2019 Best Places to Live in WashingtonAbout this List

Overlake

• Neighborhood in Redmond, WA
• 8

Niche User: There are fairly few crimes but many police to make the area feel extra safe.
Read 8 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• 16,480 Population

Southeast Redmond

• Neighborhood in Redmond, WA
• 2

• A+

• A+

• 5,734 Population

Sammamish Valley

• Neighborhood in Redmond, WA

• A+

• A+

• 11,316 Population

North Redmond

• Neighborhood in Redmond, WA
• 14

Niche User: Sometimes it's boring but overall safety, jobs, parks are great and it is an awesome place to live.
Read 14 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• 3,606 Population

Westlake

• Neighborhood in Seattle, WA
• 2

Visitor: This location is great for those who work downtown and don't want a long commute. It is close to everything; restaurants, stores, downtown on Seattle waterfront. Not exactly a family neighborhood, more for career oriented singles or couples. Some street noises but nothing too bad.
Read 2 Reviews

• A+

• A-

• 4,583 Population

Northeast Bellevue

• Neighborhood in Bellevue, WA
• 9

Niche User: I would absolutely live here forever if I were not going to college out of state. I love the easy access to breathtaking natural landscapes, parks, hikes, views, and creeks that could not be had anywhere else. I practically live in the woods, up the street from a school. Shopping centers are plentiful. Schools are amazing: award winning and nationally recognized. Population demographics are diverse and the city is a melting pot of ideas, cultures, and tolerances. The climate is generally a reliable 50 degrees F, cool enough for a jacket, warm enough to go on a walk while you wear the jacket. The only downsides are that the "seattle freeze" is a real thing and that there are so many homeless and uncared-for people. It is heartbreaking. There are numerous programs that provide relief, but still so many end up on the streets. Otherwise, this area is the best.
Read 9 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• 21,558 Population

Bridle Trails

• Neighborhood in Bellevue, WA
• 1

Current Resident: It is a taste of country in the middle of an urban area! With a one square mile equestrian park and many one acre lots, it has beautiful trees, horses walking down the streets and incredibly easy access to downtown Bellevue, Kirkland, Microsoft and Google. Schools are fabulous and it is healthy living at its finest!
Read 1 Review

• A+

• A+

• 12,755 Population

West Bellevue

• Neighborhood in Bellevue, WA
• 10

Niche User: I moved to Washington about 2 years ago and the general atmosphere is so friendly and liberal. Bellevue is very close to Seattle, while still maintaining a quaint and organized urban environment that continues to flourish. It has a great selection of foods from different cultures and the facilities are wonderful. The public transportation system is also very reliable and well-structured. The quality of life here is overall excellent, but it comes with a high price, especially for higher end luxuries. It is hard to find reasonably cheap housing here but the job opportunities and employment rate allow slightly make up for the cost of living. I would definitely consider living here again, if not staying here for a long while.
Read 10 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• 15,449 Population

Northwest Bellevue

• Neighborhood in Bellevue, WA
• 5

Niche User: Bellevue has one of the lowest homicide rates in the region, and from what I know, low criminal issues as well (burglary, etc).
Read 5 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• 22,090 Population

South Hollywood Hill

• Neighborhood in Redmond, WA
• 13

Niche User: Honestly, it's a lovely place to live. Busses make it easy to get around from city to city, and the people are quite lovely. The city (Seattle) is easily accessible and it is a lovely city. The cities around Seattle (Redmond, Bellevue, Woodinville) are all nice cities as well. All of them have their own ring to them that makes each one unique. All the people are rather unique as well.
Read 13 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• 9,007 Population

South Lake Union

• Neighborhood in Seattle, WA
• 3

Current Resident: I'm living in South Lake Union through a program that offers reduced rent for lower income individuals and families. Overall it's a very nice place to live. The park by Lake Union and off of Denny Way are great options for those who want to enjoy the outdoors. Amazon HQ is in this area, so traffic can be pretty bad, but there are also a lot of good options for public transportation and walking. There aren't a ton of options for nightlife in terms of clubs or bars, but there are some great restaurants, fitness boutiques, small stores, and a Whole Foods all in the central part of the neighborhood. There are also regularly outdoor events, such as the SLU Summer Markets, events at MOHAI, etc. With that being said, this is a pretty expensive neighborhood, and affordability can be an issue.
Read 3 Reviews

• A+

• A

• 17,853 Population

Beaux Arts Village

• Neighborhood in Bellevue, WA

• A+

• A+

• 1,921 Population

Wilburton

• Neighborhood in Bellevue, WA
• 4

Current Resident: I like the park! It has a really nice track and field that is good to run on! I am excited, however, for the new East Link to be stopping nearby because I feel it will bring more development to the area (I feel like the area is not developed enough).
Read 4 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• 6,598 Population

Madrona

• Neighborhood in Seattle, WA
• 14

Current Resident: Good, safe, nice neighborhood. Highly expensive, and ver white upper middle class. Good for kids, Garfield (the nearby HS) is pretty good, one of the better schools in the city.
Read 14 Reviews

• A+

• A-

• 10,223 Population

Sammamish Plateau

• Neighborhood in Redmond, WA
• 39

Current Resident: I have lived on the Sammamish Plateau on and off for 10 years. My home is on one of the highest locations on the plateau and I love seeing the Cascade Mountains and sunrises from my bedroom window. The neighborhoods are quiet and everyone keeps their yards looking pretty. I really like Sammamish. it is close to the college I go to and feels like it's 30 minutes to anywhere, Bellevue, Seattle, Issaquah, Snoqualmie Falls... It has grown a lot in the past few years and is now getting congested and the stores and roads are more crowded. It doesn't feel as neighborly. People are moving here from all over the place and this scares me a little as the roads and building regulations are not keeping up with the influx of people. I might move soon if it gets any worse. I will miss Sammamish if I do have to move. But I am very glad I had the opportunity to live here.
Read 39 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• 27,811 Population

Grass Lawn

• Neighborhood in Redmond, WA
• 10

Niche User: Living here is phenomenal. Wonderful people live around the city, making it a great place to explore. Its absolutely beautiful in every season, the parks are incredible and the encouragement from the community is great.
Read 10 Reviews

• A+

• A

• 10,673 Population

Education Hill

• Neighborhood in Redmond, WA
• 14

Niche User: Very green, it is a perfect balance between nature and city life. Everything is rather close and friendly. Due to microsoft, nintendo, apple, amazon, and boeing having major buildings here there are a lot of good paying jobs. School system is very slowly getting better due to technology programs and interests in the area. Pretty safe but as population increases the crime increases, but it is still low for the current population.
Read 14 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• 17,126 Population

Redmond

• Town in Washington
• 70

Current Resident: Redmond, Washington is a fantastic place to live! Whether you are a working individual, growing family, or a senior citizen, Redmond has something for everyone. Known as the Bicycle Capital of the Northwest, Redmond hosts a flourishing array of cyclists and a growing alternative transportation population. Redmond, Washington has all the convenience of a large city with a small town feel. With stunning views of the Cascade mountains, a true sense of community, and giant parks to take it all in, it's a place where you'll feel like you've got it all. Stop by and see what this robust eastside city is all about!
Read 70 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• 60,712 Population

Windermere

• Neighborhood in Seattle, WA
• 1

Current Resident: I've lived here since I was three. My house is a few blocks from Magnuson Park, which was an excellent bike ride when I was just learning how to. I babysit in the neighborhood, and have multiple families that I work for within walking distance of my house. Even though some families choose not to connect with the neighborhood, and I respect that, I have found the community here to be outstanding.
Read 1 Review

• A+

• A

• 10,673 Population

Belltown

• Neighborhood in Seattle, WA
• 36

Current Resident: Overall, I love living in Belltown. I am literally within walking distance to almost everything I need. I have met so many people (and dogs!) and there is always something fun going on or somewhere cool to hang out. My only complaint about Belltown is the unsavory characters that often congregate in the neighborhood, but for the most part I always feel relatively safe.
Read 36 Reviews

• A+

• A

• 22,815 Population

Mann

• Neighborhood in Seattle, WA
• 9

Niche User: The crime and safety for this area's, I chose the rating as it shows on top of the box it's the best. This area I have been leaving for almost a year now, I have never hard a gun shot or anything else that has to do with crime. At night times when everyone go to sleep, you can't even hear a thing, even when your neighbors are having some difficulty with each other.
Read 9 Reviews

• A+

• A-

• 8,080 Population

Lower Queen Anne

• Neighborhood in Seattle, WA
• 7

Current Resident: I have lived in Lower Queen Anne for 2 years now. Overall it is a nice place to live but like most areas, it has it's faults. The area has quite a few homeless people either camping or roaming around. I have had a few not so nice encounters but they mind their own business for the most part. Despite this problem that is prevalent in many areas of Seattle, Lower Queen Anne has nice restaurants (Pho Than Brothers, Bahn Thai, Mashawi), a variety of coffee shops, and there's MoPop, the Science Center, and of course the Space Needle in Seattle Center. If you have money to spend, you will not get bored in Lower Queen Anne.
Read 7 Reviews

• A+

• A-

• 20,603 Population

Woodridge

• Neighborhood in Bellevue, WA
• 4

Former Resident: I lived on Woodridge Hill for 16 years. It's a wonderful neighborhood for families with children, as it's a close knit community in a great school district. The homes and common areas on Woodridge Hill are well maintained.

It's centrally located with easy access to downtown Bellevue (5 minute drive outside of rush hour), the airport, and Seattle.

There are a lot of job opportunities close by in Bellevue. Including: retail, food service, medical, professional, and technical. The technical job market is very good in Bellevue.

The nightlife in Bellevue has improved quite a bit over the last 10 years and will only continue to improve.
Read 4 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• 6,899 Population

Union Hill

• Neighborhood in Redmond, WA
• 10

Current Resident: This is amazing place to live in Redmond. Traffic is minimal compared to Novelty Hill road. This is unincorporated king County so taxes are lower than the city, mostly private septic so less expensive as you are not paying monthly sewer bill/ capacity charges. Schools are very good. You can get houses with acre lots which is very hard to get in any other greater Seattle neighborhood .
Read 10 Reviews

• A+

• A+

• 16,502 Population

Bryant

• Neighborhood in Seattle, WA
• 6

Current Resident: I've lived on The edge of Bryant neighborhood for 6 years on 35th Ave NE at NE 65th. I've felt no fear of crime here 96% the time. I feel comfortable walking the blocks with or without my large now senior dog. The bus has become more frequent over the years & runs later. There's diversity of people yet it feels very white bread & even uptight in ways. The nearest store's selection reflects my observation. There's next to nothing as far as nightlife here. However it's a great central location for the city including the neighboring North end cities of Kenmore, Lake Forest Park, Shoreline & Bothell and the Kirkland, Juanita and Bellevue communities & Lake Washington if you have transportation all are within quick access. University Village shopping center is close and probably where I find the most social opportunities & diversity of people, food & fashions nearby. People tend be most at ease to engage in conversations here. The blocks and homes well kept up.
Read 6 Reviews

• A+

• A

• 7,418 Population