Sequim, WA

Sequim’s city page lists combined local sales tax at 8.9%, which includes the Transportation Benefit District (City of Sequim^[1]). Washington has no state personal income tax, so there is no state income-tax burden for retirees to plan around (Washington Department of Revenue^{[2?] (unconfirmed source)}). Clallam County assessor records show city and county property-tax levies are a meaningful part of ownership costs, and recent parcel examples in Sequim show city levy components alongside school and county levies (Clallam County Assessor & Treasurer^[3]). For a nice move-in-ready single-family home, the retiree target here is roughly in the mid-$600Ks rather than the low-$500Ks, based on local census-style housing context and the market being well above the national norm for a small community (US Census Data^[4]).

Olympic Medical Center is the main regional hospital serving Sequim residents, and its official directory places the hospital in Port Angeles at 939 Caroline Street with a Level III trauma designation (Olympic Medical Center / Chamber listing^[5]). Olympic Medical Center also runs a Sequim primary-care clinic and Sequim laboratory services, so routine care can stay local even when higher-acuity care is elsewhere (OMP Primary Care Clinic - Sequim^[6], Laboratory Services^[7]). Medicare Care Compare confirms Olympic Medical Center as a Medicare hospital in the area, which is the key federal reference point for seniors evaluating access (Medicare Care Compare^[8]).

NOAA normals for Sequim show about 16.85 inches of annual precipitation, with July around 0.51 inches and November around 2.64 inches (NOAA NCEI^[9]). Seasonal temperatures are mild, with average July highs near 70°F and December lows near 32°F (Plain Climate^[10]). Sequim also gets about 146 clear or partly cloudy days per year, which supports a long comfortable outdoor season for golf and walking (VS Weather^[11]).

A local FBI-based summary for Sequim reports a violent-crime rate of 106.5 per 100,000 and a property-crime rate of 153.9 per 100,000, both computed over the 2019 to 2024 period (Crime Explorer^[12]). That source says violent crime is 0.3% above the national average while property crime is 5.9% below it, and it describes violent crime as trending downward over the period (Crime Explorer^[12]). Because FBI UCR/NIBRS reporting is voluntary and often incomplete after 2021, these figures should be treated as directional rather than exhaustive even though they are the best available city-level proxy here (FBI Crime Data Explorer^{[13?] (unconfirmed source)}).

Sequim’s median listing price is $604K and it is down 11.77% year over year in the city-level market snapshot (Realtor.com^[14]). Homes are taking a median of 60 days on market, which suggests a workable but not ultra-fast resale market for retirees who want to buy and later sell (Realtor.com^[14]). Sequim also has clearly established age-restricted or active-adult options, including Jennies Meadow, a 55+ community with 202 single-family resale homes, Sunland Golf and Country Club, a 55+ community with about 700 single-family detached resale homes, and Lavender Meadows, a 55+ manufactured-home community (ActiveAdultLiving^[15]) (ActiveAdultLiving^[16]) (Lavender Meadows^[17]).

The nearest commercial airport for Sequim-area travelers is William R. Fairchild International Airport in Port Angeles, which is the practical regional gateway rather than a major hub (AirNav KCLM context via nearby airports^{[18?] (unconfirmed source)}). Nearby instrument-airport references also show closer airfields and the Port Angeles airport as the most relevant commercial option for scheduled service and regional connections (AirNav WA59^{[18?] (unconfirmed source)}, AirNav 2WA1^[19]). For major hub access, most retirees will still rely on Seattle rather than expecting extensive direct flights from the peninsula.

WA Golf lists three Sequim-area courses as participating venues: Sky Ridge Golf Course, Sunland Golf Club, and The Cedars at Dungeness (WA Golf Youth on Course courses^[20]). That makes Sequim a credible golf town for retirees, with public or semi-private play available close to home instead of requiring long drives to the next market. Beyond golf, the town’s low rainfall and mild temperatures support hiking, beach walks, and year-round outdoor use more than winter sports, since skiing is a drive away on the Olympic Peninsula and beyond (NOAA NCEI^{[21?] (unconfirmed source)}).

Census-style data for Sequim show a population around 8,161 and a median age of 62.6, which is far older than the U.S. median and signals a retiree-heavy market (US Census Data^[4]). The city also reports a median household income of $52,977, reinforcing that Sequim is a modest-income, non-luxury community rather than an upscale resort town (US Census Data^[4]). Sequim’s official city demographics page places total population at about 8,125 and median age at 53.6, which is another reminder that local estimates can vary by source year, but either way the town is small and older than average (City of Sequim^[22]).

FEMA’s county-level National Risk Index coverage, as summarized in a county hazard review, gives Clallam County an overall risk score of 89.7 out of 100, with earthquake and riverine flooding among the more meaningful modeled hazards, while wildfire is rated very low in the county-wide model (Clallam County NRI summary^[23]). Clallam County also states that the Olympic Region Clean Air Agency and EPA monitor local air quality, and an ORCAA study notes Sequim’s air is generally good on average, though summer PM2.5 can rise compared with nearby areas (Clallam County Air Quality^[24], ORCAA report^[25]). For a Sequim buyer, the practical takeaway is that wildfire smoke can still affect seasonal comfort even if modeled wildfire risk is low, while earthquake preparedness and insurance planning matter more than in many inland retirement towns (Clallam County NRI summary^[23]).