Top Cities in Washington

Washington at a Glance

Washington State has many faces. Sometimes termed God's gift to the nation, its largest population center, Seattle, sits on the edge of a beautiful body of water with views of mountains in several directions, and is termed "The Emerald City." The northern boundary separates the state from Canada, and a water boundary with British Columbia exists as well. To the West, the Olympic Peninsula represents a stretch of untamed land bounded by the crashing Pacific Ocean and known for its spectacular rain forest, while the eastern plains stretch across miles of farmland and open space. Sportsmen flock to the rivers for fishing, rafting and canoeing, or head to the San Juan Islands and inland Lake Washington for boating adventure. 

Washington is the prime jewel in the crown of the Pacific Northwest, with a character that sometimes defies description. Although most folks know about Seattle's drizzly winters, it is one of only a few places on the globe where you can spend a morning on the ski slopes and then enjoy a quiet evening sail the same day. It is also one of the few places to drink "the world's best coffee," work at a high tech center, shop at a thriving century-old Pike Place Market, grow your own vegetables, and embrace world-class art and culture. Did we already mention that from many places in the state you can be in a friendly foreign country within only an hour or two?

Airplanes and high technology, boating, fishing and high adventure, active volcanoes and an active shipping industry, apples and wine, wilderness and highway congestion, major military installations, a distinctly liberal political climate, and many other dichotomies shape and mold the state. Its residents love it and visitors return to experience it in all its varied shapes and forms. 

Top Cities in Washington

• Auburn  
• Bellevue  
• Bellingham  
• Bonney Lake  
• Bothell in King County  
• Bothell  
• Bremerton  
• East Olympia  
• Everett  
• Gig Harbor  
• Issaquah  
• Kent  
• Kirkland  
• Lake Stevens  
• Marysville  

Why You'll Love Living in Washington

Seattle is the state's hub, and that's not likely to change anytime soon. Leisure time amenities abound; international cuisine, art, culture, music and professional sports attract loyal fans. The 1962 World's Fair Site with its iconic Space Needle is a popular destination for visitors and locals alike. That all compensates for the cost of living. Although its highways tend to be congested, Seattle has an enviable public transportation web. 

Coastal cities experience a moderate climate, with little snow except in the mountains. Inland, on the eastern slope of the Cascades, winters are cold and summers tend to be hot and dry. 

You'll still find reminders of logging days, the gold rush and frontier life. You'll also find modern architecture, trendy shopping and space age technology. It's the balance between old and new that makes many of Washington's cities so irresistible, and it's the natural appeal that keeps people at home here.

Public secondary education is highly rated; and many colleges call Washington home. The esteemed University of Washington campus occupies an entire "district" in Seattle. Eastern Washington U. is headquartered in Cheney, but also offers classes at numerous other campuses throughout the state. Pullman, nestled between Idaho and Oregon in the southeast corner of the state, is home to Washington State University. It has a particular rural appeal and a college town vibe.

Bellingham, located on the northern end of Puget Sound, is the "gateway to Alaska," with a year-round ferry schedule via the Alaska Marine Highway. Yes, you can book a trip to Ketchikan or Sitka and back, visit coastal communities in Alaska's heartland, or travel all the way to the end of the Aleutian chain!

Olympia, the capital, is a quiet, relatively small town. Other cities of note include Tacoma, Spokane, Walla Walla, Port Angeles, and Anacortes. Vancouver (the Washington city as opposed to the Vancouver in British Columbia to the north) is just across the bridge from Portland, Oregon, on the Columbia River.