Where to Retire in Washington State

So Washington State is a tax friendly state for retirees but only average on taxes over all. The reason for this is that retirees are most effected by income tax. Having the fixed pension and social security benefits 100% free of state level taxation is a huge plus for the retired. Washington however has other expenses that are average or above average.

The largest and most glaring expense is housing costs. West of the Cascades retirees will find real estate to be very expensive. East of the Cascades however pricing tends to fall at or just above the national median.

East of the Cascades will provide dry weather with 250 or more sunny days a year. This dry weather carries the cost of much colder wintertime temperatures. Not North Dakota cold but sometimes extreme cold sets in on the Eastside in places like Ellensburg, Spokane, and Wenatchee. The Tri-Cities area is the most mild of the bunch east of the Cascades.

The western side of the Cascade range is the iconic Washington State. Lush and green with a steady flow of rain over the course of 5-9 months of the year. But the western half is flanked by the moderate Pacific Ocean climate that keeps snowfall to a minimum in the winter and summertime heat at bay in the summer.

It is truly hard to beat Washington State for scenic beauty.

In Southwest Washington State retirees have the advantage of being adjacent to Oregon. Unlike Washington which has no income tax, Oregon has perhaps the most aggressive income tax in America. But Oregon has no sales tax. Living in Southwest Washington makes playing in Oregon close and easy and grants the retiree the best of both.

Here is my general data for selected cities in Washington State. Included is a rounded population figure, relative location to Seattle, Average temps for winter and summer as well as other climate data  from the Western Climate Data Center. Median home price. The political climate measured as, left, split, right, etc.

Bellevue

• Population : 135,000
• Greater Metro : 3.7 million (Seattle-Tacoma Metro)
• Locale : Lake Washington, Coastal, Forest, and Windward Cascade Mountains
• Elevation : Sea Level - 800 feet
• 10 miles east of Seattle via I-90
• Nearest major city : Seattle, 10 miles west via I-90
• Average January low / high temp : 36 / 45
• Average July low /high temp : 50 /78
• Average annual rainfall inches : 35.6
• Average annual snowfall inches : 8.9
• Median home price : $751,300
• Median household income : $92,942
• Political climate : left
• 2016 Presidential candidate that carried county : Clinton 72.1% (King County)

Bellingham

• Population : 80,000
• Greater Metro : 212,000 (Whatcom County)
• Locale : Puget Sound, Coastal, Forest, and Windward Cascade Mountains
• Elevation : Sea Level - 800 feet
• 89 miles north of Seattle via I-5
• Nearest major city : Vancouver, BC, 54 miles north via I-5
• Average January low / high temp : 30 / 44
• Average July low /high temp : 50 /68
• Average annual rainfall inches : 36.5
• Average annual snowfall inches : 8.9
• Median home price : $348,700
• Median household income : $39,301
• Political climate : left
• 2016 Presidential candidate that carried county : Clinton 54.9% (Whatcom County)

Ellensburg

• Population : 19,000
• Greater Metro : 42,000 (Kittitis County)
• Locale : Leeward Cascade Mountains, Dry Valley, Agriculture
• Elevation : 1,500 feet
• 107 miles east of Seattle via I-90
• Nearest major city : Seattle, 107 miles west via I-90
• Average January low / high temp : 19 / 34
• Average July low /high temp : 54 /84
• Average annual rainfall inches : 8.9
• Average annual snowfall inches : 22.4
• Median home price : $217,900
• Median household income : $26,978
• Political climate : split - lean right
• 2016 Presidential candidate that carried county : Trump 53.7% (Kittitis County)

Everett

• Population : 108,000
• Greater Metro : 3.7 million (Seattle-Tacoma Metro)
• Locale : Puget Sound, Urban Coastal, Leeward Olympic and Windward Cascade Mountains
• Elevation : Sea Level - 600 feet
• 28 miles north of Seattle via I-5
• Nearest major city : Seattle, 28 miles south via I-5
• Average January low / high temp : 33 / 45
• Average July low /high temp : 53 /73
• Average annual rainfall inches : 35.7
• Average annual snowfall inches : 7.3
• Median home price : $303,500
• Median household income : $50,874
• Political climate : left
• 2016 Presidential candidate that carried county : Clinton 54.3% (Snohomish County)

Friday Harbor

• Population : 2,160
• Greater Metro : 16,200 (San Juan County)
• Locale : Puget Sound, Islands, Touristy
• Elevation : Sea Level - 200 feet
• 103 miles northwest of Seattle via I-5 and WS Ferry
• Nearest major city : Seattle, 103 miles southeast via I-5 and WS Ferry
• Average January low / high temp : 36 / 46
• Average July low /high temp : 49 /71
• Average annual rainfall inches : 24.97
• Average annual snowfall inches : 4.5
• Median home price : $439,300
• Median household income : $41,242
• Political climate : left
• 2016 Presidential candidate that carried county : Clinton 66.6% (San Juan County)

Long Beach

• Population : 1,350
• Greater Metro : 58,000 (Clatsop County OR / Pacific County WA)
• Locale : Pacific Ocean Beach, Coastal Mountains, Forest
• Elevation : Sea Level
• 171 miles southwest of Seattle via US 101 and I-5
• Nearest major city : Portland, OR, 112 miles southeast via US 101 and US 26
• Average January low / high temp : 36 / 49
• Average July low /high temp : 52 /66
• Average annual rainfall inches : 79.6
• Average annual snowfall inches : 1.1
• Median home price : $224,100
• Median household income : $27,916
• Political climate : split - swing
• 2016 Presidential candidate that carried county : Trump 50% (Pacific County)

Olympia

• Population : 50,000
• Greater Metro : 297,000 (Thurston County)
• Locale : Puget Sound, Coastal, Forest, and Coastal Mountains
• Elevation : Sea Level - 500 feet
• 61 miles southwest of Seattle via I-5 
• Nearest major city : Seattle, 61 miles northeast via I-5 
• Average January low / high temp : 32 / 45
• Average July low /high temp : 50 / 77
• Average annual rainfall inches : 50.8
• Average annual snowfall inches : 16.0
• Median home price : $258,000
• Median household income : $49,864
• Political climate : left
• 2016 Presidential candidate that carried county : Clinton 53.2% (Thurston County)

Port Angeles

• Population : 19,000
• Greater Metro : 73,000 (Clallam County)
• Locale : Straight of Juan de Fuca, Coastal, and Olympic Mountains, National Park
• Elevation : Sea Level - 200 feet
• 82 miles northwest of Seattle via US 101 
• Nearest major city : Seattle, 82 miles southeast via US 101 
• Average January low / high temp : 32 / 45
• Average July low /high temp : 56 / 75
• Average annual rainfall inches : 35.9
• Average annual snowfall inches : 11.0
• Median home price : $167,067
• Median household income : $40,035
• Political climate : split - lean right
• 2016 Presidential candidate that carried county : Trump 47.6% (Clallum County)

Seattle

• Population : 684,000
• Greater Metro : 4.5 million (Seattle CSA)
• Locale : Puget Sound, Urban Coastal, Leeward Olympic and Windward Cascade Mountains
• Elevation : Sea Level - 300 feet
• Nearest major city : Seattle, 0 miles 
• Average January low / high temp : 37 / 45
• Average July low /high temp : 50 / 77
• Average annual rainfall inches : 36.2
• Average annual snowfall inches : 11.0
• Median home price : $609,100
• Median household income : $70,172
• Political climate : left
• 2016 Presidential candidate that carried county : Clinton 72.1% (King County)

Spokane

• Population : 213,000
• Greater Metro : 698,000 (Spokane-Cour D'lene CSA)
• Locale : Interior high plain, Interior Mountains, Forest
• Elevation : 1,800 - 2200 feet
• 279 miles east of Seattle via I-90 
• Nearest major city : Seattle, 279 miles west via I-90
• Average January low / high temp : 22 / 33
• Average July low /high temp : 56 / 84
• Average annual rainfall inches : 16.3
• Average annual snowfall inches : 45.5
• Median home price : $176,900
• Median household income : $39,385
• Political climate : split - lean right
• 2016 Presidential candidate that carried county : Trump 49.9% (Spokane County)

Tacoma

• Population : 208,000
• Greater Metro : 3.7 million (Seattle-Tacoma Metro)
• Locale : Puget Sound, Urban Coastal, Olympic and Cascade Mountains
• Elevation : Sea Level - 400 feet
• 34 miles south-southwest of Seattle via I-5 
• Nearest major city : Seattle, 34 miles north-northeast via I-5
• Average January low / high temp : 34 / 45
• Average July low /high temp : 54 / 75
• Average annual rainfall inches : 37.6
• Average annual snowfall inches : 6.4
• Median home price : $241,400
• Median household income : $50,807
• Political climate : split - lean left
• 2016 Presidential candidate that carried county : Clinton 49.7% (Pierce County)

Tri-Cities

• Population : 194,000 (Kennewick, Richland, Pasco)
• Greater Metro : 253,000 (Metro)
• Locale : Leeward Cascade Mountains, Columbia River, Interior Lowlands, 
• Elevation : 550-700 feet
• 219 miles southeast of Seattle via I-82 and I-90 
• Nearest major city : Portland, OR, 216 miles west via I-84
• Average January low / high temp : 26 / 40
• Average July low /high temp : 60 / 91
• Average annual rainfall inches : 7.5
• Average annual snowfall inches : 9.5
• Median home price : $244,100
• Median household income : $67,496 (Richland)
• Political climate : right
• 2016 Presidential candidate that carried county : Trump 59.3% (Benton County)

Vancouver

• Population : 170,000 (275,000 pending annexations)
• Greater Metro : 2.2 million (Portland-Vancouver Metro)
• Locale : Columbia River, Columbia Gorge, Urban River, Windward Cascade Mountains
• Elevation : 25-500 feet
• 165 miles south of Seattle via I-5 
• Nearest major city : Portland, 7 miles south via I-5
• Average January low / high temp : 33 / 45
• Average July low /high temp : 54 / 79
• Average annual rainfall inches : 39.6
• Average annual snowfall inches : 6.5
• Median home price : $275,000
• Median household income : $47,379
• Political climate : split - swing
• 2016 Presidential candidate that carried county : Clinton/Trump 46.3% tie (Clark County)