What it costs to live here, and how good a place it is to live, in plain numbers.
Best place to live rank
#5
5th out of 50 states overall.
Among the best in the country for overall quality of life.
How we rank states ›Cost to live here
#38
38th cheapest state, about 11% above average.
To live the way $75,000 affords in an average state, you would need about $83,500 here.
How we measure cost ›Washington ranks 5th of 50 states for overall quality of life and 38th for affordability. It does best on dog friendly, economy, and green space, and struggles most with air quality, cost, and safety. A typical household earns about $95,500 a year, and the cost of living runs about 11% above average.
Our Best Life Rank scores every state on the things that shape daily life, from cost and climate to schools and safety. Here is how Washington scores on each, best to worst.
Each factor is ranked 1 (best) to 50 (worst) across all states. Green is strong, yellow is middling, red is weak.
Typical household income
$95,500
8th highest
Typical home price
$627,000
4th highest
Overall cost of living
11% above average
38th cheapest
Total taxes on a typical household
About 7%
42nd highest income tax
Typical commute
About 28 min
one way
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