6 WA Cities Among Best Places To Live In U.S., Report Says

SEATTLE — Several Washington cities are among the places to live in the U.S., according to a recent report from Niche.

Niche analyzes and ranks hundreds of cities and communities based on factors like livability, crime rates, the housing market and trends, schools, employment and access to other amenities and resources. Rankings are based on city data from the U.S. Census, FBI, BLS and CDC.

In the 2021 report, six Evergreen State cities made the top 200, with two in the top 50. That's not as good as California, which had 8 in the top 50, but better than New York, Oregon, Hawaii, who were less visible on the list, Travel + Leisure reports.

See how Washington cities stack up:

1. The Woodlands, Texas
2. Arlington, Virginia
3. Naperville, Illinois
4. Overland Park, Kansas
5. Cambridge, Massachusetts
6. Ann Arbor, Michigan
7. Plano, Texas
8. Columbia, Maryland
9. Berkeley, California
10. Bellevue, Washington
11. Irvine, California
12. Richardson, Texas
13. Seattle, Washington
14. Madison, Wisconsin
15. San Francisco, California
16. Sunnyvale, California
17. Raleigh, North Carolina
18. Boulder, Colorado
19. Sandy Springs, Georgia
20. Torrance, California
21. Minneapolis, Minnesota
22. Alexandria, Virginia
23. Santa Clara, California
24. College Station, Texas
25. Columbia, Missouri
26. Austin, Texas
27. Scottsdale, Arizona
28. Rochester, Minnesota
29. Round Rock, Texas
30. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
31. Huntsville, Alabama
32. Omaha, Nebraska
33. Lincoln, Nebraska
34. Charlotte, North Carolina
35. Carlsbad, California
36. Washington, D.C.
37. Lexington, Kentucky
38. Gainesville, Florida
39. Boston, Massachusetts
40. Tampa, Florida
41. Irving, Texas
42. Atlanta, Georgia
43. St. Petersburg, Florida
44. St. Paul, Minnesota
45. Pasadena, California
46. Tempe, Arizona
47. Charleston, South Carolina
48. Fort Collins, Colorado
49. Columbia, South Carolina
50. Salt Lake City, Utah

Other Washington cities that ranked well include Spokane, which came in #127, Tacoma at #153, Vancouver at #170 and Kent #195.

Niche also tracks other factors like which U.S. cities are best for families, which are most diverse and where is the best place to retire. As people consider where to relocate or travel after this past year and working from home, organizers say the list features the ideal destinations for professionals, families and retirees.

The latest report on best places to live in the country also considers the cost of living, commute, nightlife and walkability. These elements played a big role in decision-making due to the pandemic and shifts in living, working and commuting over the last year, according to the company.

"In the past year, many people have become more mobile than ever before," Luke Skurman, CEO and founder of Niche, said in a statement.

"Especially if they're able to work remotely, people are asking themselves where they really want to live," Skurman said. "Our rankings are designed to help our users find the next place they want to call home based on their unique priorities. For families, we know schools are an important factor. In addition to the Best Places to Live rankings, our comprehensive school profiles and school rankings are very valuable for families looking to make a move."

See the full list of 2021 Best Cities to Live in America.

Patch Staffer Nicole Charky contributed to this report.