Best places to live in Washington
CityLedger tracks 7 Washington metros, led by Bremerton. Cost of living runs from about 96 to 111 against a U.S. average of 100. Every figure below is computed from public U.S. government data and links to a full profile.
CityLedger tracks 7 metros in Washington, the largest being the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA Metro Area (around 4,145,494 people). Across the state, median household income runs from $75,399 in Yakima to $112,388 in Seattle, and typical rent from $1,106 a month in Yakima upward — a reminder that "Washington" is really several different housing and job markets, not one.
Yakima has the lowest overall price level in the state (about 96 versus a U.S. average of 100), but the cheapest metro isn't always where money goes furthest. Adjusting income for local prices, Bremerton delivers the best real buying power — a cost-adjusted median of about $103,262.
Taxes shift the picture in ways a cost-of-living index alone misses: Washington has no state income tax, a real boost to take-home pay versus most states, and combined state and local sales tax averages about 9.4% (Tax Foundation). Our salary calculator folds federal, FICA, and Washington state tax into a single take-home figure for any metro here.
Bremerton earns the state's highest CityLedger livability score, 80/100; Kennewick is the fastest-growing, up 6.6% over the latest population estimate; Spokane carries the lowest natural-hazard loss rate, about $7 per $10,000 of property (FEMA). Open any metro below for the full, sourced breakdown behind these figures.
| Metro | Livability | Cost of living | Median income | Median rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bremerton, WA | 80 | 106 | $109,052 | $1,869/mo |
| Seattle, WA | 78 | 111 | $112,388 | $2,050/mo |
| Olympia, WA | 67 | 104 | $98,264 | $1,829/mo |
| Bellingham, WA | 62 | 103 | $86,162 | $1,569/mo |
| Spokane, WA | 57 | 100 | $84,350 | $1,405/mo |
| Kennewick, WA | 52 | 100 | $89,573 | $1,360/mo |
| Yakima, WA | 30 | 96 | $75,399 | $1,106/mo |
Browse every metro on the cities index or the rankings.
Living in Washington — frequently asked
- What is the most affordable metro in Washington?
- By overall price level, Yakima is the most affordable metro in Washington, at about 96 against a U.S. average of 100 (BEA Regional Price Parities). Affordability also depends on local pay — see where a paycheck stretches furthest below.
- Where does a paycheck go furthest in Washington?
- Bremerton has the highest cost-adjusted income in Washington — a median of about $103,262 once local prices are factored in, meaning typical pay buys the most there.
- Does Washington have a state income tax?
- No. Washington has no state income tax, which raises take-home pay versus most states, though combined state and local sales tax still averages about 9.4%.
- Which Washington metro has the highest livability score?
- Bremerton, at 80/100 on CityLedger's livability score — a transparent blend of affordability, jobs, income, education, and commute, all from public data.