy access to a myriad of water sports. At the Port of Everett, retirees can spend quiet evenings enjoying the views while savoring delicious seafood at Anthony’s HomePort Everett or one of the other waterfront restaurants in the area. Those who have boats will have the marina’s wide range of services to enjoy, including a fuel dock, a 13-lane boat launch, and over 2,300 boat slips, which makes it the largest on the US West Coast. Besides, just a short ferry from the Port of Everett is Jetty Island, a two-mile-long coastal treasure with quiet sandy beaches, warm waters, and the perfect conditions for kiteboarding.

Back in downtown Everett, retirees will have plenty of non-coastal attractions to enjoy, from the Angel of the Winds Arena, which hosts regular sports events and concerts, to cozy establishments like the Dutch Bros Coffee, where a wide variety of coffee and energy drinks are served. Additionally, downtown Everett hides the Back Pain Relief Center, a reputable establishment always open to offer premium Chiropractic care.

Renton

Located just 12 miles from downtown Seattle, Renton makes its case as one of Washington’s best retirement destinations with suburban appeal, natural scenery, and easy access to big city amenities. From here, retirees will be approximately 10 minutes from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and just 25 minutes from the reputable Swedish First Hill Campus in downtown Seattle, which offers surgical and trauma care, emergency, and primary care, among other services. Meanwhile, Renton is beautifully located on Lake Washington and boasts waterfront attractions, one of which is the Gene Coulon Memorial Beach Park. Retirees will love to hang out at this park, which features a boat launch, a 900-foot pier, two miles of trails, a swim beach, and sports facilities. Similarly, the Riverview Park will delight nature lovers with its waterfront scenery, complemented by lush trees, wildlife, and birds. The park offers picnic facilities, a well-maintained network of trails for biking and hiking, and opportunities to fish in the Cedar River. Notably, Renton is home to the Maplewood Golf Course, one of the highest-rated courses in Washington, and another appealing reason why the town is great for retirement. In addition to having the best public greens in the region, this course features a driving range, a pro shop, and the River Rock Grill, an incredible restaurant offering a full-service bar, patio with picturesque scenery, and truly exceptional food.

Burien

Burien is the perfect place to retire for those who want easy access to travel around the country and the world. Just outside this city is the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, the largest in the Pacific Northwest, serving over a hundred domestic and international destinations across several continents, including Oceania, Asia, Europe, and North America. On top of that, Burien is the proud home of St. Anne Hospital, one of the most highly-rated medical centers in Washington. This hospital ensures peace of mind for retirees as it offers a diverse range of services, from mental health, cardiac, and cancer care to surgery, imaging, and more. When it comes to recreation, Burien’s Seahurst Park will keep seniors entertained with a unique beach on Puget Sound and trails that wind through lush forests and wetlands. The park is also a haven for wildlife watching as it regularly hosts birds such as eagles and herons, alongside marine mammals like otters and seals. Additionally, Burien boasts a pedestrian-friendly downtown, full of charming local establishments, including the Tin Room Bar and Restaurant, a gem serving up delicious American food and cocktails in a vibrant atmosphere. And year-round, there’s always an exciting event to enjoy in this city, one of which is the Arts-A-Glow held in early September and featuring lantern art, food vendors, performances, and more in the downtown area.

Kirkland

Kirkland is a beautiful city on Lake Washington, and one of the most desirable places to live and retire in the country. Beyond being a few miles from Seattle, which is a huge convenience, this city’s crime rate is considerably low, and recreational opportunities are abundant. Retiring here means sunny days at one of multiple waterfront attractions, like the Marina Park, which hosts a sandy beach, summer concerts, and a boat launch offering access to the lake for paddling and boating adventures. Elsewhere, the Cross Kirkland Corridor Trail ensures one can stay active while hiking and biking through green areas for nearly six miles. When the weather makes the outdoors uncomfortable, Kirkland’s indoor attractions will fill the gap, including the cozy Kirkland Performance Center, which boasts nearly 400 seats with ample leg space, a great sound system, and quality acts. Meanwhile, those particularly keen about food will be pleased with the city’s impressive collection of restaurants, from the Cafe Juanita, which serves Italian food, to the RockCreek Seafood and Spirits, where a diverse seafood menu meets incredible spirits.

Spokane

One of the biggest appeals of Spokane is its affordability. With a housing market priced at approximately $386,400 according to Zillow, it is one of Washington’s most affordable large cities to retire. Plus, it is loaded with facilities and attractions that promise to make life pleasant for retirees. For one, Spokane is home to Manito Park, one of the most beautiful places in Washington, defined by enchanting flower beds, manicured lawns, ponds, shrubs, and lots of ponderosa pine trees. Retirees will absolutely love to stroll through this park and its picturesque gardens, or picnic with the views. Just a short distance north of this park is Spokane Falls, another cool attraction, where the powerful sounds and beautiful sights of the cascading Spokane River combine to create a true spectacle, and the largest urban waterfall in the US. This waterfall is in the Riverfront Park, which hosts other fun attractions, including the 155-foot-tall Great Northern Railway Clock tower, built in 1902, and the Gesa Credit Union Pavilion, a unique amphitheatre that hosts some of the city’s biggest events and mesmerizing light shows every weekend. In the meantime, laughter, they say, is the best medicine, and this city is home to the Spokane Comedy Club, where retirees can spend select evenings laughing to the jokes of national and rising comedy stars.

Sammamish

One of the beautiful cities in the Seattle metropolitan area, Sammamish sits at the top of the list of the best places to retire in the Evergreen State. Notably, it boasts some of the lowest crime rates in the country and is often ranked as the safest city in Washington. This complements the city’s long list of draws, which includes a charming downtown lined with hospitable establishments like the Sammamish Cafe & Spirits, where classic American comfort food is served all day. Moreover, Sammamish is awash with waterfront attractions, which include Pine Lake Park, a 19-acre park with a swimming beach, fishing dock, sports facilities, and trails winding through lush woodlands. A few miles south of this park, the Lake Sammamish State Park offers even more recreational opportunities, including boating and waterskiing, plus the park boasts two swimming beaches and trails for hiking and biking. Away from the waterfront parks, Sammamish is home to some of the region’s prestigious golf courses, like the Sahalee Country Club, a 27-hole private course defined by picturesque greens and towering trees. In the city center,

Beyond its technological reputation and tech giants like Microsoft and Amazon, Washington is an excellent state to retire, and these cities are strong reasons why that is the case. In addition to their prime locations on or close to the state’s premier natural treasures, these cities are equipped with necessary facilities and distinct attractions that make daily life pleasant. Moreover, these cities in Washington are always in proximity to the state’s numerous highly-rated facilities, ensuring peace of mind for retirees. With that said, choose from these best cities to retire in Washington today and enjoy a fulfilling post-work life on the West Coast.