Are you sick of being a city slicker?
Do you long for life in suburban Washington? Where you can drive an overly-large vehicle to the store for groceries and schlep the kids around to practices and appointments without worrying about a parking space.
We do, too.
If you wanted to move out to the suburbs of Olympia, where would you go? And how would you decide on the ranking factors to help you pick which Washington suburb was best?
No worries. We got it all figured out here using Saturday Night Science.
These are the 10 best suburbs in the Evergreen State
Mercer Island is the place to be when it comes to being a soccer mom in suburban Washington.
So if you’re thinking of packing up your mini van and making a move to a quiet place to live in Washington, we’ve got you covered.
Keep on reading for a detailed methodology. Or, check out the best places to live in Washington and the best places to raise a family in Washington.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
Best Suburbs In Washington For 2023
/10
Population: 25,506
Median Income: $170,000
Median Home Price: $1,504,500
More on Mercer Island: Data | Crime Report | Cost Of Living
Mercer Island is located 7 miles east of Seattle.
/10
Population: 66,532
Median Income: $195,648
Median Home Price: $939,600
More on Sammamish: Data | Crime Report | Cost Of Living
Sammamish is located 14 miles east of Seattle.
/10
Population: 13,529
Median Income: $139,881
Median Home Price: $746,400
More on Lake Forest Park: Data | Crime Report | Cost Of Living
Lake Forest Park is located 10 miles north of Seattle.
/10
Population: 13,718
Median Income: $171,241
Median Home Price: $681,500
More on Snoqualmie: Data | Crime Report | Cost Of Living
Snoqualmie is located 23 miles east of Seattle.
/10
Population: 72,166
Median Income: $147,006
Median Home Price: $864,100
More on Redmond: Data | Crime Report | Cost Of Living
Redmond is located 11 miles east of Seattle.
/10
Population: 8,007
Median Income: $168,208
Median Home Price: $599,400
More on Duvall: Data | Crime Report | Cost Of Living
Duvall is located 19 miles east of Seattle.
/10
Population: 6,524
Median Income: $132,857
Median Home Price: $660,300
More on Brier: Data | Crime Report | Cost Of Living
Brier is located 12 miles north of Seattle.
/10
Population: 24,557
Median Income: $145,475
Median Home Price: $852,700
More on Bainbridge Island: Data | Crime Report | Cost Of Living
Bainbridge Island is located 7 miles west of Seattle.
/10
Population: 25,774
Median Income: $121,094
Median Home Price: $497,100
More on Camas: Data | Crime Report | Cost Of Living
Camas is located 11 miles east of Portland.
/10
Population: 6,716
Median Income: $113,328
Median Home Price: $715,700
More on Normandy Park: Data | Crime Report | Cost Of Living
Normandy Park is located 12 miles south of Seattle.
Methodology:How we crunched the suburb numbers for the Evergreen State
We have to use Saturday Night Science and look at several metrics to give you the best suburbs in Washington. We want to measure the type of place around major cities that people arguing at a bar would say makes it the “best suburb.”
First, we had to define a suburb. Using U.S. Census data produced for the state of Washington, we looked at every town with at least 5,000 residents, and within 30 miles of a city that’s over 200,000 people.
In other words, suburbs.
We paid particular attention to the following criteria:
- Median Home Values
- Median Income
- Population Density (Higher is Better)
- Unemployment Rates
- Commute Time
- Education Levels
- Health Insurance Coverage
- Poverty Rates
We ranked each suburb in Washington across these criteria from one to 73, with one being the best.
We then took the average rank across all criteria, with the town posting the lowest overall score being crowned the winner of the title “Best Suburb To Live In Washington.”
The result is some of the safest, quietest, and ideal places to live in Washington
Read on to see why Mercer Island is the ‘burb with the most, while Shelton is probably not the best place to live in Washington.
Summary: There You Have It – The Best Suburbs In Washington
If you’re measuring the locations in Washington where there are lots to do, and everyone wants to live, this is an accurate list.
Here’s a look at the worst suburbs in Washington according to the data:
- Shelton
- Airway Heights
- Tukwila
For more Washington reading, check out:
- Best Places To Live In Washington
- Cheapest Places To Live In Washington
- Most Dangerous Cities In Washington
- Richest Cities In Washington
- Safest Places In Washington
- Worst Places To Live In Washington
- Most Expensive Places To Live In Washington
Detailed List Of The Best Suburbs In Washington
| Rank | City | Population | Median Income | Median Home Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mercer Island | 25,506 | $170,000 | $1,504,500 |
| 2 | Sammamish | 66,532 | $195,648 | $939,600 |
| 3 | Lake Forest Park | 13,529 | $139,881 | $746,400 |
| 4 | Snoqualmie | 13,718 | $171,241 | $681,500 |
| 5 | Redmond | 72,166 | $147,006 | $864,100 |
| 6 | Duvall | 8,007 | $168,208 | $599,400 |
| 7 | Brier | 6,524 | $132,857 | $660,300 |
| 8 | Bainbridge Island | 24,557 | $145,475 | $852,700 |
| 9 | Camas | 25,774 | $121,094 | $497,100 |
| 10 | Normandy Park | 6,716 | $113,328 | $715,700 |
| 11 | Newcastle | 12,855 | $139,439 | $888,400 |
| 12 | Kirkland | 91,656 | $121,998 | $805,600 |
| 13 | Mill Creek | 20,665 | $112,072 | $647,800 |
| 14 | Bellevue | 149,365 | $140,252 | $951,200 |
| 15 | Woodinville | 13,247 | $127,689 | $770,800 |
| 16 | Kenmore | 23,556 | $121,463 | $656,200 |
| 17 | Black Diamond | 5,002 | $118,140 | $609,200 |
| 18 | Issaquah | 39,057 | $132,984 | $745,100 |
| 19 | Mukilteo | 21,409 | $109,738 | $666,300 |
| 20 | Maple Valley | 27,643 | $125,092 | $498,100 |
| 21 | Bothell | 47,355 | $116,578 | $638,000 |
| 22 | Steilacoom | 6,673 | $95,316 | $442,500 |
| 23 | Edgewood | 12,132 | $108,492 | $484,700 |
| 24 | Edmonds | 42,622 | $96,775 | $639,100 |
| 25 | Gig Harbor | 11,505 | $96,192 | $574,600 |
| 26 | Fircrest | 7,109 | $90,854 | $406,500 |
| 27 | Shoreline | 58,213 | $95,623 | $627,500 |
| 28 | Ridgefield | 10,432 | $107,861 | $450,700 |
| 29 | University Place | 34,565 | $84,673 | $430,500 |
| 30 | Liberty Lake | 11,647 | $96,169 | $361,000 |
| 31 | Lake Stevens | 35,135 | $99,296 | $425,500 |
| 32 | Mountlake Terrace | 21,210 | $87,785 | $451,900 |
| 33 | Poulsbo | 11,652 | $79,248 | $420,800 |
| 34 | Covington | 20,608 | $114,247 | $434,500 |
| 35 | Buckley | 5,098 | $115,245 | $415,500 |
| 36 | Dupont | 9,974 | $98,409 | $385,500 |
| 37 | Bonney Lake | 22,229 | $108,705 | $396,700 |
| 38 | North Bend | 7,393 | $123,287 | $692,800 |
| 39 | Battle Ground | 20,536 | $85,943 | $344,700 |
| 40 | Monroe | 19,879 | $94,349 | $432,600 |
| 41 | Enumclaw | 12,544 | $91,855 | $358,000 |
| 42 | Washougal | 16,664 | $95,894 | $376,000 |
| 43 | Orting | 8,781 | $97,614 | $336,300 |
| 44 | Snohomish | 10,091 | $77,308 | $435,500 |
| 45 | Renton | 105,313 | $84,374 | $474,700 |
| 46 | Milton | 8,501 | $81,690 | $359,400 |
| 47 | Tumwater | 24,855 | $77,849 | $343,300 |
| 48 | Lacey | 52,572 | $75,059 | $310,600 |
| 49 | Pacific | 7,130 | $69,095 | $331,200 |
| 50 | Sultan | 5,208 | $73,530 | $315,900 |
| 51 | Lynnwood | 38,812 | $67,576 | $492,600 |
| 52 | Olympia | 54,579 | $67,975 | $355,100 |
| 53 | Spokane Valley | 102,178 | $60,079 | $250,500 |
| 54 | Cheney | 12,743 | $42,275 | $239,500 |
| 55 | Everett | 110,438 | $71,357 | $394,900 |
| 56 | Yelm | 10,205 | $83,027 | $315,400 |
| 57 | Port Orchard | 15,315 | $75,766 | $377,700 |
| 58 | Puyallup | 42,366 | $81,224 | $387,800 |
| 59 | Sumner | 10,545 | $77,601 | $390,700 |
| 60 | Burien | 51,646 | $79,797 | $459,800 |
| 61 | Des Moines | 32,631 | $73,131 | $416,500 |
| 62 | Vancouver | 188,331 | $67,462 | $343,900 |
| 63 | Auburn | 85,306 | $79,415 | $393,500 |
| 64 | Federal Way | 99,792 | $72,969 | $384,200 |
| 65 | Bremerton | 43,345 | $61,741 | $306,700 |
| 66 | Kent | 134,890 | $79,781 | $414,200 |
| 67 | Woodland | 6,368 | $74,221 | $275,900 |
| 68 | Seatac | 30,867 | $73,540 | $364,400 |
| 69 | Lakewood | 62,972 | $60,534 | $331,500 |
| 70 | Fife | 10,869 | $75,557 | $337,200 |
| 71 | Tukwila | 21,545 | $71,688 | $373,200 |
| 72 | Airway Heights | 10,108 | $55,932 | $200,300 |
| 73 | Shelton | 10,288 | $48,000 | $208,400 |