Oregon or Washington: Which Should You Retire In?

Written by Ruth in Retirement

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Sequel to a fulfilling career, choosing a location to retire to is the next big decision. The right place to spend your retirement is crucial to getting the most out of your stay. Oregon and Washington are two interesting retirement locations, but you might want to consider factors in making your decision. 

Washington State is a better retirement destination if you’d like to spend your golden years in a fast-paced city. The beautiful mountain scenery is a plus. Oregon might be better for you if you’d like to explore multiple outdoor activities such as biking, skiing, golf, and fishing. 

Category  Oregon  Washington 
Taxes  Property and income taxes, including some pensions. No sales tax.  Low income and property tax but a sales tax of 6.5%

There’s no tax on pensions and social security.
Climate  There’s lots of precipitation. Temperatures might range between 50°F (14°C)  to 40°F (4°C). You can expect lots of precipitation too, and temperatures can range between 79°F (26°C) to 46°F (8°C).
Crime  Violent crime is below the national average, with 2.9 violent crimes per 100 people (290 crimes/100,000 people). Property crime is above the national average. There’s a low crime rate of 284.4 crimes per 100,000 people
Beauty  The eco-friendly lush green environment with beautiful coastal regions are a delight. Scenic mountain and coastal terrain have aesthetic value. 
Real estate  Houses don’t come cheap either, and an average home is about $467,621 in Portland.  House prices are continually going up, and the average home in Seattle costs $750,000. 
Cost of living  Housing, groceries, and transportation costs are above the nation’s average, but utilities and healthcare stay below.  Living costs are generally above the national average, but utilities and healthcare are lower. 
Traffic  If you want to skip the Portland traffic, you might want to stick to the suburbs. The prominent Washington population equals more cars and traffic.
Great cities to retire  Roseburg, Brookings, Ontario, Hood River, and Florence  Bellevue, Spokane, Vancouver, Seattle, and Tacoma

 

In the rest of the article, we describe life in both Washington State and Oregon to help you choose the right state to retire in. 

Taxes

If you’re retiring to Washington state, you might want to know that the state operates a sales tax rate of about 6.5%. This tax adds to the total of your purchases. If you’re moving to Washington from any of the five states that don’t impose a sales tax, you might find this unusual. 

There’s no tax on pension and social security. You also don’t have to pay inheritance tax if your property is less than $2.19 million in value. If sales taxes don’t bother you, the lower income tax could cause you to favor Washington.

Oregon is one of those five states that don’t enforce a sales tax. So if you see $10.99 on the shelf for a product, that’s all you’re going to pay. However, Oregon makes up for this lost revenue by taking more income and property taxes. 

Social security is exempt from Oregon income tax, but you might have to pay taxes on pensions, so that’s a thing to consider in retiring here. If you’re bringing a vehicle from out of state, you’ll need to pay vehicle tax before getting the title and registration. 

Climate

You’ll be spending lots of time wherever you choose to retire, so things like average temperature and rainfall might contribute to your decision.  

The coastline state of Oregon doesn’t get as much rainfall as you might expect. However, it gets pretty wet, particularly during the rainy season, extending from October to April. You can expect an average of 35 to 40 inches (900 to 1,000 mm) of precipitation in lowlands and 60 to 120 inches (1,500 to 3,000 mm) in coastal areas. 

These figures vary with various locations within the state. The coastal regions feature more mild weather conditions, while the state’s interior might have dryness and extreme temperatures. 

In January, you might experience warmer temperatures around 50°F (14°C) and 40°F (4°C) 

Washington cascades typically have a temperature around 79°F (26°C) in summer and 46°F (8°C) in winter. You would find warmer summers and cooler winters in Eastern Washington. 

Prepare for snow because you might get as much as 200inches (5080 Nmm) of snowfall in the cascades. You might also want to keep that umbrella close all year round in Washington. Hopefully, the dreary weather doesn’t put you off. 

Crime

Washington has a pretty low crime rate of 284.4 crimes per 100,000 people. These figures are reassuring if you’re looking for a safe place to call home in your golden years. 

Oregon is also pretty safe, with 2.9 violent crimes per 1000 people (290 crimes/100,000 people) than the national average of 3.7 crimes per 1000 people 370 crimes/100,000 people). Property crime is 28.9 cases/1000 (2890 cases/ 100,000) which is higher than the national average. Some of the safest Oregon cities, as per FBI data, include West Linn, Lake Oswego, LA Grande, Newberg-Dundee, and St. Helens. 

Beauty

 

Oregon or Washington: Which Should You Retire In?

Washington State is a beautiful state. The scenic coastal and mountain views add to the state’s aesthetic appeal. We hope you like biking because there are several bike trails you might want to consider exploring. Hiking and fishing are possible new hobbies you can pick up on while staying in Washington.

Coastal Oregon is also another attractive retirement option. There is room for numerous outdoor activities to take your time. Consider engaging in skiing, golfing, fishing, surfing, and biking. The state is also clean because people don’t have a habit of tossing trash about. Thinking green environment could be the breath of fresh air you seek. 

Real Estate 

The cost of buying a home in Washington doesn’t come cheap, and prices can be shocking for many first-time buyers. The positive side is that these prices seem to keep going up and eventually have more value as time goes on, potentially making it a worthwhile investment (disclaimer: this is not financial advice though!). 

You might have to look for a home outside Seattle if you’re on a tight budget because the average house price is about $750,000. You’ll find the more expensive homes at Bellevue at $987,665, while Tacoma is more affordable, with homes at $354,019.

Oregon isn’t notably cheaper when it comes to housing. House prices in Oregon are slightly lower than in Washington but have been rising steadily in past years. 

These prices can be problematic if your budget is restricted. The plus side to all of this is that your home could be an investment since prices keep going up, and you’re likely to sell it more than you bought it. You would find cheaper homes for about $295,188 in Salem, while Portland is priced highest at about $467,621.

Cost of Living 

Money spent on groceries could rack up in Washington State. An average Seattle resident could spend $400 monthly on groceries. Gas would also cost a bit more. While the national average is $2.90, you might end up paying $3.53 in Washington.  

Healthcare and utility bills are where you get to save money in Washington. Prices for utilities are about 25% cheaper than you’d find in most states. Washington State residents also spend 17% less than the national average on healthcare. 

The overall cost of living in Oregon is higher than the national average, and you might notice this in housing, groceries, and transportation costs. You could see some saves in utilities and healthcare, which are below the national average. 

Unlike most states, you can’t pump your gas in Oregon. Yes, you heard that right; you can’t pump your gas because it’s illegal. While this might be a plus on rainy or cold days, it does add to gas prices because you’d also be paying for the services of the pump attendant.

Traffic

Traffic in Washington isn’t surprising because it appears to be a popular destination. The population explosion due to more people arriving in search of better opportunities means more cars are on the road. The average Washington resident would spend about 55 hours in their vehicles yearly, and it’s thus ranked as the state with the 9th worst traffic situation. 

You might also have to put up with traffic, primarily if you stay in Portland or surrounding cities. If you’re coming in from another big city, you could live with this. Smaller or rural towns in Oregon don’t have the same traffic issues as Portland, so that might be a better option if you want a quiet, easy-going life. 

Conclusion 

Oregon or Washington State for retirement, it’s all up to you. Both destinations are excellent, and we’ve dived deep into the pros and cons of each. 

We recommend Oregon if you’re looking for a laid-back society with rich green scenery for outdoor activities such as golfing, hiking, and biking. Washington might be for you if you prefer big cities’ fast-paced life but still want some room for physical activities.

Sources 

 

Ruth

Hey there, my name is Ruth, I'm in my late fifties. My life was turned upside down a few years ago as I experienced a burn-out. But I saw it as a sign that something had to change in my life. I'm happy I used this tough experience as a stepping stone. I now feel happier than ever and hope to inspire you to do the same, no matter how old you are.

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