Population: 608,660

Median home price: $361,000, down 24% from the market peak

An increasing number of retirees are opting to trade in sun and golf for life in the big city and the convenience of having stores and amenities in close proximity. Places like Denver, San Diego, and even New York City are seeing an influx of the over-65 set. When it comes to city living, though, it’s hard to beat Seattle for its size, quality of life, culture, and abundance of outdoor activities. For those who want to continue to work, it’s particularly ideal: The area is home to Microsoft (MSFT) and Amazon.com (AMZN), as well as plenty of startups hungry for your business advice.

While cities are inherently rich in cultural offerings, Seattle is truly a mecca for the arts: One survey found that it had more arts-related businesses and organizations per capita than any other city in the country. That ethos has created options like the Olympic Sculpture Park on Puget Sound (below), a robust symphony, and a Frank Gehry–designed music museum.

Despite its size, Seattle maintains a small-town feel; the city is a collection of neighborhoods with strong identities. Much of the city is populated by Craftsman-style homes from the 1920s on tree-lined streets, but during the housing boom, developers overbuilt downtown, so now there’s a glut of condos, says Mike Skahen, president of Lake & Co. Real Estate. That means there are bargains to be had. On the islands in Puget Sound and in nearby suburbs, developers like the Cottage Co. have been putting up what they call “pocket neighborhoods” — small enclaves of 18 or 20 homes, with front porches facing each other across a commons to foster socializing.

Another benefit of urban living is access to health care; Seattle shines, with top-rated facilities including Northwest Hospital, which has a geropsychiatric center designed to address health issues connected to aging.

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Portland. Ore. Seattle’s Northwest sibling has great public transportation, easy access to the mountains, and a burgeoning foodie scene — plus, real estate prices are still falling.

New York. If you can afford it, N.Y.C. has no equal when it comes to culture — and in the past decade, its population of 55- to 64-year-olds has surged 30%.

4 GREAT PLACE TO RETIRE

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