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Senior Resources » Best Cities Near Seattle to Retire

Best Cities Near Seattle to Retire

Seattle is a major coastal seaport in the state of Washington. It’s the largest city in the Pacific Northwest and on the west coast of San Francisco. Seattle is known for its temperate climate, expansive forests, and culturally rich downtown. Home to Starbucks and the Amazon headquarters, Seattle, Washington is world-famous for coffee, grunge, and tech. It’s no wonder this port city is so popular! Naturally, it’s safe to assume that such a large and trendy city has tons of suburbs that are perfect for retirement living. So, where are those places?

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Here are the best cities near Seattle to retire!

Seattle, Washington map with magnifying glass and photo of Seattle

La Conner, WA

La Conner is a beautiful town located on the Salish Sea between Seattle and Vancouver, British Columbia. This small town of just under 1,000 is surrounded by tulip fields. It’s also filled with art galleries and small shops. Formerly known as a fishing and farming town, the vintage charm of La Conner is perfect for retirees looking for a friendly but quiet town.

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Langley, WA

Formerly known as a fishing village, Langley, Washington is an up-scale artistic community located near Whidbey Island. This town is filled with art galleries, antique shops, fashion boutiques, and several tasty restaurants. The best part is that all of these attractions can be found right along the shore of the Saratoga Passage. Some of the buildings even appear to rise up out of the water! The population is less than 5,000 making it a true small town.

Leavenworth, WA

Leavenworth is a Bavarian-themed town. Lederhosen, Dirndls, and polka parties are all things Boomers should expect to see when venturing around this kooky town. Leavenworth is a great place to live if you have an interest in collecting cuckoo clocks or nutcrackers. This little town has beautiful scenery outlined in mountains and forests.

Related: 22 Best Senior Jokes For 2022

Port Townsend, WA

The city of Port Townsend is located about 40 miles north of Seattle, Washington. This small town has around 10,000 residents and, like most Seattle suburbs, is known for its natural sites. Port Townsend can be found on the Olympic Peninsula where block after block of waterfront Victorian houses set a beautiful scene for retirement.

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Port Townsend offers retirees several cultural and art events each year such as the Wooden Boat Festival and Annual Blues and Jazz Festival. It’s a very artistic community, with several art galleries open year round. There are also many art classes available to citizens!

Walla Walla, WA

Walla Walla – the town so nice they named it twice. This small Eastern Washington town has approximately 32,000 residents. It’s packed with wineries, restaurants, and lodging for all to enjoy. Retirees agree that it is easily one of the best cities in the Seattle, WA area. Walla Walla is one of the best small towns to retire to and has become a popular destination for Baby Boomers.

Over the last two decades, there has been an explosion in Walla Walla’s wine industry. The first full weekend of December is famous for the Holiday Barrel Tasting, where all new vintages of wine are “popped” for the first time. There are also many cultural opportunities in Walla Walla, Washington such as touring the Whitman College Outdoor Sculpture Walk, visiting the Kirkman House Museum, or enjoying a performance by the Walla Walla Symphony (which features many internationally acclaimed artists). The Valley has become home to several annual music festivals. The two-week Chamber Music Festival fills Walla Walla with wonderful sounds through a variety of venues: open rehearsals, free public concerts, scenic wine tasting rooms, special events, and traditional music hall concerts. The June event is now a Walla Walla tradition retirees look forward to yearly.

Outdoor adventures include fishing, hunting, hiking, horseback riding, boating, canoeing, and camping. For the young at heart, there’s BMX racing, disc golf, and skateboarding at Fort Walla Walla Park. And, the fun extends throughout the winter, with downhill and cross-country skiing, snowboarding, and snowmobiling.

Winthrop, WA

Winthrop, located in Okanogan County in Northern Washington, has a vintage charm and hundreds of miles of groomed trails. It’s a city for active seniors who enjoy walking and biking! And, with several buildings that still have the architectural design of the Old West, 1800 Winthrop is not easily distinguished from 2022 Winthrop! In fact, most residents and tourists claim it was caught in a time warp.

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Related: Best Reasons For Retiring in a Small Town

Bellingham, WA

Bellingham was voted by Money Magazine as one of the best retirement cities in the country. It’s located in western Washington within Whatcom County. This city is home to Western Washington University and has a population of approximately 80,000. Bellingham has cultural opportunities provided by the university and features superior medical care from St. Joseph Medical Center. The climate is fairly mild and is often referred to as “the Banana Belt of the Northwest.”

Bellingham is a hot spot for active retirees. Retirees enjoy kayaking, white river rafting, whale watching, bird watching, and biking. Also popular are walking, hiking, or mountain climbing on the majestic Mount Maker.

Should I Retire Near Seattle?

Although Washington state has no income tax, making it overall a senior-friendly place to be, the city of Seattle has a pretty high cost of living (72.3% higher than the U.S. average). However, prices within the suburbs of Seattle are a lot more forgiving! If you’re a retiree who likes mild weather and outdoorsy fun, then a Seattle suburb might be for you!

Retirement Resources

Click here to find senior resources in Washington!

Do you need help with retirement planning? Then visit Bob Carlson’s Retirement Watch.

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Originally published January 31, 2024

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