2026 editionWestPop. 8,001,020Capital Olympia42nd state, admitted 1889Cook PVI D+10
Is Washington a Good Place to Live? Washington Rankings, Cost of Living, Crime & Taxes
Washington ranks #20 of 50 with a composite score of 61.8 and a B grade, strongest in environment (#3) and weakest in affordability (#46). The median household earns $99,389 (23% above the national median), homes typically cost $591,879 (61% above the national average), and violent crime is 284 per 100,000 (13% below the national average).
Who can afford Washington depends on the side of the Cascades: an Eastside tech paycheck covers a Seattle-area home, a Spokane wage covers a Spokane home, and the median household at $99,389 covers neither Seattle nor its suburbs. The no-income-tax tradeoff is a 9.51% sales tax and a tax on large capital gains.
Washington by the numbers
Six measures every state is judged on, each with Washington's rank of 50 and the national figure beside it.
Sources, latest releases: Census Bureau ACS (income), Zillow Research (home value), BEA Regional Price Parities (cost index), FBI state crime estimates (crime), BLS LAUS (unemployment), WalletHub tax burden study (taxes). Rank 1 is the best value in each measure: highest income, lowest cost, lowest crime.
Read the Washington overview
Washington scores above the national average in 7 of 11 categories and ranks #7 of 13 states in the West, behind 6 regional neighbors. Its biggest edge over the country is median household income ($99,389, 23% above the national median); its biggest shortfall is typical home value ($591,879, 61% above the national average). That mix of top-10 finishes (2) and bottom-10 finishes (1) is why the composite alone undersells the tradeoffs a mover here faces.
Where does Washington rank in each category?
All 11 categories that make up the composite, heaviest weight first. Washington is top 10 in 2 and bottom 10 in 1.
| Category | Score | Rank | Grade | Weight | US avg | The numbers behind it |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | 52.3 | #16 of 50 | B+ | 15% | 47.1 | Its unemployment rate is 4.7% and median household income is $99,389. |
| Safety | 63.9 | #30 of 50 | C+ | 12% | 68.9 | The FBI estimates 283.9 violent crimes and 1,974.8 property crimes per 100,000 residents. |
| Health | 68.2 | #13 of 50 | B+ | 12% | 54.4 | Life expectancy is 78.4 years, 31.5% of adults have obesity, and 6.5% of residents are uninsured. |
| Education | 57.4 | #29 of 50 | C+ | 12% | 57.5 | Eighth graders average 274 in NAEP math and 259 in reading, and the high school graduation rate is 83.6%. |
| Affordability | 39.1 | #46 of 50 | D | 10% | 65.2 | Typical home value $591,879 (6.0x median income); cost of living index 107 (100 = US); center-based infant care $23,136 a year. |
| Fiscal Health | 64.3 | #17 of 50 | B+ | 8% | 58.1 | It carries $3,650 of debt per resident, has 82% of pensions funded, and holds a AA+ credit rating. |
| Growth | 40.8 | #24 of 50 | B | 7% | 38.8 | Population grew 0.92% last year; Census net domestic migration is +1.2 per 1,000 residents (the Moving section below uses IRS household counts, a different series). |
| Transportation | 58.6 | #8 of 50 | A | 7% | 49.8 | The average commute is 27.2 minutes, 4.2% of workers use public transit, and 16.4% work from home. |
| Livability | 33.9 | #25 of 50 | B | 7% | 34.3 | It has 1.879 restaurants and 0.025 arts venues per 1,000 residents, plus 0.125 bars and 0.069 social associations per 1,000. |
| Outdoor Access | 35.4 | #19 of 50 | B | 6% | 29.4 | 28.5% of its land is public, with 2.39 recreation facilities per 10,000 residents. |
| Environment | 73.1 | #3 of 50 | A+ | 4% | 42.5 | Its median air quality index is 28, 74% of its electricity is renewable, and its FEMA disaster risk score is 41.5. |
Weight, US average and the evidence sentence for each category are shown on wider screens.
Grades follow rank, not score: A+ for ranks 1–5, A for 6–10, B+ for 11–18, B for 19–26, C+ for 27–34, C for 35–42, D for 43–48, F for 49–50. US avg is the mean score of the 50 states. Click a category for its 50-state ranking.
Category shape
Washington's 11 category scores. A balanced state fills the wheel evenly; Washington bulges toward environment and dips at affordability.
How expensive is Washington?
Washington's cost of living index is 107 against a national baseline of 100, 7% above the national average and #46 of 50 (1 = cheapest). The typical home is worth $591,879 (61% above the national average); buying it takes an income of about $155,542, $56,153 more than the median household earns. Inside the state the spread is wide: among tracked cities, Yakima is cheapest (index 95.5) and Burien priciest (111.1).
Housing market snapshot · August
Cool marketRanked #4 of 50 most expensive by typical value and #43 on price relative to income (1 = most affordable). The median household is $56,153 short of the income needed to buy the typical home.
Full Washington housing market: 26-year chart, rent vs. buy, cities →What a household keeps at $75,000
| Household | Washington | Median state | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Family of fourTwo adults, two kids, one in daycare | −$47,893 | −$11,758 | #47 of 50 |
| Single adultOne-bedroom rent, no childcare | +$22,132 | +$31,418 | #44 of 50 |
| Retiree coupleOwn the home, no payroll tax | +$23,667 | +$35,970 | #45 of 50 |
Take-home pay minus housing, childcare, utilities, groceries and transport for a $75,000 household, from the affordability engine. Positive = money left over; negative = costs exceed take-home. Rank 1 = most left over.
What are taxes like in Washington?
Washington has no state income tax; instead it leans on high sales tax, with property tax in the middle of the pack. The total state and local tax burden comes to 8.61% of income, 0.1 points below the national average (#22 of 50, 1 = lightest). Property tax is 0.88% of home value (#27), and combined sales tax averages 9.51% (#48).
Tax Foundation (rates) and WalletHub tax burden study (burden as a share of income), latest releases. Rank 1 = lowest. Income tax is the top marginal rate including typical local taxes where they apply.
Can the state pay its bills?
Fiscal health scores 64.3 out of 100, #17 of 50. Pew Fiscal 50, Census state finances and the rating agencies, latest releases.
Is Washington safe?
Washington reports 284 violent crimes per 100,000 residents, 13% below the national average and #25 of 50 (1 = safest). Property crime runs 1,975 per 100,000, 29% above the national average (#46 of 50). The safety score is 63.9 out of 100, #30 of 50; among tracked cities, Kirkland has the lowest violent crime rate.
Washington vs. the United States, per 100,000 residents
FBI state crime estimates, latest release. US is the mean of the 50 states; blue = below it, terracotta = above it. Florida and North Dakota use the FBI's prior-year estimate because their latest year is based on limited data.
Safest tracked cities in Washington
| City | Population | Violent / 100K | Property / 100K |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kirkland | 92,621 | 67 | 1,216 |
| Redmond | 77,353 | 104 | 1,922 |
| Bellevue | 151,847 | 114 | 2,188 |
| Shoreline | 61,431 | 138 | 1,919 |
| Marysville | 73,002 | 168 | 1,338 |
Lowest violent crime among the 26 Washington cities we track with 50,000 or more residents. City rates come from each city's police agency and are not strictly comparable across agencies.
What is the job market like in Washington?
Washington's unemployment rate is 4.7%, 0.8 points above the national average and #43 of 50 (1 = lowest), and the median household earns $99,389, 23% above the national median. Real GDP grew +3.2% in the latest year (#5 of 50) and GDP per capita is $89,989, 40% above the national average. The population is growing 0.92% a year, 0.4 points above the national average. The economy score is 52.3 out of 100, #16 of 50.
Census Bureau ACS (income), BLS LAUS (unemployment), BEA (GDP), Census population estimates (growth), latest releases.
Highest-paying tracked occupations in Washington, adjusted for cost of living
| Occupation | Cost-adjusted | Median wage | Metro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Family Medicine Physicians | $256,858 | $279,975 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue |
| Software Developers | $201,709 | $219,863 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue |
| Lawyers | $160,128 | $174,540 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue |
| Computer Systems Analysts | $114,134 | $124,406 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue |
| Civil Engineers | $113,237 | $123,428 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue |
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, latest release, for the 20 occupations we track. Cost-adjusted wage divides the metro median by its cost of living index.
How are Washington's schools and healthcare?
Washington's education score is 57.4 out of 100, #29 of 50. Eighth graders average 274 in NAEP math (#25 of 50) and 259 in reading (#17 of 50), and the high school graduation rate is 83.6%, 2.0 points below the national average (#36 of 50).
Washington is #13 of 50 for health, with a life expectancy of 78.4 years, 1.5 years above the national average. 31.5% of adults have obesity (#13 of 50) and 6.5% of residents have no health insurance (#19 of 50). The health score is 68.2 out of 100, weighted 12% of the composite.
CDC National Center for Health Statistics (state life tables), CDC Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (obesity), and Census Bureau American Community Survey (health insurance), latest releases.
Who is moving to Washington, and who is leaving?
Washington gained a net 9,839 households from other states in the latest IRS release: 122,184 moved in and 112,345 moved out, +1.2 per 1,000 residents (#18 of 50). Arriving households report an average income of $89,890 against $100,122 for those leaving. The Census Bureau's American Community Survey, which counts people rather than households, shows a net +17.4K people (221.6K in, 204.2K out, ±17.6K), consistent with the IRS direction.
Where they come from
- 1California24,625 · $111,507
- 2Oregon15,339 · $89,730
- 3Texas9,307 · $92,378
- 4Arizona5,803 · $88,640
- 5Florida5,333 · $81,289
Households and their average income. Click a state to compare it head to head; households arrived from these states in the latest IRS release.
Where they go
- 1California17,871 · $116,237
- 2Oregon12,212 · $72,788
- 3Texas9,863 · $119,401
- 4Arizona8,011 · $112,245
- 5Idaho6,151 · $85,287
Households and their average income. Click a state to compare it head to head; households left for these states in the latest IRS release.
Where should you live in Washington?
By composite score, the best of the 26 Washington cities we track are Redmond (71.1), Kirkland (70.3), and Bellevue (70). Yakima is the cheapest (cost index 95.5), Sammamish the richest ($239,690), and Kirkland the fastest growing (+3% a year). City ranks are among the 26 Washington cities we cover, not every city in the state.
Standout cities in Washington
| Best for | City | Measure |
|---|---|---|
| Safest | Kirkland | 67 violent crimes per 100K |
| Cheapest | Yakima | cost of living index 95.5 |
| Most walkable | Seattle | walkability 15.8 of 20 |
| Cleanest air | Pasco | median AQI 23 (county) |
| Best schools | Sammamish | 94.4% graduation rate |
| Richest | Sammamish | $239,690 |
Among the 26 Washington cities we track. Safest uses a full year of FBI reports from the city's own police agency; air quality is measured by county, so cities in the same county share a reading.
Regions of Washington
Amazon, Microsoft and the most expensive homes in the state; Redmond, Bellevue, Kirkland and Sammamish are the tech suburbs, Seattle the dense, transit-served, pricier and rougher core.
Cheaper than King County by a wide margin, with the port, Joint Base Lewis-McChord and a long commute north; Tacoma has the highest tracked crime, South Hill the family subdivisions.
Boeing's Everett plant and bedroom towns along the interstate; Marysville is growing fast, Bellingham is the college town near the Canadian border with low incomes and high prices.
Portland's Washington suburb: no income tax on retirement and remote income, Oregon shopping across the bridge, and Portland traffic every weekday morning.
Dry, sunny and affordable: Spokane and Spokane Valley for city life at a fraction of Seattle prices, the Tri-Cities for Hanford jobs, Yakima for farm work and the cheapest homes.
All 26 tracked cities, best to worst
| # | City | Grade | Score | Population | Income | Violent / 100K | Cost index |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Redmond | A+ | 71.1 | 77,353 | $162,560 | 104 | 111.1 |
| 2 | Kirkland | A+ | 70.3 | 92,621 | $150,414 | 67 | 111.1 |
| 3 | Bellevue | A+ | 70.0 | 151,847 | $165,576 | 114 | 111.1 |
| 4 | Shoreline | A | 64.9 | 61,431 | $112,751 | 138 | 111.1 |
| 5 | Sammamish | A | 64.2 | 66,463 | $239,690 | — | 111.1 |
| 6 | Seattle | B+ | 61.1 | 754,195 | $123,860 | 706 | 111.1 |
| 7 | Richland | B+ | 60.2 | 62,753 | $95,813 | 257 | 100.1 |
| 8 | Renton | B+ | 59.1 | 105,317 | $100,432 | 258 | 111.1 |
| 9 | Lacey | B+ | 59.0 | 57,737 | $90,625 | 220 | 103.7 |
| 10 | Marysville | B+ | 58.8 | 73,002 | $103,974 | 168 | 111.1 |
| 11 | Olympia | B | 58.1 | 55,951 | $81,302 | 475 | 103.7 |
| 12 | Kent | B | 56.8 | 135,603 | $92,302 | 283 | 111.1 |
| 13 | Auburn | B | 56.7 | 85,676 | $97,884 | 300 | 111.1 |
| 14 | Everett | B | 56.4 | 111,845 | $83,512 | 252 | 111.1 |
| 15 | Spokane Valley | B | 56.4 | 106,365 | $74,042 | 233 | 100.3 |
| 16 | Pasco | B | 56.2 | 79,575 | $85,586 | 338 | 100.1 |
| 17 | Burien | C+ | 55.6 | 51,513 | $91,318 | 342 | 111.1 |
| 18 | Vancouver | C+ | 54.3 | 195,300 | $81,338 | 556 | 105.4 |
| 19 | Kennewick | C+ | 54.3 | 85,295 | $73,576 | 318 | 100.1 |
| 20 | Spokane | C+ | 53.8 | 230,293 | $70,064 | 613 | 100.3 |
| 21 | Federal Way | C+ | 53.8 | 99,493 | $86,909 | 353 | 111.1 |
| 22 | Bellingham | C+ | 53.8 | 93,438 | $66,755 | 263 | 103.3 |
| 23 | South Hill | C+ | 53.3 | 68,025 | $113,130 | — | 111.1 |
| 24 | Lakewood | D | 47.9 | 62,937 | $74,720 | 514 | 111.1 |
| 25 | Tacoma | D | 47.7 | 222,758 | $85,884 | 866 | 111.1 |
| 26 | Yakima | D | 47.7 | 96,961 | $62,815 | 522 | 95.5 |
Swipe the table sideways for more columns. Rank is among the 26 Washington cities we track: every city of 50,000 or more, plus the state's other largest places. City scores use city-level Census, FBI, BLS, CDC, EPA and NCES data, and a category with no city data is left out of the score rather than filled with the state's figure.
Best cities in Washington for…
| # | City | Score | Education | Safety | Affordability |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Redmond | 64.1 | 62.8 | 86.2 | 24.0 |
| 2 | Bellevue | 63.3 | 67.4 | 83.7 | 22.0 |
| 3 | Spokane Valley | 62.5 | 56.8 | 67.8 | 65.0 |
| 4 | Kirkland | 62.0 | 52.1 | 93.8 | 24.0 |
| 5 | Shoreline | 61.0 | 58.4 | 84.1 | 32.8 |
Who is Washington best for?
The same 11 category scores, re-weighted for six kinds of household. Rank is among the 50 states; click through for the best Washington cities for each.
Weights differ by household: families lean on education, safety and housing; retirees on fiscal health, healthcare and cost. See the weights →
How does Washington compare with its neighbors?
Washington ranks #20. Among its bordering states, Idaho ranks highest (#4) and Oregon lowest (#35). Oregon is the most similar on the composite score and Idaho the most different. Bordering states are listed best to worst; the national line is the mean of the 50 states.
| State | Overall | Score | Median income | Typical home | Cost index | Violent crime | Tax burden | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | #20 | 61.8 | $99,389 | $591,879 | 107 | 284 | 8.61% | |
| Idaho | #4 | 78.4 | $81,166 | $478,744 | 95.5 | 217 | 7.54% | Compare → |
| Oregon | #35 | 50.9 | $85,220 | $496,113 | 103.4 | 311 | 9.06% | Compare → |
| United States | — | 57.9 | $80,903 | $368,697 | 100 | 328 | 8.74% |
Overall rank, median income, cost index and tax burden columns are shown on wider screens.
How the score works
Eleven categories, each scored 0–100 and weighted into one composite. Grades follow rank.
The weights
Economy 15% · Safety 12% · Health 12% · Education 12% · Affordability 10% · Fiscal Health 8% · Growth 7% · Transportation 7% · Livability 7% · Outdoor Access 6% · Environment 4%. The composite is the weighted sum, stretched linearly so states spread across most of the 0–100 range.
From raw numbers to scores
Every raw measure is placed on a 0–100 scale between a fixed floor and ceiling, inverted where lower is better (crime, cost, taxes), then combined within its category. The same scale applies to every state.
Letter grades
Grades follow rank, not score: A+ for ranks 1–5, A for 6–10, B+ for 11–18, B for 19–26, C+ for 27–34, C for 35–42, D for 43–48, F for 49–50. A C+ state is not failing; it is in the middle third.
Cities, budgets and neighbors
The 26 Washington city scores, the household budgets and the neighbor table on this page are computed from the same sources as the state score. City ranks are among the cities we track, not all cities in the state.
Editor's notes
Passages marked as editor's notes are written for this state and add context the numbers cannot: regions, tradeoffs, who the state fits. Every figure inside them is pulled from the data at build time, so the words cannot drift from the numbers.
Always the latest release
Each source is the most recent release its agency has published. The page is rebuilt when a source updates, so the score can move without any change in the state itself.
What the score cannot tell you
Weather and climate, culture and pace, politics beyond the Cook index shown for context, the quality of a specific school, hospital or neighborhood, job prospects in your field, and anything without a public, comparable, 50-state source. Statewide averages also hide the metro-versus-rural split, which is why the editor's notes name places.
Category briefs
Economy: Unemployment rate and median household income. Safety: Violent and property crime rates per 100,000 residents. Health: Health outcomes, behaviors, and access to care. Education: K-12 school quality, test scores, and graduation rates. Full methodology →
Key takeaways
What the Washington numbers say when read together.
Environment is Washington's strongest suit
Washington is a #20 state overall but #3 of 50 for environment, 17 places better than its composite rank, with a score of 73.1 against a national average of 42.5. Transportation (#8) is next. Environment carries 4% of the composite.
Affordability is where Washington falls furthest behind
Washington ranks #46 of 50 for affordability, 26 places below its overall #20, with a score of 39.1 against a national average of 65.2. At 10% of the composite, it is the category holding the overall score down most.
Median household income is 23% above the national median
Washington's median household income is $99,389, 23% above the national median of $80,903, #7 of 50 (1 = highest). The largest gap in the other direction is typical home value: $591,879, 61% above the national average. Source: Census Bureau ACS, latest release.
More households arrive than leave
Washington ranks #18 of 50 on net household flow per 1,000 residents (+1.2). The households arriving report $10,232 less in average income than those leaving ($89,890 against $100,122), so the state is trading down on income even as the headcount grows. California is both the largest source and the largest destination.
A middle income is squeezed harder here than in most states
A family of four earning $75,000 ends the year at a $47,893 shortfall after housing, childcare, utilities, groceries, transport and taxes, against a $11,758 shortfall in the median state (#47 of 50). A single adult on the same income comes out at a $22,132 surplus; a retiree couple at a $23,667 surplus. Infant childcare runs $23,136 a year, 48% above the national average.
Washington sits 2nd among its 3-state neighborhood
1 of Washington's 2 bordering states ranks above its #20; the closest match on the composite is Oregon. Median income among them runs from $81,166 in Idaho to $85,220 in Oregon; Washington is at $99,389.
Frequently asked questions about living in Washington
Is Washington a good place to live?
Washington ranks #20 of 50 with a B grade, #7 of 13 in the West. It is top 10 in environment and transportation and bottom 10 in affordability. On the six headline measures it beats the national figure on 3 of 6 (income, violent crime, and tax burden) and trails on home prices, cost of living, and unemployment. Whether that adds up to a good place to live depends on what you weigh; the household rankings below re-weight the same numbers for families, retirees and remote workers.
Where does Washington rank among US states?
Washington ranks #20 of 50 overall with a composite score of 61.8 (grade B), and #7 of 13 states in the West. Its best category rank is #3 (environment) and its worst #46 (affordability). The composite weights eleven categories, with economy, safety, health and education counting most; grades follow rank, so B means rank 19–26.
Is it expensive to live in Washington?
At #46 of 50 for cost of living (1 = cheapest), Washington is 7% above the national average: its index is 107 against a national baseline of 100. The typical home value is $591,879 (61% above the national average), and buying it takes an income of about $155,542 against a median household income of $99,389. At $75,000, a family of four comes out at a $47,893 shortfall after all costs, #47 of 50 (1 = most left over).
Does Washington have a state income tax?
No. Washington levies no state income tax on wages. Its total state and local tax burden is 8.61% of income (#22 of 50, 1 = lowest), 0.1 points below the national average. Property tax is 0.88% of home value and combined sales tax 9.51%.
What is the crime rate in Washington?
Washington reports 284 violent crimes per 100,000 residents, 13% below the national average and #25 of 50 (1 = safest), and 1,975 property crimes per 100,000, 29% above the national average (#46). Its safety score is 63.9 out of 100, #30 of 50. Figures are FBI estimates from the latest release.
Does Washington have good schools?
Washington is #29 of 50 for education (score 57.4 out of 100). Its public school students average 274 in eighth-grade math on NAEP (#25) and 259 in eighth-grade reading (#17), and the high school graduation rate is 83.6%, 2.0 points below the national average (#36). Among tracked cities with at least three schools, Sammamish has the highest graduation rate at 94.4%.
Why are people moving to Washington?
Washington gained a net 9,839 households in the latest IRS release: 122,184 moved in and 112,345 moved out, +1.2 per 1,000 residents (#18 of 50). The largest source of arrivals is California (24,625 households) and the most common destination is California (17,871). Arriving households report an average income of $89,890 against $100,122 for those leaving, so movers out earn more than movers in. The IRS files count tax returns and say nothing about motives.
Is Washington a red or blue state?
Washington leans blue: its Cook Partisan Voting Index is D+10, meaning it votes about 10 points more Democratic than the country as a whole. The political lean is shown for context and is not part of the composite score.
What are the downsides of living in Washington?
The house, before anything else. Affordability ranks #46 and the typical Seattle-area home is beyond the median household. Property crime is #46, mostly car theft in Seattle, Tacoma and Spokane. West of the Cascades it rains or drizzles from October into May, and the winter dark is an adjustment. The sales tax, 9.51% on furniture, cars and contractors, offsets much of the no-income-tax saving.
Is Washington tax-friendly for retirees?
Yes, for most. There is no state tax on Social Security, pensions or withdrawals, and the capital gains tax exempts real estate and reaches only large investment sales. Property tax is 0.88%, 0.1 points below the national average, with an exemption program for lower-income seniors. The catch is the sales tax at 9.51% and the cost of the house; a retired couple on $75,000 comes out at a $23,667 surplus, #45.
Does Washington get earthquakes and wildfires?
Both. The Seattle area sits on the Seattle Fault and above the Cascadia subduction zone, and the disaster risk index is 41.5, #41 of 50; quake coverage is a separate policy most homeowners skip. Wildfire is an eastern Washington problem on the ground, in the Okanogan and Methow, and a western Washington problem in the air, when late-summer smoke settles over Puget Sound.
Where in Washington should I live?
Follow the paycheck. With a tech or Boeing salary, Redmond, Kirkland or Bellevue; Redmond is the highest-scoring tracked city. With a median income and a family, Renton, Federal Way or Marysville and a commute. With a remote job, Spokane or Spokane Valley, at a third of Eastside prices. With a Portland job, Vancouver. Yakima and the Tri-Cities are the cheapest tracked cities and the sunniest.
Is Washington cheaper than Oregon?
On income tax, yes; on housing and sales tax, no. Washington takes nothing from wages and Oregon takes a lot; Washington charges 9.51% at the register and Oregon charges nothing. Homes cost more on the Washington side at $591,879, and the cost index is 107, 7% above the national average. A high earner does better in Washington; a low spender does better in Oregon.
All the numbers
Every metric behind Washington's 11 category scores, with the national figure beside each. Pick a category.