Pros, cons, key stats, and the strongest Washington cities to consider. Based on our analysis of 150 tracked Washington city markets.
It depends on your budget and city choice. The better answer is city-specific: Washington contains both stronger and weaker markets, and the right fit depends on your budget, job needs, climate tolerance, and tax situation.
Pros
- No state income tax
- Seattle is a top global tech hub
- Stunning natural setting (mountains, sound, forests)
- Mild summers
- Strong healthcare and biotech sectors
Cons
- Very expensive housing in Seattle metro
- High sales tax + B&O tax (replaces income tax)
- Cloudy, rainy winters (October-April)
- Wildfire smoke in summer
What this means in practice
Across 150 tracked Washington city markets, the median home costs $575,466 with a 1-year change of -0.1% and a median momentum score of 63 out of 100.
On taxes, No state income tax on wages. 7% capital gains tax above $262k. Sales tax 6.5% (local pushes to 10%+). Modest property. That matters because the cheapest state on paper can still be expensive if property tax, insurance, or local housing costs overwhelm the headline rate.
State-level averages mask city-level variation — within any state, individual cities can have radically different cost, climate, and trajectory. Use the strongest-momentum cities below as a starting point.
Top 5 Washington cities by momentum
- Burlington — momentum 75, median $543,329
- Arlington — momentum 73, median $670,726
- Quincy — momentum 73, median $427,827
- Centralia — momentum 72, median $396,729
- Lynden — momentum 72, median $626,690