Which cities are best for retirement? Forbes named two in eastern WA
Choosing where to live is a complicated decision with many factors to consider. Do you prioritize your ideal environment or walkability? Is cost of living or healthcare access more crucial?
For many people, the decision ultimately comes down to their job, whether that means choosing a city for its opportunity in their career, or choosing to live near their current company’s headquarters.
Once you retire, though, you can make this decision based on your own priorities. Where you choose to live in retirement can set the tone for that chapter of life.
The 2025 edition of an annual ranking provides some analysis and comparisons.
In May, Forbes released their analysis of the top 25 cities in America for retirees in 2025, including two in eastern Washington.
Best U.S. cities for retirees
Forbes listed the top 25 in alphabetical order, rather than a ranking. To determine these 25, more than 950 cities were compared. Forbes looked at the home prices, other housing costs, crime stats, environmental information, healthcare access, taxes and other aspects in each city.
Each city was listed with a brief description and some pros and cons.
The list includes big cities like Pittsburgh and San Antonio, and small cities like Winchester, Virginia and Apache Junction, Arizona. Two of the locations are in eastern Washington.
The 25 cities listed are:
Apache Junction, Ariz.
Athens, Ga.
Bethlehem, Pa.
College Station, Texas
Columbia, Miss.
Fargo, N.D.
Greenville, S.C.
Iowa City, Iowa
Lawrence, Kan.
Lexington, Ky.
Lincoln, Neb.
Madison, Wis.
Newark, Del.
Pasco, Wash.
Pittsburgh, Pa.
Raleigh, N.C.
Rochester, Minn.
San Antonio, Texas
Savannah, Ga.
Sioux Falls, S.D.
Spokane, Wash.
Tucson, Ariz.
The Villages, Fla.
Virginia Beach, Va.
Winchester, Va.
Best eastern WA cities for retirement
While some cities have made the top 25 list many times in its 15 iterations, this is Pasco’s first mention.
▪ Pasco
The only mention from Tri-Cities, Pasco is described as a “sunny city of 82,000 on the sweeping Columbia River.”
It’s one of the only three cities to make the list despite having a median home price higher than the national number. With a median home price of $406,000, Pasco sits 1% higher than the national median.
Forbes listed the following pros for retiring in Pasco:
High rate of primary care physicians per capita
Good air quality
“Very comfortable” climate
Below the national average for serious crime
Relatively low natural hazard risk
Strong economy
No state income tax
And the following cons against retiring in Pasco:
State estate tax
State excise tax on certain investment gains
“Not very walkable or bikeable”
The only other Evergreen State mention is also in eastern Washington, a few hours up U.S. 395 from Pasco: Spokane.
▪ Spokane
The “scenic river city” has continued to grow as a metropolitan area, reaching a population of 230,000. The median home price is $390,000, which is 3% below the national average. Forbes’ source for this number is not specified, but appears to be based on several available figures from realty companies. According to Forbes, the cost of living in Spokane is 3% above the national average, though.
Forbes listed the following pros for retiring in Spokane:
High rate of primary care physicians per capita
Very bikeable and pretty walkable
Relatively low natural hazard risk
Good economy
No state income tax
And the following cons against retiring in Spokane:
State estate tax
State excise tax on certain investments
Cold winters
Above the national average for serious crime
This story was originally published May 21, 2025 at 2:12 PM with the headline "Which cities are best for retirement? Forbes named two in eastern WA."