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Best Overall Cities in Washington

9 cities ranked · Highest MoveScore composite — safest overall balance of all six livability dimensions.

Top Cities in Washington

  1. #1
    B

    Spokane Valley

    Best Overall Cities score 79 · MoveScore 79

  2. #2
    B

    Kirkland

    Best Overall Cities score 73 · MoveScore 73

  3. #3
    C

    Spokane

    Best Overall Cities score 68 · MoveScore 68

  4. #4
    C

    Bellevue

    Best Overall Cities score 68 · MoveScore 68

  5. #5
    C

    Everett

    Best Overall Cities score 67 · MoveScore 67

  6. #6
    C

    Federal Way

    Best Overall Cities score 63 · MoveScore 63

  7. #7
    C

    Seattle

    Best Overall Cities score 63 · MoveScore 63

  8. #8
    C

    Tacoma

    Best Overall Cities score 61 · MoveScore 61

  9. #9
    D

    Yakima

    Best Overall Cities score 54 · MoveScore 54

Other Washington Rankings

Best for Safety in Washington

Lowest crime rates per FBI UCR — best for families sensitive to violent and property crime.

Best for Water Quality in Washington

Cleanest drinking water per EPA SDWIS — fewest violations, highest safety scores.

Best for Air Quality in Washington

Cleanest air per EPA AQS — lowest median AQI and fewest unhealthy days.

Best for Public Schools in Washington

Strongest public school performance per NCES/EDFacts — highest average proficiency.

Best Fiscal Health in Washington

Strongest municipal fiscal health per Census ASPEP — sustainable per-capita spending.

Best for Hospital Care in Washington

Highest-rated hospitals per CMS HCAHPS — best patient experience scores.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which city in Washington ranks highest for best overall cities?

Spokane Valley, WA ranks #1 in Washington for best overall cities with a sub-score of 79/100 (MoveScore 79, grade B).

How many cities in Washington are compared?

9 Washington cities have enough federal data for this ranking. Cities need at least three of six sub-scores for inclusion.

How is this ranking calculated?

Highest MoveScore composite — safest overall balance of all six livability dimensions. Sub-scores are normalized to 0-100 and the highest scores rank first.

Sources: FBI UCR, EPA, NCES, Census ASPEP, CMS HCAHPS
Last updated:

Washington-specific ranking using the composite MoveScore, normalized to 0-100. Cities need at least three federal sub-scores to be included.