With more than 300 days of sunshine and less than 8 inches of rain annually, Richland attracts plenty of retirees from soggy Seattle, which is a three-and-a-half-hour drive to the northwest. The climate has given rise to a burgeoning wine industry, with 160 wineries within an hour’s drive. Local breweries, distilleries and cideries also use locally grown crops as ingredients. It’s one of 10 small or midsize cities we found that offer first-class health care.
Richland stats
Population: 56,200
What $300,000 will buy: 3-bedroom, 2.5-bath, 1,900-square-foot home with a master suite and a two-car garage
Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free E-Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
Best place to exercise: Sacagawea Heritage Trail
5-star hospital*: Kadlec Regional Medical Center
Located at the confluence of the Columbia and Yakima rivers, Richland boomed during World War II as thousands of workers came to produce plutonium for the Manhattan Project. Richland is still a center of scientific research and home to the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and other facilities.
Outdoor recreation is big. The Columbia River is a playground for all sorts of aquatic activities. Richland has two marinas, one public and one private, as well as a private yacht club on the Columbia. The Sacagawea Heritage Trail, named for the lone woman on the Lewis and Clark expedition, provides 23 miles of paved loop trail for walking and biking along the Columbia.
Locals enjoy the Parkway shopping area, home to a farmers-and-artisans market in the summer. Nearby is John Dam Plaza, where the Community Stage, an outdoor performance venue, hosts local performing arts groups, movies and a summer concert series with live music, food vendors and—no surprise—a beer and wine garden.
The median home price in Richland is $310,000. Retirees from Seattle who have sold a home there can often pay cash to get a nice place near things they want to do. For many, that means a home next to the river or in a golf-course community, says real estate agent Jeff Smart. You can rent a two-bedroom apartment or condo for about $1,100 to $1,200 a month.
The region is the health care hub of eastern Washington, with three large hospital systems: Kadlec Regional Medical Center in Richland, Lourdes Health in Pasco and Trios Health in Kennewick. Kadlec has an open-heart surgery and interventional cardiology program, an intensive-care unit, a neuroscience center, and health care providers in numerous specialties.
Washington has no state income tax, so retirees don’t have to worry about state taxes on retirement income, pensions or Social Security benefits. The state has an estate tax on estates valued at more than $2.19 million.
The Tri-Cities Airport offers direct daily flights to Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Denver, Salt Lake City and Minneapolis.
* Rating developed by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
-
Here's How To Get Organized And Work For YourselfWhether you’re looking for a side gig or planning to start your own business, it has never been easier to strike out on your own. Here is our guide to navigating working for yourself.
-
How to Manage Risk With Diversification"Don't put all your eggs in one basket" means different things to different investors. Here's how to manage your risk with portfolio diversification.
-
457 Plan Contribution Limits for 2025Retirement plans There are higher 457 plan contribution limits for state and local government workers in 2025 than in 2024.
-
Medicare Basics: 11 Things You Need to KnowMedicare There's Medicare Part A, Part B, Part D, Medigap plans, Medicare Advantage plans and so on. We sort out the confusion about signing up for Medicare — and much more.
-
The Seven Worst Assets to Leave Your Kids or Grandkidsinheritance Leaving these assets to your loved ones may be more trouble than it’s worth. Here's how to avoid adding to their grief after you're gone.
-
SEP IRA Contribution Limits for 2024 and 2025SEP IRA A good option for small business owners, SEP IRAs allow individual annual contributions of as much as $69,000 in 2024 and $70,000 in 2025..
-
Roth IRA Contribution Limits for 2024 and 2025Roth IRAs Roth IRA contribution limits have gone up. Here's what you need to know.
-
SIMPLE IRA Contribution Limits for 2024 and 2025simple IRA The SIMPLE IRA contribution limit increased by $500 for 2025. Workers at small businesses can contribute up to $16,500 or $20,000 if 50 or over and $21,750 if 60-63.
-
457 Contribution Limits for 2024
retirement plans State and local government workers can contribute more to their 457 plans in 2024 than in 2023.
-
Roth 401(k) Contribution Limits for 2025retirement plans The Roth 401(k) contribution limit for 2024 is increasing, and workers who are 50 and older can save even more.
