Spokane vs Tri Cities vs Clarkston-Lewiston metro areas for retirement (Walla Walla: sales, home)

[Sue628]

Hello All - My husband and I will be retiring in about 8-9 years. We currently live in (and have lived for a good 25+ years) in the the Portland OR metro area. I would like to know opinions on these 3 areas, or any other potential areas to check out. I think I want a metro area of around at least 40-50K around us for access to services. We plan to start looking at some different places in WA. We are looking at these metro areas because they seem big enough. We like a 'county" feel, but not too remote (I want internet and cell service). Willing to live within about a half hour of a town (will be retired so commute not an issue)
Want to be close enough to grocery stores (reasonably priced, like a Winco, Walmart, Fred Meyer, Costco. I dont want a Safeway/Alberstons/IGA to be my only choice- they are way more expensive) and restaurants and medical care since we will be getting older. We do not want to live "downtown" anywhere. (I prefer an older home I have to update than new in a subdivision with neighbors 10 feet away)
We definitely want to move to WA to retire due to no state income tax. We are not big spenders and there is no way we will purchase enough to cost us in sales tax in a year what we would pay in OR state income tax so we are looking to relocate. I would like some comparisons and honest opinions about these areas or other possibilities.
It has gotten gross here. Tons of homeless camped all over. And housing prices are ridiculous, as well as property taxes. We don't mind the weather here (the rain or gray skies here in Portland metro) but dont like the really hot- like around 100 or lots of snow. If it is hot once in awhile we can hide inside in AC, but dont want it constantly hot. I dont mind a little snow as long as it melts and goes away in a few days. I don't want feet of it or it to stick around for weeks or months. I hate the Ice and freezing rain we sometimes get - we are on the eastside of the metro area so closer to the Columbia Gorge and we get the 'east winds' as they are called and ice in winter.
We went to Tri Cities this past summer in Aug and camped in our travel trailer for a week and loved the area there. Very different. Nice & clean (we didn't see one homeless camp). Roads were nice (not filled with potholes) and traffic was easy to get around. Clarkston is on the list because it seems big enough metro area- but have not been there yet. (Will not live in Idaho. Want to avoid having our income taxed. We would be paying $4K-$5K per year if stay in OR)

[rumi79]

Spokane's snow won't be to your liking. I am not sure about the other areas you have mentioned as I have not lived there, only visited.

[ejisme]

I'm more familiar with the Tri-Cities and the Walla Walla area. Some of the small towns outside of Walla Walla could be nice, with shopping and medical in Walla Walla or Tri-Cities. Then if you need to buy something big jump across the boarder to Milton Freewater or Pendleton.

[pnwguy2]

TriCities snow is usually just a few inches, but can be much more depending on how the storms set up. It seems heavy snow can occur here but it isn’t normal. I would say 1 out of every 5 years brings it.