Where are the best places to retire in WA? These cities made the top 10 list
Choosing where to retire is a weighty decision.
Do you want to spend your golden years in a city with a mild climate and clean air?
Are you searching for an affordable town to settle down? What about one with a strong job market?
To aid in that decision, U.S. News & World Report recently ranked the best places to retire in the United States in 2026, based on housing affordability, health care, crime rates and other factors.
The publication also listed the top cities for retirees in individual states — including Washington state.
“Without question, individual preferences and family proximity weigh heavily for those choosing where to retire,” U.S. News said. “That said, retirees and future retirees generally want similar things, regardless of where they currently reside.”
If you’re planning to settle down in Washington state, here’s where to go:
Where are the top 10 Washington cities for retirees?
In its latest Best Places to Retire guide, U.S. News & World Report ranked a total of 28 cities in Washington state based on their offerings for retirees.
Sammamish in King County topped the list of the best cities to retire in the Evergreen State with an overall score of 5.8 out of 10, the publication said.
The Western Washington city, which has a population of 65,814 residents, has a median home value of $1,304,059 and a median monthly rent of $2,452, U.S. News said. Residents earn a median household income of $243,636 a year.
Second place went to Vancouver in Clark County, just a 20-minute drive from Portland, Oregon. The southwestern Washington city received an overall score of 5.2.
Vancouver is the state’s fourth-most populous city, with more than 202,000 residents.
The median home value in Vancouver is $482,563, and the median rent is $1,564 a month, according to U.S. News, with local households earning a median annual income of $82,719.
According to U.S. News & World Report, these were the top 10 Washington cities for retirement in 2025:
- 1. Sammamish
- 2. Vancouver
- 3. Kennewick
- 4. Kirkland
- 5. Walla Walla
- 6. Redmond
- 7. Bellevue
- 8. Wenatchee
- 9. Longview
- 10. Spokane Valley
What makes Kennewick a top spot to retire in Washington?
Kennewick was the highest ranking Eastern Washington city on U.S. News & World Report’s list of top retirement destinations in the state, coming in third place with an overall score of 5.4.
Residents in the Benton County city enjoy a median household income of $80,813 annually, U.S. News said. The median home value in Kennewick is $404,224, and the median monthly rent is $1,204.
Kennewick has a population of just under 87,000 people, with only 5.23% unemployed. Most residents drive to work, with an average commute of 17 minutes.
Roughly 15% of the population in Kennewick is 65 or older, according to U.S. News.
Kennewick is the most populous of the cities in Tri-Cities.
Retirees in Kennewick have access to numerous recreation options, from boating on the Columbia River and hiking the mountains to winetasting at numerous highly-rated vineyards.
The Tri-Cities’ major event venue, the Toyota Center in Kennewick, regularly hosts touring comedians and musicians including country star Zach Top. It’s also home of the local Western Hockey League team the Tri-City Americans.
The convention center next door holds several noteworthy events every year, including the Three Rivers Tattoo Convention.
Where are the best places to retire in the US?
According to U.S. News & World Report, the nation’s 10 best places to retire can be found on the East Coast and in the South.
The 10 best cities for retirees across the country, according to U.S. News, are:
- 1. Midland, Michigan
- 2. Weirton, West Virginia
- 3. Homosassa Springs, Florida
- 4. The Woodlands, Texas
- 5. Spring, Texas
- 6. Rancho Rio, New Mexico
- 7. Spring Hill, Florida
- 8. Altoona, Pennsylvania
- 9. Palm Coast, Florida
- 10. Lynchburg, Virginia
How did US News rank the best cities for retirement?
U.S. News & World Report said it evaluated cities using a variety of data across six core categories:
- Quality of life: Crime rates, environmental risk, culture/leisure accessibility and more.
- Value: Housing affordability index and cost of living index
- Health care quality: Availability of top-rated health care
- Taxes: Tax friendliness
- Senior population/migration: Percentage of population over 55, migration rates
- Job market: Ease of finding employment, earning potential
Each category was given a weight “determined by Americans’ preferences,” based on a March 2025 survey of 3,500 responders’ priorities, according to U.S. News.
“We surveyed individuals possibly nearing retirement age (ages 45 to 59) and those of retirement age (60 or older) for guidance on what matters most to them,” U.S. News said. “These groups are our target audiences, and our goal is to provide them with an approachable, useful place to start planning for retirement.”
All cities in the ranking were given scores out of 10 based on the weighted data. To be considered, locations needed to reach a minimum population and have enough available data for analysis, according to U.S. News.
This story was originally published November 18, 2025 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Where are the best places to retire in WA? These cities made the top 10 list."