Bellevue ranked No. 11 and Seattle No. 13 on Niche’s 2022 Best Cities to Live In America list.
Rankings were calculated based on grades in several areas, including crime rates, public schools, housing trends, diversity, cost of living, nightlife, outdoor activities and employment opportunities.
Bellevue received a grade of A+ for its public schools and family-friendliness, and it got an A for both diversity and nightlife. Seattle scored an A+ for nightlife, an A for family-friendliness and diversity and an A- for public schools.
The Woodlands, Texas, claimed the No. 1 spot out of 227 cities ranked.
Niche’s website describes itself as a platform that combines “rigorous analysis with authentic reviews to highlight the best schools, companies and neighborhoods” in the country.
“Whether our users are young professionals, parents with young kids or retirees, Niche’s Best Places to Live rankings serve as an excellent starting point for considering a move,” Luke Skurman, CEO and founder of Niche, said in a press release.
In addition to national rankings, Niche users can view the top-ranked cities, suburbs and neighborhoods in each state, metro area or county.
“The pandemic triggered a new set of possibilities,” Skurman continued in the release. “Suddenly, many individuals and families found themselves more mobile than ever before, and in the past two years, they have continued to think hard about where they really want to live.”
Other Washington cities recognized on Niche’s Best Cities to Live in America list: Spokane (No. 125), Tacoma (157) and Vancouver (177).