Only Two Puget Sound Cities Make 2019 'Best Cities' List

REDMOND, WA — Money magazine recently released its annual “Best Places To Live In America” list for 2019 and only one city in Western Washington cracked the top 50.

The new rankings, released Monday in partnership with realtor.com, were compiled by looking at more than 160,000 data points, including cost of living, education, health and safety, and diversity, according to Money. Reporters also paid a visit to each of the top 1,796 locations before settling on the country’s top 100 places to live.

The study included only towns with populations of 50,000 or more (and just neighborhoods in cities with over 300,000 people), but excluded communities with more than double the national crime risk, less than 85 percent of its state’s median household income, or a lack of ethnic diversity.

Redmond came in the highest on the list at No. 12, but Lacey also made the list at No. 75.

Some Redmond and Lacey stats from the "best cities" ranking:

Redmond
Population: 64,291
Median Home Price: $833,000
Average Commute: 24 minutes
Median Household Income: $120,325
Projected Job Growth: 6 percent
Clear Days Per Year: 140

Lacey
Population: 50,520
Median Home Price: $289,548
Average Commute: 26 minutes
Median Household Income: $65,934
Projected Job Growth: 4.5 percent
Clear Days Per Year: 136

"Redmond is a vibrant community with a dynamic economy that is rich in culture, art, and natural beauty. We have worked proactively as a community for many years to set priorities and plan for future growth. Those priorities chosen by the community have guided Redmond for over a decade and contributed to the outstanding quality of life here," Mayor John Marchione said of the list.

According to the rankings, these are the ten Best Places To Live in America:

1. Clarksville, Tennessee
2. Round Rock, Texas
3. Fishers, Indiana
4. Fulton River District, Illinois
5. Country Club Heights, North Carolina
6. Draper, Utah
7. Bentonville, Arkansas
8. Madison, Wisconsin
9. Meridian, Idaho
10. Winter Garden, Florida