With So Many Reasons To Retire in Washington, What Are You Waiting For?

June 26, 2024

If you’ve been searching for the best places to retire on the West Coast, you may have scratched many cities in California off your list for various reasons. As a result, you may have turned your focus to the best places to live in the Pacific Northwest.

Let’s take that a step further and look at some of the top reasons and best places to retire in Washington state.

Washington Offers Many Advantages for Retirees

Tax benefits and access to top-notch healthcare are just two of the boxes Washington is likely to check on your retirement-living checklist. Here are more details on those and other advantages Washington offers over other retirement options, and why Emerald Heights, located in Redmond, Washington, might be a good fit for you:

• Favorable tax laws for seniors. There’s no state income tax in Washington; therefore, the state does not tax Social Security or pension income, or withdrawals from retirement accounts, according to SmartAsset. Nor will you have to pay state income tax in Washington if you plan on working part time after you retire. Washington also excludes estates valued at $2.193 million or less from inheritance tax.
  
  
• World-class healthcare. The University of Washington Medical Center, about 35 minutes from Emerald Heights, is consistently ranked at or near the top of the state’s best hospitals and earns high placement in national and global rankings. Washington took the No. 7 spot on United Health Foundation’s 2023 list of America’s Health Rankings, which considered 87 measures across five health categories. By comparison, Oregon placed at No. 21 and California placed at No. 28. 
  
  
• Relatively mild climate. Yes, it rains a lot in parts of Washington. The eastern part of the state, sometimes called Washington’s Wine Country, has more of a desert climate, with warmer temperatures and less precipitation overall than the western part of Washington. If you enjoy living in an area that experiences a distinct change for all four seasons, where you won’t have to run the air conditioning half the year or trek around in the snow for several months each winter, Washington may be just the right place for you. (If you enjoy skiing or other snow sports, you could always venture out to the Cascade Mountains.)
  
  
• Less prone to natural disasters. Although Florida and states throughout and adjacent to the Southeast are popular retirement destinations, that region of the country has historically experienced more hurricanes, flooding and tornadoes — and these occurrences have worsened in recent years. While the West Coast tends to have more earthquakes and wildfires than most of the rest of the U.S., the severity of these natural disasters is typically much worse in California than in its northern neighbors.
  
  
• Encourages healthy living. From the lush coastline to the snow-capped Cascades, Washington offers spectacularly scenic naturescapes, making the state a paradise for outdoor enthusiasts of all ages. Pair these landscapes with a bevy of beaches, state and municipal parks, hiking and biking trails, walking paths and waterways where you can go fishing, swimming, sailing and kayaking, and you have almost limitless opportunities to maintain an active lifestyle. You’ll also find an appealing selection of farmers markets where you can buy fresh, locally grown and organic food. And in cities large and small throughout the state there are fascinating museums, theaters, galleries, live music performances (including free outdoor concerts), festivals and a multitude of other ways to stimulate your mind and social spirit.  

Living in the Evergreen State Can Help Keep You Feeling Ever Young

According to a research brief by Nature Sacred, a nonprofit foundation that works with urban communities to create public sanctuaries, the amount of green space in a neighborhood is positively associated with the health status of older adults, and the aesthetic quality of nearby open spaces is related to their life satisfaction. Emerald Heights boasts an abundance of green spaces to support our residents’ health and life satisfaction.

The brief cites studies of older adults showing that spending time outside in green spaces, whether it be in a forest or a city park, has the potential to:

• Increase longevity
• Ward off health complaints such as musculoskeletal pain and sleep problems
• Decrease levels of the stress hormone cortisol
• Protect against depression
• Prevent or reduce fear of falling
• Support mental health and well-being
• Improve cognition
• Encourage social interaction

Research has demonstrated that even looking at a natural landscape from a window can lower one’s blood pressure and heart rate, promoting a sense of calmness.

There’s no shortage of stunning green places and spaces in Washington where you can drink in the views—and the tranquility of nature. The state also boasts plenty of blue spaces, or natural settings featuring a body of water, that can similarly benefit mental health and well-being.

Choices for a Range of Retirement Budgets

If you’re looking for affordable places to live in the Pacific Northwest, you’ll discover that many of Washington’s cities fit the bill. Spokane, Vancouver, Yakima, Sequim, Olympia, Wenatchee and Walla Walla are among those that are frequently featured in online search results for affordable places to live in Washington state.

This is by no means an exhaustive list, and the lack of state income tax can offset other cost-of-living factors no matter where in Washington you might like to live. So, really, you can focus on finding the right place based on your personal preferences, interests and needs, and then see how it fits into your financial framework for retirement. Emerald Heights offers a FloorCaster tool, which allows you to determine which cottages and apartments fit your budget.

If you’re considering moving to one of the active senior living communities in Washington state, keep in mind that expenses such as utilities and meals may be included in the monthly fees.

Reasons To Place Redmond on Your Retirement List

Sure, we may be a bit biased, but we believe Redmond is among the best places to retire in the Pacific Northwest. Check out some of our reasons and see if you agree:

• The natural beauty is absolutely striking.
• With a population of approximately 77,000 and its proximity to Seattle, the city boasts an urban-suburban feel.
• It’s often referred to as both a hub for innovation and a haven for outdoor enthusiasts.
• The bustling downtown center is juxtaposed with more than 70 scenic trails for hiking, biking, birding and appreciating Mother Nature. There are also 47 parks, the Sammamish River, Lake Sammamish and multiple other nearby waterways.
• Mt. Rainier is only a few hours away.
• There’s an ample and diverse array of cultural, entertainment, dining and sports venues in Redmond and the surrounding cities. And plenty of places to get a great cup of coffee!
• An assortment of festivals, outdoor movies and free concerts make summers in Redmond fun for people of all ages.
• Average high temperatures in the summer stay in the 70s and the average low temperatures in the winter are in the upper 30s. The city gets an average of between 4 and 5 inches of snow per year.
• Seattle-Tacoma International Airport is less than an hour’s drive away.
• It’s where you’ll find the vibrant and vivacious residents of Emerald Heights.

There’s no better way to discover how much you could love living your retirement years at Emerald Heights than to visit us.

Come have a look around. Meet our staff, and talk with our residents. Sample our cuisine and check out our activities calendar. See how we’ve updated our campus and what’s still in store. Picture yourself as part of our community. We think you’ll like what you see.

Contact us to set up a visit or call 866-822-0916.

Featured Image: Pressmaster / Shutterstock