Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are great Japanese markets in Seattle!

Uwajimaya has everything! We get our Chinese and Malaysian stuff there. Plus treats from Hawaii.

I first found it in 2002 when on a vacation. I was amazed and loved shopping there so much!

Anonymous wrote:There are great Japanese markets in Seattle!

Uwajimaya has everything! We get our Chinese and Malaysian stuff there. Plus treats from Hawaii.

I live in Seattle. It’s expensive, but filled with retired Asian people and even more so in the suburbs. If your parents could afford to buy a place in the suburbs, they’d probably love it. It’s an introverts dream but also a great place to be Asian. Bellingham is a great town as a PP mentioned, and filled with retirees, very scenic, and with a nice University town vibe, but really white. The Tacoma area gets a bit red but is more affordable and has lots of pockets of retired aunties and uncles.

I’ve lived in Dallas and the north Dallas suburbs are affordable and have big pockets of Asians of all kinds. It’s dry and shockingly hot in the summer- not humid, though. That’s Houston.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:About to retire within a year or two. Both introverts and don't need/want a lot of social interactions with other people. Politically, left leaning Independents. Want to avoid high COL/populated area. Any thoughts? I am wondering if some place like Washington State.

Blue states only

Red will not be safe

Some of the blue states have areas riddled with crime

But you can find safe cities in blue states.

Red state politics affect the whole state.

Anonymous wrote:From your list, if lower COL and less snow are important, I would do Cary or Richmond though I’m not a fan of white, southern culture. Both areas have decent amenities, educated people, arts, etc.

Personally, I may just suck it up and rent in Southern California.

Richmond is like 45 % Black but not many Asians.

https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/richmondcityvirginia/PST045222

Cary has a lot of Asians. 20%; 63% white

https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/carytownnorthcarolina/PST045222

Anonymous wrote:If you can tolerate dry but hot summers and want no income tax, check out DFW suburbs of McKinney, Frisco, Plano, Coppell, Allen, which are surprisingly very diverse, and access to excellent medical care.

I thought Dallas was humid in the summers. They have those thunderstorms in the afternoon like we do in the DC area.

From your list, if lower COL and less snow are important, I would do Cary or Richmond though I’m not a fan of white, southern culture. Both areas have decent amenities, educated people, arts, etc.

Personally, I may just suck it up and rent in Southern California.

There are great Japanese markets in Seattle!

Anonymous wrote:If you read Crying in HMart it might make you realize how difficult it is to live in an area without a good Asian grocery, if you like Asian food. She was from Washington or Oregon I believe.

yep, I'm the PP with the list of cities. I went to the HMart and Lotte sight (I'm Korean American), and looked at all the cities that had these stores.

I've spent many hours looking at where we can retire.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What about further north in Washington State, maybe Bellingham or a bit further north with Vancouver as your city hub/airport? Vancouver is a lovely diverse city, with over 30% Asian population.

I don’t think Vancouver is low COL?

No, Vancouver is not low COL but northern Washington state- Bellingham (larger suburb) or Blaine (closer to Vancouver) are.

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/581-Cherry-Street-Blaine-WA-98230/23648187_zpid/

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/4334-Indigo-Lane-UNIT-33-Bellingham-WA-98226/247693124_zpid/

Except for the high COL I don’t mind the dc-area. We are still a long way from retirement but I’m keeping it on my list of possibilities to stay out.

If you can tolerate dry but hot summers and want no income tax, check out DFW suburbs of McKinney, Frisco, Plano, Coppell, Allen, which are surprisingly very diverse, and access to excellent medical care.

Anonymous wrote:As an Asian that used to live in Philly, I didn't find it that hospitable or welcoming, although it does have some Asian areas. But a diverse suburb of it could be fine, in the wealthier areas of the Main Line.

I'm an Asian who grew up in the Main Line. There are lots of Asians there. My parents retired to SoCal though, because they couldn't handle all the snow when they became old. Some years there would be no snow, but others there would be several feet, and that became harder to handle.

Anonymous wrote:If you read Crying in HMart it might make you realize how difficult it is to live in an area without a good Asian grocery, if you like Asian food. She was from Washington or Oregon I believe.

Um, OP already told us that.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:About to retire within a year or two. Both introverts and don't need/want a lot of social interactions with other people. Politically, left leaning Independents. Want to avoid high COL/populated area. Any thoughts? I am wondering if some place like Washington State.

Blue states only

Red will not be safe

Some of the blue states have areas riddled with crime