Best Places to Live in Washington State

We’ve got good news if you’re considering a move to Washington state: It’s full of great places to live! Washington has pro sports teams, plenty of job opportunities, awesome public schools and colleges, a big-time outdoors scene, and a handful of lakefront cities with gorgeous views of the water. As long as you can afford the cost of living (which can be pricey in some cities), you’ll probably have a blast living in the Evergreen State.

Chances are, though, you have an important question on your mind: “Where are the best places to live in Washington?” Let’s answer that question by looking at a list of the top eight cities that fit the bill.

Just be sure to keep this in mind: The best place for you to live in Washington (or anywhere else for that matter) will depend on your individual situation and preferences. You may be looking for somewhere to retire, start a family, or launch your career. As you go through this list, think about which places are the best fit for you.

Where Are the Best Places to Live in Washington State?

Here’s the list! In no particular order, the eight best places to live in Washington are:

• Seattle
• Olympia
• Spokane
• Redmond
• Kirkland
• Mercer Island
• Walla Walla
• Vancouver

Let’s break them all down.

First up is Seattle, Washington’s biggest city by population and land size. As the home of Starbucks, Seattle’s Best Coffee and plenty of great local coffee shops, Seattle is basically the coffee capital of America. It’s also home to the headquarters of several non-coffee businesses like Amazon, Nordstrom and Expedia.

As you’d expect from a major metropolitan city, Seattle offers its residents tons of world-class entertainment options. Are you a sports fan? Seattle has an NFL team (the Seahawks), an NHL team (the Kraken), an MLB team (the Mariners) and an MLS team (the Sounders FC). Love music? Go watch A-list performers like Usher, Justin Timberlake and Olivia Rodrigo at Climate Pledge Arena. More of a performing arts enthusiast? The Paramount Theatre hosts a ton of touring Broadway shows.

Now, Seattle definitely isn’t for everyone. It’s expensive, with a cost of living that’s a whopping 45% higher than the national average.¹ It has many of the problems common to big cities, like homelessness and higher crime rates. And of course, Seattle sees a ton of rain.

But if you love the hustle and bustle of living in a big city—and you have the financial resources to afford that lifestyle—the Emerald City (Seattle, not the one in Oz) could be a great fit.

Population*	749,2672
Median Household Income	$115,4093
Median Home Listing Price	$749,4954
Median Rent	$2,0005
Unemployment Rate	4.5%6

*Data in tables collected in February 2024.

Up next is Olympia, Washington’s capital city. If you enjoy politics, you’ll love living in Olympia. A lot of Olympia’s residents are really active in local politics and super involved with environmental and social causes.

Plus, a big chunk of the city’s population works in government jobs, many of them at the capitol building. But don’t worry—Olympia does have job opportunities outside of the political world in sectors like health care and technology. There just aren’t as many as in some of the other cities on this list.

Olympia isn’t the most expensive city in the state, but it’s also not the cheapest. Its cost of living is 15% higher than the national average.⁷

Population	55,1518
Median Household Income	$73,8519
Median Home Listing Price	$558,19910
Median Rent	$1,94511
Unemployment Rate	5.4%12

 

Looking for a destination that’s full of youthful energy? As the home of three colleges (Gonzaga University, Whitworth University and Eastern Washington University) with over 10,000 students collectively, Spokane definitely fits that bill.

See how much house you can afford with our free mortgage calculator!

Because Spokane is a college town, it’s full of cool places to hang out and fun things to do. Want to stay inside? Go grab a bite to eat at one of Spokane’s great restaurants (like Market Street Pizza) or shop for unique vintage items at a downtown boutique. More of an outdoors lover? Spokane offers nearby opportunities for trout fishing and skiing (depending on the time of year, of course).

Spokane is also home to some fun annual events like the Lilac Bloomsday Run, a 12k run, and the Spokane International Film Festival. And with a cost of living that’s just 1.3% higher than the national average, it’s one of the more affordable cities on our list.¹³

Population	230,17614
Median Household Income	$62,28715
Median Home Listing Price	$498,12016
Median Rent	$1,40017
Unemployment Rate	6%18

Want access to all Seattle has to offer without having to actually live in that big of a city? Redmond, a suburb of Seattle, is a great alternative. Redmond is probably best known as the home of Microsoft’s world headquarters, which has over 100 buildings and looks more like a college campus than an office complex.

Redmond is a family-friendly city with great schools, safe neighborhoods and tons of fun activities for the kiddos. It’s also a great place for bikers—but not the kind driving Harleys and wearing leather jackets. Bicycles are super common in Redmond, and there are tons of bike lanes and trails throughout the city.

Add to all that the ability to travel to Seattle in around 20 minutes and you’ve definitely got an awesome place to live. Just be aware of Redmond’s housing costs—they’re not exactly cheap.

Population	76,73919
Median Household Income	$152,85120
Median Home Listing Price	$1.5 million21
Median Rent	$2,70022
Unemployment Rate	3.5%23

Another great alternative to Seattle is Kirkland, a suburb of the big city that’s just 20 minutes away. In addition to better public schools and a stronger community feel compared to Seattle, Kirkland offers beautiful views of Lake Washington and plenty of opportunities for boating, hiking and picnics.

Kirkland is also the home of Costco (now you finally know where “Kirkland Signature” comes from!), and its public school system is strong. Plus, Kirkland has a cool arts scene with various events and festivals throughout the year. You can also catch some awesome shows at the lovely Kirkland Performance Center.

As for Kirkland’s cost of living, the city is definitely on the wealthy side. (Noticing a theme?) So if you want to move your family there, make sure you have a strong income and plenty of margin in your budget.

Population	92,15524
Median Household Income	$130,62025
Median Home Listing Price	$1.5 million26
Median Rent	$2,40027
Unemployment Rate	3.5%28

 

Looking for a destination that’s full of youthful energy? As the home of three colleges (Gonzaga University, Whitworth University and Eastern Washington University) with over 10,000 students collectively, Spokane definitely fits that bill.

Because Spokane is a college town, it’s full of cool places to hang out and fun things to do. Want to stay inside? Go grab a bite to eat at one of Spokane’s great restaurants (like Market Street Pizza) or shop for unique vintage items at a downtown boutique. More of an outdoors lover? Spokane offers nearby opportunities for trout fishing and skiing (depending on the time of year, of course).

Spokane is also home to some fun annual events like the Lilac Bloomsday Run, a 12k run, and the Spokane International Film Festival. And with a cost of living that’s just 1.3% higher than the national average, it’s one of the more affordable cities on our list.¹³

Population	230,17614
Median Household Income	$62,28715
Median Home Listing Price	$498,12016
Median Rent	$1,40017
Unemployment Rate	6%18

Want access to all Seattle has to offer without having to actually live in that big of a city? Redmond, a suburb of Seattle, is a great alternative. Redmond is probably best known as the home of Microsoft’s world headquarters, which has over 100 buildings and looks more like a college campus than an office complex.

Redmond is a family-friendly city with great schools, safe neighborhoods and tons of fun activities for the kiddos. It’s also a great place for bikers—but not the kind driving Harleys and wearing leather jackets. Bicycles are super common in Redmond, and there are tons of bike lanes and trails throughout the city.

Add to all that the ability to travel to Seattle in around 20 minutes and you’ve definitely got an awesome place to live. Just be aware of Redmond’s housing costs—they’re not exactly cheap.

Population	76,73919
Median Household Income	$152,85120
Median Home Listing Price	$1.5 million21
Median Rent	$2,70022
Unemployment Rate	3.5%23

Another great alternative to Seattle is Kirkland, a suburb of the big city that’s just 20 minutes away. In addition to better public schools and a stronger community feel compared to Seattle, Kirkland offers beautiful views of Lake Washington and plenty of opportunities for boating, hiking and picnics.

Kirkland is also the home of Costco (now you finally know where “Kirkland Signature” comes from!), and its public school system is strong. Plus, Kirkland has a cool arts scene with various events and festivals throughout the year. You can also catch some awesome shows at the lovely Kirkland Performance Center.

As for Kirkland’s cost of living, the city is definitely on the wealthy side. (Noticing a theme?) So if you want to move your family there, make sure you have a strong income and plenty of margin in your budget.

Population	92,15524
Median Household Income	$130,62025
Median Home Listing Price	$1.5 million26
Median Rent	$2,40027
Unemployment Rate	3.5%28

So here’s the deal with Mercer Island: It’s a really expensive place to live. That means, if you’re looking for somewhere to begin raising a family or start your career as a young professional, it’s probably not a great destination for you.

But if you can afford to live on Mercer Island, either because you earn a strong income or you’ve already worked hard to build wealth, chances are, you’ll love it. That’s because Mercer Island is gorgeous—like, we’re talking the type of place where you’d expect a Hallmark movie to be filmed.

Part of the Seattle metro area, Mercer Island is surrounded by Lake Washington and offers incredible views of both the water and the nearby mountains. The city also doesn’t have a ton of commercial development, which adds to its peaceful atmosphere. And you’re always just a quick ferry ride away from Seattle if you want to experience the big city.

Population	25,46429
Median Household Income	$190,98530
Median Home Listing Price	$3 million31
Median Rent	$2,75032
Unemployment Rate	3.5%33

Next up is Walla Walla, which is similar to the other smaller cities on our list. It’s got great schools, quiet neighborhoods, a strong community vibe and lots of opportunities for outdoor recreation.

The difference between Walla Walla and the other smaller cities? The cost. As you’ve probably noticed, several of the best places to live in Washington have really high housing costs, but Walla Walla is much more reasonable. With a median rent of under $1,500, it’s among the most affordable cities on our list.

But price isn’t the only thing about Walla Walla that stands out. It’s also part of Washington’s wine country, with over 100 wineries and tasting rooms. Plus, Walla Walla hosts several fun (and unique) events throughout the year, like the Walla Walla Chamber Music Festival, the Sweet Onion Festival and the Balloon Stampede.

Population	33,84234
Median Household Income	$58,17935
Median Home Listing Price	$453,25036
Median Rent	$1,47137
Unemployment Rate	5.8%38

Rounding out our list is Vancouver. Located right on the edge of Washington’s southwest border, Vancouver is closer to the Oregon state line than to any other city in Washington. In fact, one of Vancouver’s biggest perks is how close it is to Portland—just a 20-minute drive. That means people living in Vancouver have easy access to Portland’s airport, sports teams and workplaces without having to be there all the time.

Portland isn’t the only thing Vancouver’s residents have easy access to—the great outdoors also awaits! Vancouver is within a 45-minute drive of pretty much every type of landscape, including the countryside, the beach, the mountains and lots of rivers and lakes.

Vancouver has been growing like crazy lately, but it’s actually a city with a lot of history. It’s full of well-preserved buildings from the Pacific Northwest’s pioneer era, including Victorian homes. Best of all, Vancouver is family friendly and budget friendly.

Population	194,50939
Median Household Income	$76,79940
Median Home Listing Price	$603,77241
Median Rent	$1,72142
Unemployment Rate	4.7%43

Ready to Move to Washington State?

If you’re ready to pack your bags and relocate to one of these cities, make sure you can afford the housing costs before you hit the road—especially since a lot of the areas we looked at have expensive rent and home prices.

So, how do you figure out whether you can afford the housing in any of these Washington cities? It’s simple! Just make sure your rent or mortgage payment is no more than 25% of your take-home pay. If you’re planning to buy a home, that number includes private mortgage insurance (PMI), HOA fees and homeowners insurance. You can use our free Mortgage Calculator to get a look at what you can afford.

Keep that 25% rule in mind, and you’ll be well on your way to thriving in Washington state.

 

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