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Walla Walla, Washington

What It Is Like to Retire in Walla walla

Walla Walla is the county seat of Walla Walla County in southeastern Washington. It is home to one of the top small private colleges in the country, Whitman College. With just over 34,000 residents (2020), it is a reasonable size and growing steadily. It makes an excellent retirement community - in fact Money Magazine at one point ranked it as the #1 place to retire in the country! The Walla Walla area, infamous for an Indian massacre of white settlers in frontier days, now boasts wineries and the world famous Walla Walla onions. The charming downtown is being restored with bookstores, cute shops and restaurants. The main street is like that of Salt Lake City,wide enough to turn a wagon around in. Quiet residential streets and multiple parks give this small city a very livable quality. There are so many wineries in the area (over 100) it is being called by some as the Napa of the North. Some of those include Dunham, L'Ecole and Woodward Canyon. Photo of a wheat field in Walla Walla courtesy of Wikipedia and Jason W Lacey (public domain), photo of Sterling Bank in one of the renovated buildings in the "Great Neighborhood, courtesy of Wikipedia and Squarestate7, Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0/ For more information on what it is like to retire in Washington State. Here are our reviews of Bellingham, San Juan Islands, Olympia, and Seattle as retirement communities.

Where to Retire in Walla walla and Home Prices

Active adults 55+ are attracted to Walla Walla because of its relatively mild weather, parks, ample housing opportunities, and beautiful environment. There is at least one 55+ development in the area. Home prices are in a great range, depending on location and type. Property values are still reasonable by Washingon State standards. Zillow.com reports the median home value in Walla Walla was $397,087 in mid-2023.

What Is Special about Walla walla

• Beautiful setting – a desert surrounded by hills and mountains • College town atmosphere • Proximity to the Columbia River and great scenery • Its wineries bring lots of tourists to the area • Livable downtown and small town feel

What Is Not Special about Walla walla

• It is far from anything • Could become a small world unless you like living in small town

Who Will Like Retirement in Walla walla

Residents of the town come from all spectrums. Retirees who like living in a college town are attracted here. Prosperous farmers from this area find this town the center of the area.

Local Economy Is Driven by

The town is the regional commercial center for a large geographical area. Whitman College, business, tourism are important. Its wineries are a major contributor to the economy.

Climate and Physical Environment

Walla Walla is situated in the golden rolling hills of southeastern Washington. The Columbia River valley passes nearby. Being in eastern Washington, Walla Walla has quite a different climate than Seattle. It is colder in winter and much drier, summers are warmer. Average Jan. temperature is in mid 30's, average July temperature is in low 70s.

Restaurants & Cultural Scene

Whitman College provides a continuous cultural background for the community. In addition, the town offers a variety of festivals. There are bookstores and art galleries, and 6 libraries within the area. The Whitman Mission historical site is interesting. The Walla Walla Valley supports a number of fine and performing arts institutions including the Walla Walla Valley Bands, Walla Walla Symphony, Walla Walla Choral Society and The Little Theater.