What about Oregon???

[garyb1st]

We're ready to leave the Golden State.  Just don't know where we want to end up.  Oregon, Washington and Idaho are on our short list.  I know Oregon is not one of the top 10 retirement areas on any list.  But it is one of our favorite states.  Despite the rain it's beautiful.  I don't mind some rain.  I grew up in Minnesota where it rained every weekend.  A bummer for an avid golfer.  But Oregon's coastal rain might be a bit much.  Maria's a California girl and not particularly fond of the cold or rain.  But we can work on that. 

We also like Idaho.  But again, it's pretty cold in the Northern part which is the most appealing to us.  My research tells me the average combination of State and local taxes are high for both Oregon and Idaho.  But actually not much different than California.  Oregon State taxes are a killer.  But California has one of the highest sales taxes.  It's vehicle license tax is obscene and despite prop 13, the real estate taxes are high by virtue of the fact that real estate is so expensive.  Insurance is out of sight.  My combined premium for home owners insurance, California earthquake coverage and auto insurance is north of the moon.  So I can probably move to a comparable property in either Oregon or Idaho and make out about the same.  Maybe better.  Port Townsend is at the top of the short list.  Washington has a lot of appeal.  But we also like Brookings Oregon.  Another area we like is Bellingham Washington.  Probably a bit cold and wet half the year but it's a great area and close to Vancouver.  Then there is Coeur D' Alene.  What an beautiful area.  

I know a lot of you have personal experience with these areas and I will appreciate hearing from you.  All your thoughts and opinions are welcome.    Negative and positive. 

Our travel over the next two to three months is going to be about relocation.  So if we missed anything, please don't hesitate to jump in.  Oh, and Northern California also is on the list.  Just not the coastal area.  Of course, if Maria goes back to work. 

Gary B

 

[RoyM]

If she doesn't like rain Port Townsend and Bellingham could  be a problem as would Brookings OR. Winds off the water can be numbing to say the least. We were in Lincoln City last August, weather was beautiful but we could not stay outside for long.  Couer d'Alene is beautiful with a mild climate. We also like the Medford and Bend areas.

 

[Punomatic]

If you want to be near the water but have less rain, try Sequim, WA. If you don't have to be near the ocean the Bend, OR area has a great deal less rainfall than west of the Cascades. It does get a bit colder in winter and warmer in summer. There is great skiing at Mt. Bachelor.

 

[Molaker]

If she doesn't like rain Port Townsend and Bellingham could  be a problem as would Brookings OR. Winds off the water can be numbing to say the least. We were in Lincoln City last August, weather was beautiful but we could not stay outside for long.  Couer d'Alene is beautiful with a mild climate. We also like the Medford and Bend areas.

Years ago, I was stationed at Whidbey Is., Wa. and I don't remember it being all that cold in the winter nor particularly windy.  In fact, I don't recall it ever actually getting below freezing, although I'm sure it does sometimes.  Now rain, Whidbey gets its share.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

East of the Rockies in WA and OR won't be wet - just the opposite. Mostly sunny weather.  But it's hotter in  the summer and colder in the winter. Still an relatively easy drive to the coastal areas, though. Check out Wenatchee and Moses Lake, WA, for example. Nice areas, with rivers and lakes adjacent and mountains very near. Very pleasant summers except for a couple hot weeks in late August. Northern Idaho is just a short drive too.

 

[Tom and Margi]

I scratched my head until I realized you probably meant east of the Cascades rather than the Rockies. 
Also, the Willamette Valley and the Umpqua Basin in Oregon get less wind and rain than the coast.  However, we still get quite a bit of rain. There's a reason our university athletic teams are the Ducks and the Beavers.  You can reach the coast in about an hour from most valley or basin locations.

 

[Wendy]

What about Bend Oregon in the summer then head south for the winter ? That's what Mom & Dad used to do. And you can head over the mountains in the summer if you're wanting time on the coast.

Don't skip Colorado, it's a pretty nice state.

Just curious, why bail out of California at this point ? Aren't things improving there now ?

 

[Water Dog]

What about Bend Oregon in the summer then head south for the winter ? That's what Mom & Dad used to do. And you can head over the mountains in the summer if you're wanting time on the coast.

Don't skip Colorado, it's a pretty nice state.

Just curious, why bail out of California at this point ? Aren't things improving there now ?

My wife and I are both native to CA, and as soon as she retires next year, we're leaving. We hate to give up the climate, but the economics are so bad compared to other states, it's just not worth living here any longer. Taxes and fees just keep going up higher and higher.

 

[Lou Schneider]

Don't believe the hype about Sequim's climate.  Yes, there's often a "blue hole" in the clouds directly overhead and during the summer the wild grasses turn golden like in California, but at that lattitude the sun is so low in the sky it's usually hidden behind the surrounding clouds.

Port Townsend is on the edge of that rain shadow and averages about half of Seattle's total rainfall.  PT has about the same annual rainfall as San Francisco, but the two aren't anywhere near comparable.  While SF gets it's rain in a series of heavy storms over the winter and is dry the rest of the year, PT's weather is almost constantly wet and damp.

To put things in perspective, in California when it rains in the morning, has a break in the rain midday, then rains again in the afternoon it's called a rainy day.  In Washington it's called a sunny day and the TV forecasters highlight when the sun will peek out so people can plan their outdoor activities accordingly.

Their 3-4 week summer can bring spectacular sunny weather, but the rest of the year you'll be taking Vitamin D supplements.

 

[BLAKDUKE]

I have long time friends that live in Bend Oregon. Around Nov 1 they take of and go to Benson Ariz. for the winter.
One of these days I plan to visit them in either place, but first I have to resolve the money problems.

 

[Tom and Margi]

Lou makes a really good point about the amount and timing of the rain.  We lived in the foothills above Redding for about ten years.  We got as much rain in a season as we do here in Oregon.  However, we would get rain an inch to three inches at a time in Northern California.  In the Umpqua Basin it's a real event if we get more than a quarter to half an inch at a time. 

 

[Oscar Mike]

We have a place in Roseburg, OR that we will move to one day. We had to buy a place for my MIL who failed to plan for her retirement that we will occupy in the summertime after her passing. I really love the Umpqua Basin.

 

[murphysranch]

As soon as our housing market improved here in the CA foothills, we're outa CA and off to Grants Pass, OR. Some rain, some seasons, rivers, and lower property taxes. 1.23% of the value of the home at the most recent transaction has been horrible to deal with for us.

 

[bucks2]

Someone is sure to point you to the actual statistics sooner or later and you'll find that it isn't the amount of rain in western WA that is the trouble. It's the gray skies day after day after day. Many places have more rain. Not many places have as little blue sky time.

Ken

 

[ArdraF]

Have you considered no-income-tax states like Nevada?

ArdraF

 

[arcticfox2005]

Have you considered no-income-tax states like Nevada?

Also, Wyoming is a no-state-income-tax-state. Where we are in Star Valley, sales tax is low (5%), but vehicle license plates are high. They have to get revenue from somewhere, so you pick what's in your best interest.

Bill

 

[Possum]

Try Sequim WA across from Victoria BC to see if it is to your liking. Supposedly a very dry (for the Pacific Northwet) city in the northern part of the state.

 

[bucks2]

This article speaks to the heart of the WA state problem.    http://www.komonews.com/weather/faq/4348261.html

"SEATTLE - Well, sort of.
Seattle ranks behind a lot of cities when it comes to annual rainfall totals. Chicago, Dallas, and Miami, among others, all get more rain per year than Seattle's 37 inches.

But that's because while it indeed rains a lot here, it doesn't rain very heavily. It could rain all day here, and we'll pick up maybe 0.10" of rain. Meanwhile, a 20-minute thunderstorm in Miami could drop 0.75" of rain.

On the other hand, our area is still the champ when it comes to number of cloudy days. Seattle ranks in the top 5 nationally 226 cloudy days per year behind Anchorage, Forks, Astoria and Olympia. We're in the top 20 with 140 days of measurable rain."

Three of the top 5 cloudy day cities are in WA. Astoria OR is across the Columbia river from WA, and Anchorage is 1500 miles away. Sequim, while it is in the rain shadow is only about 60 miles away from Forks, one of the top 5 cloudy day leaders.

Go south in the winter and avoid the clouds.

Ken

 

[Molaker]

This article speaks to the heart of the WA state problem.    http://www.komonews.com/weather/faq/4348261.html

"SEATTLE - Well, sort of.
Seattle ranks behind a lot of cities when it comes to annual rainfall totals. Chicago, Dallas, and Miami, among others, all get more rain per year than Seattle's 37 inches.

But that's because while it indeed rains a lot here, it doesn't rain very heavily. It could rain all day here, and we'll pick up maybe 0.10" of rain. Meanwhile, a 20-minute thunderstorm in Miami could drop 0.75" of rain.

On the other hand, our area is still the champ when it comes to number of cloudy days. Seattle ranks in the top 5 nationally 226 cloudy days per year behind Anchorage, Forks, Astoria and Olympia. We're in the top 20 with 140 days of measurable rain."

Three of the top 5 cloudy day cities are in WA. Astoria OR is across the Columbia river from WA, and Anchorage is 1500 miles away. Sequim, while it is in the rain shadow is only about 60 miles away from Forks, one of the top 5 cloudy day leaders.

Go south in the winter and avoid the clouds.

Ken

Go solar, Seattle.  ;D

 

[Frizlefrak]

No state income tax?  Nice climate?  Friendly people?  Fantastic food? Lots to do?

Texas.