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

Is your city among the best places to live in the U.S.? Find out.

Charles Woodman, Patch StaffPosted Wed, Jun 2, 2021 at 1:15 pm PT|Updated Thu, Jun 3, 2021 at 10:23 am PT

Seattle placed well, but it didn't nab the state's highest slot. (Shutterstock / Agnieszka Gaul)

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.

e 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.