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| What Bellingham is like for active adults |
If there was ever a town with momentum it is Bellingham Washington. It was just rated the #2 City & Metropolitan area in the country in “Cities Ranked and Rated”. Kiplinger’s called Bellingham one of the top retirement communities in the U.S. Located on the northwestern coast of Washington, this city of 69,000 (180,000 in the Metro area) has several colleges and a university along with unbelievable natural scenery - the coast of Puget Sound is on the west and Mount Baker on the east. The climate is somewhat mild.
Bellis Fair Mall is a large mall that attracts many shoppers from Canada. There is a functional downtown and an active redevelopment plan for the waterfront. The Fairhaven neighborhood near the ferry has many lovely Victorian homes. Many new developments are being built to accommodate active adults. Seattle is just 78 miles away. Crime index is low.
Real estate is starting to get higher than the state average but lower than Seattle and the rest of the west coast. Home values have increased handsomely in recent years as news of the town’s desirability has reached the ears of active adults. According to Yahoo Real Estate the MLS median asking price of 1489 homes offered for sale in mid 2007 was $289,900. There were 635 homes listed in real estate classifieds with a median price of $309,900. City-Data reports the 2005 median price of a condo was $252,000.
For a list of profiles of over 190 cities and towns go to retirement community reviews, or for more information on taxes and what it is like to retire in Washington State. Here are our reviews of Walla Walla, and San Juan Islands. |
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| What is special about this community |
| • College town
• Evergreen forests and Mount Baker ski resort
• Puget Sound
• Sea to Ski Race
• Whatcom Museum of History and Art
• Whatcom Falls Park
• Village Books (independent bookstore)
• Bellingham Farmers Market |
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| What is not special about this community |
| Crime (particularly property crime) is somewhat high.
It rains a lot in winter. |
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| What kinds of people like living here |
| Bellingham attracts a community of who would like to live in a college town. Recreational opportunities provided by being adjacent to Puget Sound and the Mountains make this to one of the world’s great outdoor environments. Bellingham offers significant diversity with many native Americans, aging hippies, and college students thrown into the mix. |
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| Physical environment |
| Bellingham is in the extreme northwestern corner of Washington State, Puget Sound is on the west and Mount Baker 25 miles to the east. It sits on a coastal plain with the land rising away in coniferous forests. It rains a lot here in winter, although seldom torrentially. Google Map Bellingham |
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| Cultural environment |
| Bellingham has an active music scene that attracts many from the university. Bellingham is home to the Bellingham Theatre Guild. Whatcom Museum of History and Art sponsors art exhibitions. Western Washington University provides some university arts programs. There are 4 two year colleges in town. Restaurants are not rated highly. Pickford Cinema is the place to see movies. |
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| Medical facilities |
| There are fewer hospital beds per capita than national average. St. Joseph's Hospital is here |
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| Transportation |
| Bellingham is the maritime gateway to the San Juan Islands and Alaska. Bellingham International Airport is about 5 miles. Amtrak has a station in Bellingham. |
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Active Adult Communities in Bellingham |
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| Bellingham Active Communities |
| Facts about BELLINGHAM | | State | : WA | | Environment | : College Town,Mountains,Coastal, | | City Population | : 50,001-100,000 | | Median age of Population | : 25-44 | | Avg Jan Temperature | : 41-60 | | Median HH Income | : 20,001-40,000 | | Average Home Price (MLS) | : $200,001-$300,000 | | Annual Property Tax on a $200,000 house | : 2000-4000 | | Total Crime Index | : 111-120 (high) | | Cost of Living Index | : 101-110 (slightly above average) | | Culture Index | : 91-100 (slightly below average) | | State Sales Tax | : No | | State Income Tax | : No | | Name of the Guide | : |
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Vote on the Ratings for Bellingham |
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Total Ratings |
Overall Retirement Ratings
1. Rating: 0.0/5 ( votes cast)
Expense:
Inexpensive to Luxury
2. Rating: 0.0/5 ( votes cast)
Taxes:
Inexpensive to Expensive
3. Rating: 0.0/5 ( votes cast)
Culture:
None to Cosmopolitan
4. Rating: 0.0/5 ( votes cast)
Recreation:
None to Summer camp
5. Rating: 0.0/5 ( votes cast)
Transportation:
Boondocks to World Hub
6. Rating: 0.0/5 ( votes cast)
Security:
Dangerous to Ft. Knox
7. Rating: 0.0/5 ( votes cast)
Medical Facilities:
None to Excellent
8. Rating: 0.0/5 ( votes cast)
Political Situation:
Conservative to Liberal
9. Rating: 0.0/5 ( votes cast)
Environmental:
Oblivious to Ultra-Green
10. Rating: 0.0/5 ( votes cast)
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