If you’re looking for safe cities and neighborhoods, amazing schools, large green spaces, good food, and just overall good family friendly fun, you can stop your search: Washington is one of the most family friendly states in the USA.
Great family friendly Washington cities are around every corner in The Evergreen State. You can have your family at the beach in Kenmore, then to Lake Sammamish in Sammamish, and on to the foothills of The Cascade Range in Wenatchee all in the same day.
You’re in luck parents, some of these family friendly cities have family friendly breweries for that end of the day family friendly fun. We recommend Manfish Brewing in Issaquah: they are both kid and dog friendly. In all seriousness, Washington has some of the best schools in the country. Blue Ribbon elementary schools, gold star high schools with focus in STEM, the Arts, and Aviation, and colleges like University of Washington and Washington State have been delivering the next generation to work at major Washington companies like Amazon, Microsoft, and Nordstrom. (This is especially nice for those parents who don’t want their kids to fly the coop for school or work.)
Now don’t count yourselves out of the mix, parents. There are plenty of jobs available in Washington for everyone–they have one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country. And with a $67,000/year household median, there’s plenty of jobs to keep your family happy, healthy, and having fun. And speaking of healthy, Washington is the number one producer of organic fruits and vegetables, they have some of the freshest fish in the country, and their number one goal is sustainability Their thoughts on food and health in general, are very progressive. They are one of the top states for life expectancy.
So grab the minivan, put on your raincoats, and read on to see more information about the family friendly cities around Washington.
$141,126 median income · 45.2% households with kids
Located in
Clark County, Washington
Camas is a city in Clark County, Washington, with a population of 19,355 at the 2010 census. The east side of town borders the city of Washougal, Washington, and the west side of town borders Vancouver, Washington. Camas lies along the Washington side of the Columbia River, across from Troutdale, Oregon, and is part of the Portland metropolitan area.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$239,690 median income · 51.1% households with kids
Located in
King County, Washington
Sammamish is a city in King County, Washington, United States. The population was 63,773 in a 2016 census estimate. Located on a plateau, the city is bordered by Lake Sammamish to the west and the Snoqualmie Valley to the east.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$140,427 median income · 34.2% households with kids
Located in
Snohomish County, Washington
Bothell is a city located in King and Snohomish Counties in the State of Washington. It is part of the Seattle metropolitan area. Based on per capita income, Bothell ranks 78th of 614 areas in the state of Washington to be ranked.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$139,764 median income · 28.8% households with kids
Located in
King County, Washington
Kenmore is a city in King County, Washington, United States, along the northernmost shores of Lake Washington. A mix of bedroom community, one-time country retreat, and freshwater industrial port, prominent features include the nation’s largest seaplane-only, commercial air facility at Kenmore Air Harbor, Bastyr University, several waterside parks and marinas, and easy access to the Burke-Gilman Trail and the King County bike-trail system. Sites of local historical interest include the former St. Edward Seminary, now Saint Edward State Park; and Log Boom Park. Kenmore’s official city flower is the dahlia, the official city bird is the great blue heron, and the official city evergreen is the rhododendron. The population was 20,460 at the 2010 census.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$214,107 median income · 54.7% households with kids
Located in
King County, Washington
Snoqualmie is a city next to Snoqualmie Falls in King County, Washington. It is twenty-five miles east of Seattle. This city is home to the Northwest Railway Museum. The population was 13,190 in a 2016 census estimate.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$219,069 median income · 32.0% households with kids
Located in
King County, Washington
Mercer Island is a city in King County, Washington, United States located on an island of the same name in the southern portion of Lake Washington. Mercer Island is in the Seattle Metropolitan Area, with Seattle located to its west and Bellevue located to its east.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$172,188 median income · 30.1% households with kids
Located in
Kitsap County, Washington
Bainbridge Island is a city in Kitsap County, Washington, United States, and is coextensive with the eponymous island in Puget Sound. The population was 23,025 at the 2010 census, making Bainbridge Island the second largest city in Kitsap County.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$150,414 median income · 27.9% households with kids
Located in
King County, Washington
Kirkland is a city in King County, Washington, United States. A suburb east of Seattle, its population was 87,281 at the 2015 census estimate, which made it the sixth largest city in the county and the twelfth largest in the state.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$118,723 median income · 39.5% households with kids
Located in
Spokane County, Washington
Liberty Lake is an incorporated city in Spokane County, Washington, United States, on the Idaho state line. Liberty Lake is a suburb of Spokane, Washington. Thus, it is situated between Spokane and Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. The population was 7,591 at the 2010 census.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$159,904 median income · 27.6% households with kids
Located in
King County, Washington
Lake Forest Park is a city in King County, Washington, United States, just north of Seattle. A bedroom community by design, most of the city consists of single-family housing on medium to large-sized lots. Less than 4% of the city land is zoned commercial; most of that is in one location, and there are no industrial areas.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
The receipts
Compare the top ten
Pick a metric. The bars rescale. The red line is Washington’s statewide median.
Washington statewide median: $98,141
Washington statewide median: $601,016
On the map
Where Washington’s most family-friendly cities are
Saturday Night Science
Methodology: How do you determine which place is best for families in Washington anyways?
To give you the places in Washington that are best for families, we must look at a handful of metrics. We want to measure the criteria people want in a family-friendly city utilizing Saturday Night Science.
After researching U.S. Census data produced for the state of Washington, we looked at the data for every single city in the state. We paid particular attention to:
- Crime (Both violent and property)
- Quality of local schools
- Distance to a major city without necessarily being in it
- % of households with children
- Family-friendly amenities nearby (museums, libraries, and colleges)
We then gave each city a “Family Score.”
The higher the score, the better the city is for families. We also limited our results to cities with over 10,000 people. For Washington, that meant a total of 89 cities.
We updated this article for 2026. This is our eleventh time ranking the best cities for families in Washington.
The full plate
Best Places For Families In Washington
Click any column to sort. Search by city name.
| Rank | City | Population | Median Income | Average Home Price | % Households w/ Kids |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Camas | 27,007 | $141,126 | $751,543 | 45.2% |
| 2 | Sammamish | 66,463 | $239,690 | $1,627,993 | 51.1% |
| 3 | Bothell | 49,610 | $140,427 | $1,061,138 | 34.2% |
| 4 | Kenmore | 23,741 | $139,764 | $1,046,652 | 28.8% |
| 5 | Snoqualmie | 13,798 | $214,107 | $1,122,657 | 54.7% |
| 6 | Mercer Island | 25,307 | $219,069 | $2,326,984 | 32.0% |
| 7 | Bainbridge Island | 24,631 | $172,188 | $1,173,703 | 30.1% |
| 8 | Kirkland | 92,621 | $150,414 | $1,265,788 | 27.9% |
| 9 | Liberty Lake | 12,737 | $118,723 | $558,764 | 39.5% |
| 10 | Lake Forest Park | 13,335 | $159,904 | $1,054,029 | 27.6% |
| 11 | Newcastle | 12,989 | $160,278 | $1,424,187 | 29.9% |
| 12 | Maple Valley | 28,287 | $152,885 | $799,653 | 51.3% |
| 13 | Bellevue | 151,847 | $165,576 | $1,516,154 | 29.1% |
| 14 | Redmond | 77,353 | $162,560 | $1,402,276 | 31.1% |
| 15 | Ridgefield | 13,408 | $116,389 | $665,864 | 44.0% |
| 16 | Lake Stevens | 40,253 | $122,336 | $705,682 | 47.1% |
| 17 | Woodinville | 13,438 | $164,398 | $1,390,134 | 31.2% |
| 18 | Pullman | 32,229 | $46,812 | $423,693 | 18.5% |
| 19 | Mill Creek | 20,956 | $124,364 | $981,773 | 32.3% |
| 20 | Mount Vernon | 35,377 | $75,777 | $586,879 | 35.0% |
| 21 | Bonney Lake | 22,090 | $136,845 | $676,348 | 46.5% |
| 22 | Mukilteo | 21,323 | $132,861 | $933,199 | 30.2% |
| 23 | Tumwater | 26,956 | $95,212 | $526,058 | 28.5% |
| 24 | Anacortes | 17,966 | $91,951 | $725,456 | 23.0% |
| 25 | Battle Ground | 21,886 | $104,977 | $606,387 | 40.5% |
| 26 | Shoreline | 61,431 | $112,751 | $831,857 | 27.3% |
| 27 | West Richland | 17,586 | $119,892 | $493,162 | 44.0% |
| 28 | Puyallup | 42,746 | $97,826 | $570,442 | 29.9% |
| 29 | Marysville | 73,002 | $103,974 | $634,696 | 33.1% |
| 30 | Edgewood | 13,032 | $116,132 | $737,911 | 37.3% |
| 31 | Ellensburg | 20,874 | $55,438 | $453,797 | 21.8% |
| 32 | Poulsbo | 12,165 | $116,250 | $665,803 | 27.9% |
| 33 | Wenatchee | 35,484 | $73,040 | $491,478 | 31.1% |
| 34 | Des Moines | 32,823 | $92,483 | $612,731 | 30.2% |
| 35 | Covington | 21,233 | $134,502 | $678,607 | 36.0% |
| 36 | Seattle | 754,195 | $123,860 | $868,680 | 17.4% |
| 37 | Richland | 62,753 | $95,813 | $466,467 | 29.8% |
| 38 | Ferndale | 15,999 | $87,579 | $616,287 | 40.4% |
| 39 | Washougal | 17,490 | $106,368 | $640,872 | 34.7% |
| 40 | Monroe | 19,755 | $110,461 | $733,030 | 39.0% |
| 41 | Mountlake Terrace | 23,104 | $107,687 | $699,079 | 24.3% |
| 42 | Renton | 105,317 | $100,432 | $764,375 | 30.5% |
| 43 | University Place | 34,911 | $99,031 | $661,410 | 31.4% |
| 44 | Enumclaw | 12,798 | $121,250 | $680,130 | 26.8% |
| 45 | Bremerton | 44,830 | $74,940 | $483,132 | 26.1% |
| 46 | Lynden | 16,234 | $103,233 | $625,493 | 34.2% |
| 47 | Walla Walla | 33,925 | $66,748 | $413,578 | 24.1% |
| 48 | Oak Harbor | 24,362 | $76,084 | $528,587 | 36.6% |
| 49 | Gig Harbor | 12,424 | $118,395 | $820,740 | 24.4% |
| 50 | Tacoma | 222,758 | $85,884 | $493,840 | 27.2% |
| 51 | Port Townsend | 10,438 | $62,606 | $633,223 | 16.1% |
| 52 | Vancouver | 195,300 | $81,338 | $509,318 | 26.6% |
| 53 | Yakima | 96,961 | $62,815 | $359,876 | 35.1% |
| 54 | Cheney | 12,804 | $54,503 | $420,133 | 23.7% |
| 55 | Everett | 111,845 | $83,512 | $662,786 | 26.6% |
| 56 | Snohomish | 10,239 | $87,250 | $939,010 | 29.0% |
| 57 | Port Angeles | 20,118 | $62,606 | $450,576 | 22.3% |
| 58 | Burlington | 10,003 | $80,475 | $539,012 | 31.3% |
| 59 | Bellingham | 93,438 | $66,755 | $668,589 | 18.9% |
| 60 | Edmonds | 42,735 | $122,449 | $942,131 | 23.4% |
| 61 | Lacey | 57,737 | $90,625 | $516,096 | 27.2% |
| 62 | Yelm | 11,102 | $90,750 | $489,021 | 44.9% |
| 63 | Sumner | 10,733 | $98,191 | $593,648 | 32.2% |
| 64 | Auburn | 85,676 | $97,884 | $614,182 | 34.8% |
| 65 | Kelso | 12,684 | $66,751 | $384,872 | 26.8% |
| 66 | Spokane | 230,293 | $70,064 | $395,325 | 25.9% |
| 67 | Port Orchard | 17,149 | $89,795 | $556,428 | 34.3% |
| 68 | Burien | 51,513 | $91,318 | $650,469 | 29.8% |
| 69 | Lynnwood | 40,110 | $77,704 | $784,107 | 29.1% |
| 70 | Longview | 38,069 | $61,747 | $385,310 | 27.0% |
| 71 | Pasco | 79,575 | $85,586 | $418,088 | 48.8% |
| 72 | Kent | 135,603 | $92,302 | $656,314 | 35.8% |
| 73 | East Wenatchee | 14,199 | $77,558 | $510,449 | 46.3% |
| 74 | Olympia | 55,951 | $81,302 | $533,713 | 23.5% |
| 75 | Kennewick | 85,295 | $73,576 | $430,870 | 32.3% |
| 76 | Arlington | 21,095 | $88,231 | $669,006 | 36.4% |
| 77 | Grandview | 11,187 | $61,106 | $339,263 | 48.2% |
| 78 | Spokane Valley | 106,365 | $74,042 | $408,888 | 28.4% |
| 79 | SeaTac | 32,414 | $81,104 | $553,220 | 31.5% |
| 80 | Federal Way | 99,493 | $86,909 | $601,744 | 30.7% |
| 81 | Fife | 10,949 | $90,532 | $557,639 | 37.7% |
| 82 | Lakewood | 62,937 | $74,720 | $521,148 | 26.7% |
| 83 | Centralia | 18,830 | $56,219 | $395,613 | 26.3% |
| 84 | Moses Lake | 26,083 | $74,752 | $364,481 | 33.2% |
| 85 | Airway Heights | 11,245 | $62,874 | $372,868 | 34.0% |
| 86 | Sunnyside | 16,277 | $60,923 | $322,238 | 47.7% |
| 87 | Shelton | 10,612 | $69,598 | $422,092 | 34.1% |
| 88 | Tukwila | 21,451 | $78,381 | $575,995 | 27.1% |
| 89 | Aberdeen | 17,088 | $52,195 | $273,201 | 25.9% |
Source: U.S. Census data via Saturday Night Science. 89 Washington cities with more than 10,000 residents.
Summary
Summary: The Best Places To Raise A Family In Washington
If you’re looking for a breakdown of cities in Washington ranked by criteria that most agree make a place a great spot for families, this is an accurate list.
The best places for families in Washington are Camas, Sammamish, Bothell, Kenmore, Snoqualmie, Mercer Island, Bainbridge Island, Kirkland, Liberty Lake, and Lake Forest Park. Not sold on Washington? Take the two-minute Find Your Place quiz and see which state actually fits you.
Questions and answers
Best Places For Families In Washington FAQs
What is the best place to raise a family in Washington?
Camas is the best place to raise a family in Washington for 2026, according to Saturday Night Science. Sammamish and Bothell round out the top three.
What are the best places for families in Washington?
The best Washington places to raise a family are Camas, Sammamish, Bothell, Kenmore, Snoqualmie, Mercer Island, Bainbridge Island, Kirkland, Liberty Lake, and Lake Forest Park. We ranked all 89 cities with more than 10,000 residents.
How do you rank family-friendly cities?
Family-friendliness blends low crime, good schools, proximity to a major city, the share of households with kids, and nearby amenities. The city that balances all of it best in Washington is Camas.
Is Camas affordable for families?
The median home in Camas costs $751,543 against a median household income of $141,126. Statewide, the median home runs $601,016, so check the gap before you pack the minivan.
What is the toughest place to raise a family in Washington?
Aberdeen lands at the bottom of the family ranking for Washington. Families make it work everywhere, but the crime, school, and income numbers stack against it there.
