Retiring in the Pacific Northwest

[Greybeard]

Well, it's almost time to hang up my work boots. I'm looking to retire in about a year and a half. I've lived on the Texas gulf coast for most of my life, but the heat, mosquitos, and hurricanes are now wearing on me. My son and his wife live near Portland and my wife and I would like to be closer to them.
Does anyone up there have any tips or warnings about retiring in Oregon or Washington? We are looking to get a place somewhere out in the country or a small town and have no desire live in any of the big cities up there.

Thanks!

 

[Salmonchaser]

Well Portland has a reputation for being a pretty screwed up city with the potential to be a really good big city. Most of my siblings live in and around the city and they survive just fine even though they are rationally conservative. Keep Portland weird is real.
Oregon has 36 counties 30 of them always vote conservative, you wouldn’t have to go far to escape the liberalism of the Portland area.
I have hunted and fished all over Oregon, quite a bit of opportunity with in a 1-5 hour drive of the City. Two of my brothers routinely kill Roosevelt elk, both live and work in Portland, neither of them ever set up a tent. Same with Black tail deer.
You’ll likely need a different boat to fish Bouy 10 for salmon than you may have used on the Gulf coast but learning to Fish from the Mengler bridge out can pay great dividends. You’ll likely catch more Kings there than if you go to Alaska. There is a lot of fishing along the entire Columbia system. Small mouth to oversized sturgeon.
Mule deer and Rocky Mountain elk hunting is the entire eastern two thirds of the state. All draw hunts for mule deer and elk, mostly. There are some OTC elk tags with decent opportunities.
Oregon will tax you’re retirement at 10%
Washington will not.
There are some great communities along the river on the Washington side as well and you’ll still be close to the kids.
I gotta go do chores. Good luck.

 

[Greybeard]

That is exactly the type of advice I'm looking for! Thanks!