Yahoo Finance 14 Cheap West Coast Cities To Retire to With Just $250K in Savings
While many Americans make grand plans to reap the many benefits of travel and adventure in retirement, others are content to take a permanent vacation — by moving to an idyllic coastal city to while away the time.
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Many retirees look west for relaxation in retirement. The mere mention of the Pacific Coast makes one’s mind wander to visions of palm trees, pristine beaches and sun-drenched activities enjoyed in California.
Beyond California, the coast also boasts the beautiful states of Oregon and Washington, and together the three states are some of the most sought-after destinations for newly retired Americans.
According to Redfin, the average median home sale price across the three West Coast states is $612,233, with median home sale prices of $491,900 in Oregon, $588,000 in Washington and $756,800 in California.
However, if you have a modest monthly Social Security check and $250,000 in savings, you’ll want to look at more affordable housing along the “Best Coast.” The following 14 metros in California, Oregon and Washington are a mixed bag of big cities and small towns, varying in population percentages of residents over the age of 65. All have median listing home prices near or under the $612,233 average median home sale price of the three states.
Listed under each city are Realtor.com’s current median home listing price and median listing home price per square foot, Apartments.com’s average rent for a one-bedroom per month (May 2024) and the U.S. Census Bureau stats for population estimates (Jul. 1, 2023) and the percentage of persons 65 years and older.
Spokane, Washington
Median list price: $465,000
Average sale price per square foot: $224
Average rent for a 1-bedroom apartment: $1,102
Population: 229,447
Population % 65 years and over: 16.2%
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Eureka, California
Median list price: $475,000
Average sale price per square foot: $318
Average rent for a 1-bedroom apartment: $889
Population: 25,734
Population % 65 years and over: 17%
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Sacramento, California
Median list price (April 30, 2024): $499,000
Average sale price per square foot: $336
Average rent for a 1-bedroom apartment: $1,502
Population: 526,384
Population % 65 years and over: 13.8%
Coos Bay, Oregon
Median list price: $395,000
Average sale price per square foot: $253
Average rent for a 1-bedroom apartment: $752
Population: 15,595
Population % 65 years and over: 24.6%
Olympia, Washington
Median list price (April 30, 2024): $586,000
Average sale price per square foot: $305
Average rent for a 1-bedroom apartment: $1,463
Population: 55,733
Population % 65 years and over: 19.2%
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Ocean Shores, Washington
Median list price (April 30, 2024): $418,000
Average sale price per square foot: $310
Average rent for a 1-bedroom apartment: $1,200
Population: $7,549
Population % 65 years and over: 41,0%
Modesto, California
Median list price (April 30, 2024): $474,300
Average sale price per square foot: $300
Average rent for a 1-bedroom apartment: $1,474
Population: 218,915
Population % 65 years and over: 13.9%
Portland, Oregon
Median list price: $548,900
Average sale price per square foot: $337
Average rent for a 1-bedroom apartment: $1,488
Population: 630,498
Population % 65 years and over: 14.0%
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Palm Desert, California
Median list price: $637,400
Average sale price per square foot: $351
Average rent for a 1-bedroom apartment: $1,842
Population: 51,951
Population % 65 years and over: 36.1%
Seal Beach, California
Median list price: $410,000
Average sale price per square foot: $426
Average rent for a 1-bedroom apartment: $2,850
Population: 24,352
Population % 65 years and over: 43.7%
Tacoma, Washington
Median list price (April 30, 2024): $508,200
Average sale price per square foot: $331
Average rent for a 1-bedroom apartment: $1,396
Population: 222,906
Population % 65 years and over: 14.2%
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Lancaster, California
Median list price (April 30, 2024): $499,700
Average sale price per square foot: $267
Average rent for a 1-bedroom apartment: $1,588
Population: 166,236
Population % 65 years and over: 11.2%
Medford, Oregon
Median list price: $468,900
Average sale price per square foot: $272
Average rent for a 1-bedroom apartment: $1,028
Population: 85,098
Population % 65 years and over: 18.5%
Fresno, California
Median list price: $407,500
Average sale price per square foot: $25
Average rent for a 1-bedroom apartment: $1,231
Population: 545,716
Population % 65 years and over: 11.9%
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