Ed. Note:  Where to Retire shares desired destinations for those wishing to relocate after retirement.  Provided by author Warren R. Bland, these summaries offer a quick overview of the most desired retirement communities.

By Warren Bland

Incorporated in 1902, Bellingham became the county seat of Whatcom County and an important center of coal mining, salmon canning and saw milling. These frontier industries were largely replaced by a service economy. Surrounded by natural beauty, Bellingham is small enough to offer the intimacy and friendliness of a small town while providing a good array of urban services and amenities for a retirement community.

Landscape: Bellingham occupies a splendid site on the eastern shore of Bellingham Bay, within sight of Washington’s famous San Juan Islands. The natural vegetation consists of oak and Douglas fir forests, which in town are supplemented with other mild-climate trees and shrubs including magnolia and rhododendron.

Climate: Bellingham’s climate has four distinct seasons, with few severely cold or excessively warm days and ample precipitation.

Quality of Life: Excellent. The city seems well planned and managed; its downtown and historic business district are attractive and viable. Parks and residential neighborhoods are well maintained and pleasantly landscaped.

Housing: Housing costs are about 10% above the national average. A good variety of excellent housing is generally available.

Goods and Services: Utilities and transportation are at approximately their national average costs; other goods and services are priced slightly higher than national norms.

Taxes: State and local taxes in Olympia are 10.4% of income compared to the U.S. average of 9.7%. Washington has no state income tax but property taxes are moderate and sales and excise taxes are high.

Transportation: Residents drive or take the bus. The Fairhaven Transportation Center offers Amtrak and Greyhound service, inter-island ferry service to the San Juan Islands and Victoria, and the Alaska Marine Highway service to coastal Alaska. Three international airports provide jet service.

Retail Services: Bellis Fair, Sunset Square and downtown Bellingham and the Fairhaven Historic District provide an eclectic mix of shopping opportunities.

Health Care: St. Joseph Hospital provides a full range of services. Additional comprehensive medical care is less than 100 miles away in Seattle and Vancouver.

Community Services: Local government and the private sector, including the Bellingham Senior Activity Center, make available a fine assortment of services.

Cultural and Educational Activities: Western Washington University’s Performing Arts Center and downtown’s historic Mount Baker Theatre are the principal venues for music, ballet and theater. Western Washington University offers a generous education program for seniors.

Recreational Activities: Outdoor recreation reigns supreme in Bellingham and Whatcom County. Also nearby are the cosmopolitan pleasures of Seattle and Vancouver and the quainter delights of Victoria.

Work and Volunteer Activities: Some part-time jobs exist. Volunteer work is plentiful.

Crime Rates and Public Safety: The incidence of violent crime in Bellingham is enviably low, with an overall rate 50% below the national average. Outlying parts of the metropolitan area are even safer.

Conclusion: Situated between Seattle and Vancouver, Bellingham is close enough to each for residents to enjoy their amenities yet far enough away to avoid runaway urbanization, high prices and environmental deterioration. All in all, Bellingham ranks among America’s best locales for active retirement. It will appeal especially to those who would enjoy an active lifestyle in a charming seaside town.

Ratings courtesy of “Retire in Style, 60 Outstanding Places Across the USA and Canada” by Warren R. Bland, PhD (www.nextdecade.com)