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Port Angeles,
Washington Retirement
| Retirees come to
Port Angeles, located along the stunning Olympic
Peninsula in north western Washington, for its amazing
scenery, reasonable cost of living (for a waterfront
town), cool climate and its very good medical facility,
the Olympic Medical Center. The city
is home to about 20,000 people and looks out over the
Strait of Juan de Fuca. A nautical character is
palpable, and residents are evenly split between
Republicans and Democrats. Most folks are working
class, and Port Angeles retains its authenticity.
Of the population, 42% of residents are age 45 or
better.
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The cost of living is roughly 5% above the national
average, and the median home price is approximately
$200,000. Residences come in various architectural
styles, including standard ranch-style homes and
traditional bi-levels.
Port Angeles sits in the rain shadow of the Olympic
Mountains and therefore receives substantially less
rain, roughly 25 inches per year, than other parts of
the Washington coast. The climate is cool but not
overly humid. On the comfort index, a combination
of temperature and humidity, the city ranks well above
the national average. Thanks to the coastal
locale, extreme climate fluctuations do not happen
here. Summer temperatures are in the 60s and 70s,
and winter temperatures are in the 30s and 40s.
The sun shines just 135 days of the year, though.
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looking for a place to retire, people often consider the
local medical facilities (or they should).
Olympic Medical Center has just 78 beds, but it is
accredited by the Joint Commission and is a Level III
adult trauma center. Both Medicaid and Medicare
patients are accepted.
A strong sense of community, summer concerts, a good
parks and recreation department, attention to the senior
population, with a Senior Center and a good menu of
activities, are all Port Angeles highlights.
The Waterfront Trail, accessible from many different
points, follows around the harbor and offers gorgeous
views of the water. Downtown boasts cute
shops and restaurants, and there is a ferry to Victoria,
British Columbia when the amenities of a larger city are
needed.
The crime rate in Port Angles is slightly above the
national average, but not worryingly so.
With its maritime charm, low key character, good
medical facility and attention to its mature
demographic, Port Angeles should be a town at the top of
the list when it is time to find a great place to
retire.
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