Thinking of a Move to the West Coast? These Are the Best Places To Live In Washington

Human beings have released around 35 billion tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere every year in recent years. It’s the kind of statistic that can make people run inside, shut the windows and lock the doors. The problem is there’s no way to really outrun climate change; it’s happening all over the world. There is, however, one option: move to a place that cares about the environment. Washington has its own set of pros and cons, but green living is one of the most notable pros. But before suitcases are packed on a quest to move to the West Coast, here’s more about what it’s like to live in Washington.

10 Historical Facts About Washington

Washington may not be the first place to pop into one’s mind when it comes to Black culture, Black music, Black homeowners or even entertainment. Sure, Twilight fans saw that one high school student Tyler and that vampire Laurent pop in to fight with Bella and Edward, but they were gone as quickly as they appeared in Forks. In real life, some Washington residents may be a surprise. Here are some interesting Black history facts, including icons who called it home, about Washington.

1. If Blair Underwood’s Spirit Tunnel entrance was any indication of a party in Tacoma, the city should be a lot of fun. The Phi Beta Sigma fraternity member and Washington native also won the 1993 Humanitarian Award for his support for the Muscular Dystrophy Association.
2. Seattle is the place where Quincy “Quick” Jones and Ray Charles met. Then-14-year-old Jones walked over to 17-year-old Charles at the Black and Tan Club to talk about his aspiring songwriting dreams, and their mutual love of jazz, Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker. Their shared music taste made them fast friends.
3. Songwriter Robert “Bumps” Blackwell became the first Black officer in the Washington National Guard and leader of the 41st Infantry Division Band based out of Fort Lewis.
4. Ernestine Anderson, who was later nominated for four Grammys, was also connected to Blackwell, Jones and Charles. On Seattle’s Jackson Street, she sang in Blackwell’s Junior Band while Jones played the trumpet and Charles played the piano. Time Magazine once called her “the best-kept jazz secret in the land.”
5. In 1992, Seattle designated sculptor and painter James W. Washington Jr.’s home as a cultural landmark and is now called the Dr. James & Janie Washington Cultural Center.
6. Shortly after science fiction novelist Octavia Butler moved to Seattle in 1999, she won the Nebula award for her book Parable of the Talents.
7. The First African Methodist Episcopal Church, which is located at 1522 14th Avenue, is the oldest Black church in Seattle.
8. Thelma Dewitty was the first Black teacher to be hired by the Seattle Public Schools.
9. The Northwest African American Museum opened its doors to visitors on March 8, 2008 after a 25-year process. Additionally, 36 apartment units opened up for affordable housing residents above the museum.
10. Playwright August Wilson moved to Seattle in 1990 and formed a relationship with Seattle Rep, a theater that has produced all of the works in The American Century Cycle (a 10-part series of plays that showcase the African-American experience set in every decade of the 20th century), along with Wilson’s autobiographical one-man show How I Learned What I Learned. 

Most Populated Neighborhoods in Washington

Seattle is by far the biggest city in Washington, with approximately 759,915 people. The remaining top 10 cities have between 100,000 to 200,000 residents: Spokane (229,527), Tacoma (223,968), Vancouver (198,163), Bellevue (151,505), Kent (132,306), Everett (111,275), Spokane Valley (109,803), Renton (103,748) and Yakima (96,645). From 2010 to 2020, the Black population in Washington was highest in King County (with 2.2 million), and King County (47,000 increase) and Pierce County (23,000 increase) have had the highest growth for this demographic.

Best Job Markets in Washington

Employment results are healthy here, with the unemployment rate mirroring the national rate. Technology jobs with well-known companies such as Amazon, Microsoft and Zillow are accessible, in addition to manufacturing work with Boeing and Weyerhaeuser. While the national salary average is $75,149, Seattle in particular bypasses this amount with a salary average of $124,473. Attending Northeastern University in Seattle may also offer industry-aligned graduate programs within these competitive job fields. As of January 1, 2025, the minimum wage has increased from $16.28 to $16.66.

Cost of Living in Washington

Seattle is in the top 25 Quality of Life Index. The largest city in Washington also has bragging rights for its quality of life when it comes to health care, pollution, purchasing power, safety and traffic. While it may be more high-quality, living in Washington can be pricey. For example, a resident in the third-largest city of Chicago would still need to make more money in order to match that lifestyle in Seattle. A Chicagoan worker who earned $50,000 would have to make $63,684 in Seattle to match the lifestyle. Tacoma is slightly less with $55,395, but Spokane is easier to afford with $44,298 for the same person. A New York City employee making $50,000 would need to make $35,598 in Tacoma, $28,467 in Spokane or $40,924 to match their prior lifestyle. Los Angeles and Seattle are fairly close, with a $48,368 salary needed for a prior $50,000 salary in California. An L.A. resident would need $42,072 in Tacoma and $33,644 in Spokane.

Lifestyles in Washington

For potential residents looking for a more laid-back lifestyle, Washington may be it. Coffee shop hangouts are more common than house parties, and lounge-like get-togethers are significantly more noticeable than nightclubs with music blasting at all hours. However, this Blue State is also neighbors with Oregon where Naked Athena danced bare in front of police and where thousands of Seattle residents participated in Black Lives Matter protests to speak out against the death of George Floyd. Juneteenth is celebrated with a walk through Seattle’s Central District. Washington has a well-documented history of political activism, dating back to the Industrial Workers of the World. There are some rural areas that lean Republican, but Washington is largely a deep blue state. Washington is also one of the top-five greenest states and second best for renewable energy generation. The state has relatively low carbon emissions per capita, and has the highest percentage of recycled and composted waste.

Crime Rates While Living in Washington

In 2023, the state’s murder crime rate decreased by 5.8%. Unfortunately, hate crimes increased by 6%, vehicle thefts increased by 5.4% and domestic violence offenses were responsible for 47.9% of all crimes. The target of hate crimes were usually anti-Black, anti-Jewish, anti-mental disability, anti-transgender and anti-LGBTQ+. Still, violent crimes outside of domestic violence were 5.5% lower, and property crime rates were 11.9% lower. Some of this may or may not be related to the increase in people but not police officers. Lynwood Times suggests that Washington should hire 8,000 officers (an increase of more than 80%). The per capita rate of law enforcement officers fell to 1.35 per thousand statewide in 2023. Meanwhile, the national average is about 2.31.

Living in Washington

With property crime up and the cost of living at a fairly high rate for even other top cities, would Washington be considered a good place to live anyway? Even with its flaws, Seattle is still considered one of the top 20 happiest cities in 2025. Tacoma is in the top 100 although much lower at no. 89, and Vancouver ranked at no. 100.