Seattle ranked No. 13 in the nation in RentCafe’s 2026 Most Livable U.S. Metro Areas report. That ranking would have been higher — if not for the city’s high cost of living.

When looking just at quality of life, Emerald City ranked No. 2 in the country, behind only Washington, D.C. That was due to the overall mental and physical health of residents, quality of food options, access to exercise opportunities and high rates of healthcare providers relative to the population, plus a high share of college-educated residents and ample entertainment and recreation venues.

However, when accounting for socioeconomic factors, like a cost of living 32.2% higher than the national average and an income growth rate of just 3% over five years, Seattle ranked No. 123 out of 149 metros — tanking its overall rating.

“Seattle ranks much higher for quality of life, thanks to strong healthcare access and everyday convenience,” Adina Dragos, research analyst for RentCafe, told Seattle Agent. “Only about 6% of residents are uninsured, the metro offers one of the highest concentrations of healthcare providers nationwide (roughly 30 providers per capita) and access to fresh food is strong, with a 9.1 out of 10 score on the food index.

“However, its socioeconomics score is significantly lower mainly because living costs run 32% above the national average, income growth has been slow at just 3% over five years (well below Spokane’s 11% increase), and income inequality remains elevated.”