Kirkland Named One The 50 Best Places To Live In The US

KIRKLAND, WA — The Eastside and southwest Washington are home to two of the best places to live in the United States, according to a new ranking released this week by Money.

The 2022 ranking of 50 Best Places to Live in the U.S. includes cities that offer the best in what matters most to residents: economic opportunities, quality of life, and diversity, according to Money. This year, researchers also set out to feature a more diverse list of cities than in past years.

“We kept returning to the question, ‘best places to live for whom?’” researchers said on Money’s website. “(Previous cities were) often quaint, affordable — and unintentionally yet overwhelmingly white. We wanted to create a more welcoming list for a broader group of people this year, so we restructured our data gathering and ranking processes to reflect that priority.”

Kirkland ranked third-highest among American cities on the list, trailing only Atlanta and Tempe, Arizona. With a population of 90, 472 people, Kirkland residents have a median household income of $128,775 while the city’s unemployment rate is 2.9 percent.

Writing about the Eastside suburb, Money highlighted Kirkland's natural beauty, park system and growing roster of businesses.

"Kirkland is easy on the eyes, to put it mildly," Money writes. "Sitting on the edge of sparkling Lake Washington, residents enjoy views of both Mount Rainier and the Seattle skyline. But it’s not just looks that give locals bragging rights. They describe the Seattle suburb as a family-friendly, community-focused town with great schools and employment opportunities."

Representing Washington's southwest, Camas ranked 32nd on the list. Sitting about 25 miles outside of Portland, with a population of just 27,486, Money highlighted the city's proximity to nearby hiking areas, strong schools and sense of community.

To determine the cities on this year’s list, Money analyzed data in nine different areas: cost of living, diversity, economic opportunity, education, fun and amenities, health and safety, the housing market, income and personal finance, and quality of life.

Data was collected from several sources including the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the U.S. Census Bureau, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

Read more about the methodology for Money’s Best Places To Live.

The top city on this year’s list is Atlanta, Georgia.

“This is no accident,” researchers said. “At a time when people are becoming much more introspective about their role in society, our goal this year was to name a number one where anyone can feel like they belong. And for that, Atlanta is hard to beat.”

Here are the top five Best Places To Live in 2022:

1. Atlanta, Georgia
2. Tempe, Arizona
3. Kirkland, Washington
4. Raleigh, North Carolina
5. Rogers Park, Illinois

>> See the full list of Best Places To Live.