The Best Seattle Suburbs for Retirees: Shoreline, Edmonds, and Beyond
The Best Seattle Suburbs for Retirees: Shoreline, Edmonds, and Beyond
Some people want water. Some people want mountains. Here's an honest walk through both, plus who to call if downsizing itself is the part you need help with.
Where to Start Looking
If waterfront and Puget Sound views are the priority, Edmonds is the clearest match in this region, with Shoreline as a strong neighboring alternative and Bellingham as an out-of-area comparison point. If mountains are more your speed, Issaquah Highlands, North Bend, and Leavenworth each offer a different flavor of that. And if downsizing itself, not just the destination, is the challenge, I'd point you to a specialist rather than guess my way through it.
Here's what I would say about that. If I were planning my own retirement chapter, there are a handful of places I'd genuinely love to own a home in. And the honest answer isn't one place, it depends entirely on what kind of view you want to wake up to.
If You Want Water: Edmonds, Shoreline, and Bellingham
At the extreme end, Bellingham would be one. That's not an area I regularly service as an agent, but my cousin does, and every time I visit him I'm blown away by the waterfront and view homes up there. It's worth knowing about even though it's outside my direct service area.
A city close to Bothell with a similar vibe is Edmonds. You can find waterview homes there with incredible Puget Sound views, and all the things that come with living in Edmonds, which I've written about plenty. Neighboring Shoreline is also a great place to look for those kinds of homes, though without quite the same direct waterfront experience that Edmonds and Bellingham offer.
Edmonds has a walkable downtown, Edmonds-Kingston ferry access, and a genuine small-town-on-the-water feel that a lot of people picture when they think about this chapter of life. I've covered the neighborhood in more depth in what it's really like to live in Edmonds, WA. Shoreline sits just south, with easier Sound Transit light rail access into Seattle and a slightly different price point, which I've broken down in the Shoreline, WA real estate guide. And if you're weighing the two head to head, or comparing them against Mukilteo's ferry-town feel, I've put that comparison together as well in Mukilteo vs. Edmonds.
Curious What Edmonds Actually Feels Like Day to Day?
I've written extensively about life in Edmonds beyond just the real estate numbers.
Read: What Is It Like to Live in Edmonds, WA?If You Want Mountains: Issaquah Highlands, North Bend, and Leavenworth
Now, this is all assuming everyone wants to retire on the water, and that's simply not the case. Some people love mountains, and this region has real options for that too.
Mountain-Oriented Alternatives
- Issaquah Highlands is within my regular service area, a master-planned community at the base of the Issaquah Alps with direct trail access and a genuine mountain-adjacent feel while staying close to Eastside amenities.
- North Bend sits further east along I-90, closer to the Cascade foothills under Mount Si, with a smaller-town feel. This falls outside my regular service area, so I'd want to connect you with someone who works that market directly if it's where you land.
- Leavenworth is the furthest option here, a Bavarian-themed mountain town over Stevens Pass in the Cascade Mountains. It's also outside my regular service area, but worth knowing about if a genuine mountain-town lifestyle, not just a mountain view, is the goal.
Downsizing Itself Is a Different Skill
Here's something I want to be straight with you about. I do not specialize in downsizing for retirees. That's a specific skill set, coordinating a sale, a move, and often decades of belongings all at once, and it deserves someone who's built their practice around it.
Who I'd Actually Recommend
For that specific piece of the process, I'd highly recommend my friend and genuinely excellent agent, Tiffanie Rinehart, over at John L. Scott. She has a real heart for that work, and it shows in how she handles it.
Visit Tiffanie Rinehart, John L. ScottI'd rather point you to the right person than try to be everything to everyone. While I may not always be the best agent for a specific situation, I'm always happy to consult, guide, and help anyone who reaches out, even if the actual transaction ends up with someone else.
If water is the priority for your retirement chapter, Edmonds offers the clearest match in this region, with Shoreline as a strong nearby alternative and Bellingham worth knowing about even though it's outside my service area. If mountains are more your speed, Issaquah Highlands is the option I can walk you through directly, with North Bend and Leavenworth as further-out alternatives. And if the downsizing process itself is the real challenge, Tiffanie Rinehart is who I'd call.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best Seattle-area suburb for retirees who want waterfront views?
Edmonds, WA offers some of the clearest waterview and waterfront home options in the Seattle area, with Puget Sound views and a walkable, small-town downtown. Neighboring Shoreline is a strong alternative with a somewhat different price point, and Bellingham, further north and outside most Seattle-area agents' direct service territory, is worth considering if you're open to looking beyond the immediate Puget Sound region. Explore our Edmonds real estate guide for more details.
Is Shoreline a good alternative to Edmonds for retirement?
Shoreline is a strong alternative to Edmonds for buyers who want a similar North End location without needing a direct waterfront property, and it offers easier light rail access into Seattle. The main tradeoff is that Shoreline doesn't offer quite the same waterfront experience that Edmonds provides. Read our full Shoreline real estate guide for neighborhood breakdowns.
What if I want mountains instead of water for retirement near Seattle?
Issaquah Highlands offers a mountain-adjacent lifestyle with direct trail access to the Issaquah Alps while staying close to Eastside amenities, and it's within most Eastside agents' regular service area. North Bend and Leavenworth offer a more remote, deeper mountain-town experience further east, though both typically fall outside a Seattle-area agent's regular service territory, so working with someone local to those markets is worth considering.
Does Aaron Robinson help clients downsize for retirement?
Aaron Robinson does not specialize specifically in downsizing for retirees and instead refers that work to Tiffanie Rinehart of John L. Scott, an agent with dedicated experience in that process. Aaron remains available to consult, guide, or answer questions for anyone who reaches out, even in situations where he ultimately isn't the right agent for the transaction itself.
Which Seattle-area retirement suburbs are outside a typical Eastside agent's service area?
Bellingham, North Bend, and Leavenworth are generally outside the typical service territory of a Seattle-Eastside focused agent, even though all three offer appealing retirement lifestyles. Buyers interested in these markets are usually better served working with an agent local to that specific area, while still using a Seattle-area agent's guidance for comparison and general direction.
Figuring Out Your Retirement Chapter?
Whether it's Edmonds, Shoreline, Issaquah Highlands, or somewhere I'd point you elsewhere for, I'm happy to talk through it with you.
Talk to Aaron
