countyscore

Best Counties for Retirement in Washington 2026

39 counties ranked with the Retiree lens of the County Fit Score.

Top 5 Retirement Counties in Washington

1Wahkiakum County
73.1
baseline 72.5
2Skamania County
60.3
baseline 58
3San Juan County
59.7
baseline 55.8
4Stevens County
59.4
baseline 56.3
5Lincoln County
59.2
baseline 60.6

All 39 Retirement-Ranked Counties in Washington

RankCountyCounty Fit Scorebaseline CountyScoreDelta
1Wahkiakum County, WA73.172.5+0.6
2Skamania County, WA60.358+2.3
3San Juan County, WA59.755.8+3.9
4Stevens County, WA59.456.3+3.1
5Lincoln County, WA59.260.6-1.4
6Ferry County, WA57.158.5-1.4
7Pend Oreille County, WA55.854+1.8
8Garfield County, WA54.352+2.3
9Whitman County, WA53.949.4+4.5
10Klickitat County, WA52.852.3+0.5
11Jefferson County, WA51.248+3.2
12Island County, WA51.150.9+0.2
13Asotin County, WA50.944.5+6.4
14Columbia County, WA49.944.5+5.4
15Pacific County, WA47.346.4+0.9
16Douglas County, WA43.344.9-1.6
17Snohomish County, WA42.541.6+0.9
18Okanogan County, WA42.246.5-4.3
19Clallam County, WA41.740.1+1.6
20Kittitas County, WA41.741.2+0.5
21Kitsap County, WA41.440.1+1.3
22King County, WA40.539.2+1.3
23Chelan County, WA40.241.4-1.2
24Adams County, WA39.637.6+2
25Clark County, WA39.538.1+1.4
26Mason County, WA39.540.1-0.6
27Whatcom County, WA39.337.8+1.5
28Skagit County, WA38.437.5+0.9
29Thurston County, WA38.237.6+0.6
30Walla Walla County, WA38.136.6+1.5
31Spokane County, WA36.836.80
32Lewis County, WA36.737.9-1.2
33Grays Harbor County, WA35.536.8-1.3
34Benton County, WA35.336.6-1.3
35Cowlitz County, WA35.335.6-0.3
36Pierce County, WA33.733.8-0.1
37Franklin County, WA33.334.8-1.5
38Grant County, WA31.232.8-1.6
39Yakima County, WA27.330.4-3.1

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best county for retirement in Washington?

Based on the Retiree lens, Wahkiakum County ranks as the top retirement county in Washington with a County Fit Score of 73.1. The baseline CountyScore remains visible for context.

How many counties in Washington are ranked for retirement?

We rank 39 counties in Washington with the Retiree lens, using independent importance values for health, safety, taxes, cost, disaster risk, water, and weather.

Also Browse Washington Counties For

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Retirement Rankings by State

AlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareDistrict of ColumbiaFloridaGeorgiaHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWest VirginiaWisconsinWyoming

Data: U.S. Census Bureau ACS, FBI UCR, CDC, FEMA NRI, NCES, EPA SDWIS, 2019-2023 ACS — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.