10 Best Places To Live In Washington State

Washington is known as the Evergreen State and this beautiful region is becoming a very popular place to move to. This area of the northwest United States is covered with forests of beautiful evergreen trees. Pair the forest with huge mountains – including Mount Rainier – and 157 miles of Pacific Ocean coastline, and it’s easy to see why so many people are moving to this charming state. Plus, did we mention – there is no state income tax!

If you have visited Washington, it might have inspired you to start house hunting in the area. But there are many areas within the state to consider that are very different and have their own appeal. The major areas include Seattle and its suburbs, the tri-city area, and the Olympia area. Additionally, there are many small towns, both suburban and rural, that can be great places to live.

In creating our list of the best places to live in Washington state, we took into consideration such factors as crime rate, unemployment rate, monthly rent, cost of living and well-being of residents.

Looking to move to Washington, but not sure which city to plant roots in? Here’s a list of the best places to live in Washington State to help you decide.

Camas

• Population: 27,054
• Median household income: $115,993
• Median home sold price: $699,600
• Median monthly rental price: $1,214

Camas is a suburb about 25 minutes outside of Seattle, right on the Oregon border. It is a popular option for those looking for a suburban feel while still being close to the city. Camas has one of the lowest violent crime rates in our list of cities and has a reputation for top notch schools. For this reason, Camas is very popular with families.

Does Camas sound perfect for you? Be sure to check out homes for sale in Camas and read about Camas real estate trends.

Cottage Lake

• Population: 23,239
• Median household income: $162,521
• Median home sold price: $899,950
• Median monthly rental price: $2,054

Cottage Lake is another suburb of Seattle, located about 30 minutes outside of the city. This area was historically considered rural but is being built up and growing as people from Seattle spread out geographically. There is a 63-acre lake, which can be great for people who are interested in boating and freshwater sports. Cottage Lake has been ranked #1 on our list for the well-being of its residents and is a great option for those who want to be close to the city, but still live the lake life.

Does Cottage Lake sound perfect for you? Be sure to check out homes for sale in Cottage Lake and read about Cottage Lake real estate trends.

Silver Firs

• Population: 22,564
• Median household income: $131,224
• Median home sold price: $749,998
• Median monthly rental price: $2,235

Silver Firs is a suburb located about 40 minutes north of Seattle. This is a great area if you want to be close enough to commute to the city but benefit from slightly lower home prices. The Silver Firs unemployment rate is 2% – the lowest on our list of Washington Cities. It’s a great option for those working in Seattle but looking for a less expensive place to buy a home.

Does Silver Firs sound perfect for you? Be sure to check out homes for sale in Silver Firs and read about Silver Firs real estate trends.

Bainbridge Island

• Population: 24,546
• Median household income: $125,861
• Median home sold price: $780,511
• Median monthly rental price: $1,612

Bainbridge Island is a small island off the coast of Seattle, connected to Seattle via a 30-minute ferry ride. This could be a cool place to live if you like being on the water and aren’t bothered by being cut off from the rest of the world. However, that might not be the best option if you have children or a commute. This island had a unique role during World War II and has a lot of historical museums and monuments to celebrate that. Bainbridge Island ranks #1 on our list of cities for its low property crime rate, possibly because of the fact that it’s a bit difficult to get to.

Does Bainbridge Island sound perfect for you? Be sure to check out homes for sale in Bainbridge Island and read about Bainbridge Island real estate trends.

Eastmont

• Population: 22,829
• Median household income: $118,539
• Median home sold price: $650,000
• Median monthly rental price: $1,789

Eastmont is a suburb located about 40 minutes north of Seattle. It is located about 15 minutes from the Boeing campus and is therefore very popular with Boeing employees. This suburb will give you easy access to the city, with more space and home for your money compared to Seattle proper.

Does Eastmont sound perfect for you? Be sure to check out homes for sale in Eastmont and read about Eastmont real estate trends.

Bonney Lake

• Population: 22,848
• Median household income: $100,951
• Median home sold price: $617,950
• Median monthly rental price: $1,658

Bonney Lake is a suburb located 45 minutes south of Seattle. One great thing about Bonney Lake is that it has a beautiful view of Mount Rainier. It is considered a safe, family friendly area. There are many nature trails and it is great for outdoor adventurers. The commute can be a bit far, especially during rush hour, so it is best for those who don’t have to drive into Seattle too often.

Does Bonney Lake sound perfect for you? Be sure to check out homes for sale in Bonney Lake and read about Bonney Lake real estate trends.

Covington

• Population: 20,787
• Median household income: $106,737
• Median home sold price: $650,000
• Median monthly rental price: $1,845

Covington is a suburb located about 40 minutes south of Seattle. This area is considered more rural than many of the other Seattle suburbs, and the town is known for its good school system. This area could be great for those who want a laid back, rural feel, while still being within driving distance to Seattle.

Does Covington sound perfect for you? Be sure to check out homes for sale in Covington and read about Covington real estate trends.

Richland

• Population: 61,929
• Median household income: $77,981
• Median home sold price: $699,600
• Median monthly rental price: $1,128

Richland is a city in southeastern Washington. Combined with Kennewick and Pasco, it is a part of the tri-cities area. This trio of midsized cities provides for a lot of opportunities for things to do and places to go, for a robust suburban feel. It’s a great option for those who want the city feel without being in a very large city.

Does Richland sound perfect for you? Be sure to check out homes for sale in Richland and read about Richland real estate trends.

Kennewick

• Population: 84,488
• Median household income: $62,283
• Median home sold price: $355,000
• Median monthly rental price: $955

Kennewick is another city in the Washington tri-cities area. It is the largest city in the tri-city area and is easily connected to the other two cities. This connection means that there are tons of things to do and places to go, easily within a drive. Kennewick is one of the most searched Washington cities on our list – with an average of 28,000 searches per month – showing that people are interested in this city.

Does Kennewick sound perfect for you? Be sure to check out homes for sale in Kennewick and read about Kennewick real estate trends.

Pasco

• Population: 78,871
• Median household income: $64,756
• Median home sold price: $411,500
• Median monthly rental price: $927

Pasco is the final city located in the Washington tri-cities area. There are lots of outdoor activities including mountain biking, kayaking, and hiking. Its proximity to the other two tri-cities make it super convenient to access nearly any amenity you could be looking for.

Does Pasco sound perfect for you? Be sure to check out homes for sale in Pasco and read about Pasco real estate trends.

Other Popular Areas To Live In Washington

There are many great places to live in Washington and what is best for you will depend on your lifestyle. The following list of cities is not based on our metrics but included because these are popular metropolitan areas for many people who want to enjoy Washington’s outdoor lifestyle mixed with bustling city vibes.

Spokane

• Population: 229,071
• Median household income: $52,600
• Median home price: $365,106
• Median monthly rent: $905

Spokane is a larger city in eastern Washington state. Spokane has a wonderful balance of metropolitan activities – including museums and shopping – as well as outdoor- and nature-based activities. Spokane was voted one of the best cities for hikers. If you want to live in a city but have all of the outdoor activities and benefits of a more rural area, Spokane might be the right fit.

Does Spokane sound perfect for you? Be sure to check out homes for sale in Spokane and read about Spokane real estate trends.

Redmond

• Population: 76,354
• Median household income: $132,770
• Median home price: $1,177,124
• Median monthly rent: $2,009

Redmond is a suburb 25 minutes outside of Seattle and is most famously the home to Microsoft headquarters. Because of this, there is a very high cost of living and high median home price. If you are or will be working at Microsoft, the short commute might be a big appeal for you. Otherwise, it might be smart to pick a less expensive place to move to.

Does Redmond sound perfect for you? Be sure to check out homes for sale in Redmond and read about Redmond real estate trends.

Seattle

• Population: 733,919
• Median household income: $97,185
• Median home price: $834,190
• Median monthly rent: $1,702

Seattle is the largest city in Washington state. It has been named one of the best cities for young professionals to live in. Seattle has a ton of career opportunities, with lots of tech company headquarters and offices. Seattle also has a popular food scene, beautiful weather, and low allergens. Additionally, Seattle has a very low crime rate, especially compared to other cities of its size.

Does Seattle sound perfect for you? Be sure to check out homes for sale in Seattle and read about Seattle real estate trends.

Olympia

• Population: 55,919
• Median household income: $63,185
• Median home price: $414,600
• Median monthly rent: $1,199

Olympia is the capital of Washington state. It is smaller in population - and in cost of living - compared to Seattle or Tacoma. While it is a city, it is near tons of outdoor activities like hiking, kayaking, and mountain biking. It is a great option for those who want city living without the large city size that comes along with Seattle.

Does Olympia sound perfect for you? Be sure to check out homes for sale in Olympia and read about Olympia real estate trends.

Tacoma

• Population: 219,205
• Median household income: $64,457
• Median home price: $461,366
• Median monthly rent: $1,253

Tacoma is the second largest city in Washington, but it is significantly cheaper to live in than Seattle. Tacoma is only 45 minutes from Seattle, is directly on the water, and has beautiful views of Mt Rainier. Tacoma is a great option if you are looking for a city feeling without the big city budget. 

Does Tacoma sound perfect for you? Be sure to check out homes for sale in Tacoma and read about Tacoma real estate trends.

The Bottom Line: Interested In Moving To One Of The Best Cities To Live In Washington State?

Washington state is the perfect place for nature-lovers to live. You will need to decide if you want to be in or near a city, and what budget you have for a home to determine the best place to buy a home. If you are looking to buy a home in Washington, start the approval process with Rocket Mortgage^®.

Methodology: Finding The Best Places To Live In Washington

Rocket Home collected and analyzed the most recent data on twelve key local and countywide metrics to give us insight into the top cities best for living. The 70 most populated cities analyzed are home to 57.87% of U.S. residents living in The Evergreen State. To ensure readers can learn more about the cities and view homes for sale in the area, cities with Rocket Homes^SM listings and market reports were chosen for this study. The metrics used in this study include the violent crime rate, property crime rate, unemployment rate, google search volume, median rent, well-being index, median monthly income, median monthly housing costs, median days on market for homes, median home list price, and Freddie Mac primary mortgage market survey interest rates. Some of these metrics were then used to calculate housing cost to income ratio and home affordability index. These metrics were chosen based on public data availability and topical relevancy. Metrics from the U.S. Census are based on 2020 ACS 5-year estimates. In one case, county-level data was used because data is not recorded at the local level.

The housing cost to income ratio was calculated by taking the median monthly housing costs divided by the median monthly income to get the average percentage of income spent on housing costs in a household. The home affordability index was calculated using median listing price for homes in that city, interest rate from Freddie Mac primary mortgage market survey, and median yearly income. To interpret the indices, a value equal to or greater than 1 means that the average person has enough income to qualify for a mortgage in that area. The calculation assumes a down-payment of 20% of the home price and a qualifying ratio of 25%.

Each metric had data collected on it for the metropolitan statistical area and that area was ranked for each metric from best (1) to worst. Once all the metro areas were ranked from best to worst for each metric, weights were then applied to each metric depending on their individual importance when it comes to choosing the best cities to live in Washington. Cities with violent crime rates greater than or equal to 55 and property crime rates greater than or equal to 65 were removed from the ranking. The final scores are sorted to produce the final rankings. If multiple cities ranked within the same county, only the top one or two cities were chosen to be represented in order to showcase the diversity of the state and offer readers a wider representation of the state.