2026 ranking

Best small towns to live in Washington

The 25 Washington small towns with the best mix of affordability, safety, schools and jobs, picked from 83 real small towns of 1,000 to 15,000 people — not suburbs.

1
Palouse, WA Score 83/100
1,147 people · typical home $286k · household income $89k · 128 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 3% of WA · 3.0% unemployment · 14 mi to a hospital
2
Dayton, WA Score 78/100
2,774 people · typical home $244k · household income $71k · 25 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 61% of WA · 5.0% unemployment · 6 mi to a hospital
3
Colfax, WA Score 72/100
2,708 people · typical home $245k · household income $62k · 128 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 2% of WA · 5.0% unemployment · 8 mi to a hospital
4
Ilwaco, WA Score 71/100
1,365 people · typical home $370k · household income $98k · 28 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 80% of WA · 1.0% unemployment · 3 mi to a hospital
5
Colville, WA Score 70/100
4,998 people · typical home $282k · household income $57k · 37 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 37% of WA · 5.0% unemployment · 11 mi to a hospital
6
Friday Harbor, WA Score 69/100
2,728 people · typical home $570k · household income $80k · 65 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 30% of WA · 3.0% unemployment · 3 mi to a hospital
7
Napavine, WA Score 66/100
2,158 people · typical home $419k · household income $104k · 115 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 43% of WA · 5.0% unemployment · 11 mi to a hospital
8
Chewelah, WA Score 66/100
2,606 people · typical home $267k · household income $54k · 79 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 65% of WA · 5.0% unemployment · 1 mi to a hospital
9
Coupeville, WA Score 65/100
1,980 people · typical home $561k · household income $82k · 123 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 12% of WA · 2.0% unemployment · 2 mi to a hospital
10
Ritzville, WA Score 64/100
1,855 people · typical home $227k · household income $56k · 283 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 36% of WA · 3.0% unemployment · 0 mi to a hospital
11
Ephrata, WA Score 64/100
8,560 people · typical home $252k · household income $70k · 163 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 51% of WA · 6.0% unemployment · 5 mi to a hospital
12
Omak, WA Score 63/100
5,036 people · typical home $249k · household income $77k · schools in the top 68% of WA · 4.0% unemployment · 11 mi to a hospital
13
Bridgeport, WA Score 63/100
1,792 people · typical home $177k · household income $52k · 106 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 95% of WA · 3.0% unemployment · 11 mi to a hospital
14
Langley, WA Score 62/100
1,044 people · typical home $701k · household income $77k · 78 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 28% of WA · 4.0% unemployment · 11 mi to a hospital
15
Central Park, WA Score 62/100
3,206 people · typical home $336k · household income $99k · 166 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 69% of WA · 3.0% unemployment · 6 mi to a hospital
16
White Salmon, WA Score 62/100
2,548 people · typical home $615k · household income $73k · 70 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 41% of WA · 2.0% unemployment · 6 mi to a hospital
17
Montesano, WA Score 61/100
4,183 people · typical home $354k · household income $68k · 86 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 31% of WA · 5.0% unemployment · 10 mi to a hospital
18
Elma, WA Score 61/100
3,483 people · typical home $410k · household income $78k · 132 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 52% of WA · 4.0% unemployment · 4 mi to a hospital
19
Kittitas, WA Score 61/100
1,221 people · typical home $317k · household income $80k · 129 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 63% of WA · 6.0% unemployment · 3 mi to a hospital
20
Westport, WA Score 60/100
2,217 people · typical home $197k · household income $65k · 167 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 70% of WA · 3.0% unemployment · 15 mi to a hospital
21
Davenport, WA Score 60/100
1,774 people · typical home $316k · household income $77k · 305 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 10% of WA · 7.0% unemployment · 3 mi to a hospital
22
Port Angeles East, WA Score 59/100
3,137 people · typical home $348k · household income $68k · 203 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 30% of WA · 4.0% unemployment · 6 mi to a hospital
23
Kettle Falls, WA Score 59/100
1,575 people · typical home $250k · household income $49k · 79 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 41% of WA · 7.0% unemployment · 15 mi to a hospital
24
Cle Elum, WA Score 58/100
1,905 people · typical home $451k · household income $64k · 68 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 54% of WA · 3.0% unemployment · 32 mi to a hospital
25
South Bend, WA Score 58/100
1,869 people · typical home $262k · household income $56k · 15 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 72% of WA · 7.0% unemployment · 9 mi to a hospital

How we ranked them

Every small town in Washington with 1,000–15,000 people that stands on its own (not part of a big metro core, by USDA rural-urban codes) and has solid Census data. Each town is scored against the others in Washington on: affordability (household income vs. home prices), safety (violent crime, FBI), schools (reading proficiency vs. other Washington districts), jobs (unemployment, half weight) and everyday access (distance to a hospital and a grocery store, quarter weight each). Missing numbers count as average.

The "best" town is different for everyone — weather, size, politics, things to do and more all matter too.

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