Best places to live in Washington
Cities and suburbs in Washington with 25,000+ people, scored against each other: affordability on a $75k salary after taxes and rent (35%), violent crime (30%), schools (20%) and job growth (15%).
| # | City | Score | Rent | Home | Schools |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bellingham, WA | 72/100 | $1,577/mo | $628k | 7.9/10 |
| 2 | Everett, WA | 67/100 | $1,740/mo | $565k | 8.8/10 |
| 3 | Olympia, WA | 63/100 | $1,599/mo | $486k | 9/10 |
| 4 | Camas, WA | 63/100 | $2,090/mo | $712k | 9.6/10 |
| 5 | Wenatchee, WA | 61/100 | $1,248/mo | $434k | 3.6/10 |
| 6 | Spokane, WA | 57/100 | $1,215/mo | $364k | 5.8/10 |
| 7 | Edmonds, WA | 57/100 | $1,903/mo | $890k | 7.4/10 |
| 8 | Bothell, WA | 56/100 | $2,346/mo | $925k | 9.6/10 |
| 9 | Kirkland, WA | 55/100 | $2,401/mo | $1.12M | 9.8/10 |
| 10 | Mercer Island, WA | 54/100 | $2,502/mo | $2M+ | 9.9/10 |
| 11 | Sammamish, WA | 52/100 | $2,857/mo | $1.41M | 9.8/10 |
| 12 | Shoreline, WA | 52/100 | $1,985/mo | $811k | 9.5/10 |
| 13 | Lynnwood, WA | 52/100 | $1,742/mo | $687k | 7.4/10 |
| 14 | Issaquah, WA | 51/100 | $2,590/mo | $963k | 9.8/10 |
| 15 | Redmond, WA | 50/100 | $2,409/mo | $1.17M | 9.8/10 |
| 16 | Auburn, WA | 49/100 | $1,786/mo | $548k | 6.3/10 |
| 17 | Puyallup, WA | 49/100 | $1,812/mo | $552k | 7.6/10 |
| 18 | SeaTac, WA | 46/100 | $1,660/mo | $520k | 3.3/10 |
| 19 | Vancouver, WA | 45/100 | $1,702/mo | $462k | 4.4/10 |
| 20 | Bellevue, WA | 45/100 | $2,572/mo | $1.34M | 9.7/10 |
| 21 | Des Moines, WA | 42/100 | $1,799/mo | $597k | 3.3/10 |
| 22 | Tacoma, WA | 40/100 | $1,676/mo | $480k | 3.3/10 |
| 23 | Kent, WA | 39/100 | $1,909/mo | $588k | 6.2/10 |
| 24 | Renton, WA | 37/100 | $1,998/mo | $673k | 4.8/10 |
| 25 | Burien, WA | 36/100 | $1,782/mo | $639k | 3.3/10 |
Rent, income and home values: U.S. Census Bureau ACS. Taxes: 2026 federal and state rates for a single filer.
Compare the top 4