Washington
Among the top 6% of US states for weather.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade D, better than 16% of US states
WeatherWeather: grade A, better than 94% of US states
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade C, better than 45% of US states
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B, better than 70% of US states
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade A, better than 90% of US states
- top 1% for broadband access
- top 8% for comfortable days
- bottom 2% for property crime
Washington is a U.S. state with about 7,689,000 residents. It grades A for weather and D for affordability. Standout strengths include broadband access, comfortable days, and income tax. It rates lower on sales tax and property crime.
Official websitewa.gov (opens in new tab)
- The median home value in Washington is $519k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Median household income in Washington is $93k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Median gross rent in Washington is $2k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Washington has a violent crime rate of 1138/100k, per the FBI Uniform Crime Reports.
- The average one-way commute in Washington is 27 min, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$93k86th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$60kbetter than 20% of US states
Home Value$519k92nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$2kbetter than 16% of US states
Monthly Owner Costs$232kbetter than 12% of US states
Property Tax Rate0.86%better than 51% of US states
Income Tax0.06%better than 90% of US states
Sales Tax9.38%better than 6% of US states
Estimated total tax burden7.79%better than 84% of US states
Unemployment5.0%better than 61% of US states
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)40°F71st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)67°F2nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation41.8 in43rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall11.2 inbetter than 65% of US states
Sunny Days218 daysbetter than 49% of US states
Summer Humidity51°Fbetter than 84% of US states
Comfortable Days101 daysbetter than 92% of US states
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk92.8better than 18% of US states
Air Quality39 AQIbetter than 86% of US states
School Quality80.9better than 80% of US states
Violent Crime1138/100kbetter than 56% of US states
Property Crime3342/100kbetter than 2% of US states
Community
Population7,688,54976th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age38.231st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.4757th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.0282nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningD+1920th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)65.5%47th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)3.8%31st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)13.5%71st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)9.1%94th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)8.1%88th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time27 minbetter than 22% of US states
Walkability10.5/20better than 80% of US states
Airport Distance42 mibetter than 75% of US states
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access92.1%better than 100% of US states
Amenities Nearby1.53better than 20% of US states
Park & Nature AccessGoodbetter than 86% of US states
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)
Frequently asked questions
- Is Washington an affordable place to live?
- Washington is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $60k, better than 20% of comparable areas. Median rent is $2k.
- Is Washington safe?
- Washington is about average for safety comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 1138/100k (better than 56%). Property crime is 3342/100k.
- What is the weather like in Washington?
- Washington averages 67°F in July and 40°F in January, with 41.8 in of annual precipitation and about 218 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Washington?
- Public-school quality in Washington is above average, scoring better than 80% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Washington?
- The average one-way commute in Washington is 27 min.