Whidbey Island, Washington

What It Is Like to Retire in Whidbey island

Whidbey Island in Puget Sound is connected by a bridge to the mainland of the State of Washington. It is the largest island in the contiguous United States. The major towns in this island of 58,000 include Oak Harbor, Coupeville, Langley, Greenbank, Freeland.  It is a relaxing and charming place to live with a very moderate climate.  Because it is only connected to the mainland by a bridge on its north and the ferry to the south, Whidbey Island tends to be a relaxed place to live and retire where one can appreciate the scenery and abundant water.

Where to Retire in Whidbey island and Home Prices

There is at least one active adult community on Whidbey Island. According to Zillow.com, the median sale price of a home in Island County was $567,932, in mid-2023.

What Is Special about Whidbey island

Whidbey Island is a spectacularly beautiful place to live. The scenery and recreation are tops, and so are its small towns.

What Is Not Special about Whidbey island

Whidbey is hard to get to and can be insular.

Who Will Like Retirement in Whidbey island

People looking for a low key retirement near the water.

Local Economy Is Driven by

Tourism is important. And so is the Navy Base.

Climate and Physical Environment

Whidbey is one of 9 islands on the northern border of Puget Sound, north of Seattle. The average July high temperature is 66 and the average January low is 35. The wettest month is November (3").

Restaurants & Cultural Scene

There are several festivals on Whidbey Island including the Island County Fair and Langley's Mystery Weekend in March or February. Skagit Valley College has a campus located in Oak Harbor, and a limited service campus in South Whidbey.

Crime

Medical facilities

Whidbey General Hospital serves the islands.

Transportation

One bridge connects Whidbey at its northern end to the mainland, the Deception Pass Bridge on State Route 20.  There is ferry service to Port Townsend. Public transportation is provided by Island Transit, which provides a zero-fare bus service.

Valuable Links

Wikipedia page for Whidbey IslandTourism and Visitors Information