Best overall
Thurston County
Overall score 61.4
Economy 68.8 / Affordability 27.1
State rankings
Best Counties to Live in Washington
Compare counties in Washington by affordability, schools, safety, taxes, economy, home values, and quality-of-life tradeoffs.
Use the county-size filter to compare large metro counties, mid-size counties, small counties, and rural areas separately. These modules are a starting point, then you can open the full rankings table or compare individual counties.
County size
County size helps compare places with similar scale. Large metro counties and small rural counties can rank well for very different reasons.
Showing all 39 Washington counties
Use this state ranking
Compare counties in Washington
Put Washington counties side by side.
Estimate moving costs
Compare housing, utilities, groceries, transportation, healthcare, insurance, and tax-pressure estimates.
Open Washington rankings
Open the full Washington ranking table with filters.
Explore on the map
Scan county scores geographically across the country.
Washington county rankings at a glance
Compact winners for common county-search priorities.
Best for families
Whitman County
Family score 77.0
Schools 96.1 / Safety 98
Best value
Lincoln County
Value score 63.3
Affordability 50.5 / Taxes 71.4
Most affordable
Columbia County
Affordability 63
Typical home $263,242
Best schools
King County
Schools 96.3
Safety 94.1 / Economy 77.5
Safest
Whitman County
Safety 98
Schools 96.1 / Peace 92.8
Low taxes
Lincoln County
Taxes 71.4
Affordability 50.5 / Typical home $317,803
Peace & quiet
Asotin County
Peace & Quiet 96.8
Density and built-environment signals
Top counties by category
Use these short lists to jump into the state rankings that match your priorities.
Best overall counties in Washington
View full- 1Thurston County
Typical home $529,712
61.4
Overall
- 2King County
Typical home $871,203
61.1
Overall
- 3Lincoln County
Typical home $317,803
60.6
Overall
- 4Columbia County
Typical home $263,242
59.9
Overall
- 5Whitman County
Typical home $320,724
59.9
Overall
Best counties for families in Washington
View full- 1Whitman County
Typical home $320,724
77.0
Family
- 2San Juan County
Typical home $875,339
69.4
Family
- 3Thurston County
Typical home $529,712
67.9
Family
- 4King County
Typical home $871,203
67.7
Family
- 5Lincoln County
Typical home $317,803
67.5
Family
Best value counties in Washington
View full- 1Lincoln County
Typical home $317,803
63.3
Value
- 2Asotin County
Typical home $342,122
62.6
Value
- 3Columbia County
Typical home $263,242
61.9
Value
- 4Adams County
Typical home $309,432
61.4
Value
- 5Garfield County
Typical home $242,094
60.7
Value
Most affordable counties in Washington
View full- 1Columbia County
Typical home $263,242
63
Afford.
- 2Garfield County
Typical home $242,094
60
Afford.
- 3Lincoln County
Typical home $317,803
50.5
Afford.
- 4Adams County
Typical home $309,432
46.8
Afford.
- 5Asotin County
Typical home $342,122
46.7
Afford.
Best school counties in Washington
View full- 1King County
Typical home $871,203
96.3
Schools
- 2Whitman County
Typical home $320,724
96.1
Schools
- 3San Juan County
Typical home $875,339
86.5
Schools
- 4Kitsap County
Typical home $581,186
84.9
Schools
- 5Snohomish County
Typical home $762,457
84.6
Schools
Lowest tax-score counties in Washington
View full- 1Lincoln County
Typical home $317,803
71.4
Taxes
- 2Stevens County
Typical home $366,840
67.6
Taxes
- 3Garfield County
Typical home $242,094
66.7
Taxes
- 4Pend Oreille County
Typical home $366,563
65.5
Taxes
- 5Lewis County
Typical home $432,807
63.4
Taxes
Quietest counties in Washington
View full- 1Asotin County
Typical home $342,122
96.8
Quiet
- 2Walla Walla County
Typical home $413,300
95.4
Quiet
- 3Whitman County
Typical home $320,724
92.8
Quiet
- 4Adams County
Typical home $309,432
92.1
Quiet
- 5Yakima County
Typical home $350,640
92
Quiet
Safest counties in Washington
View full- 1Whitman County
Typical home $320,724
98
Safety
- 2King County
Typical home $871,203
94.1
Safety
- 3Benton County
Typical home $448,374
93.7
Safety
- 4Chelan County
Typical home $532,390
92.8
Safety
- 5San Juan County
Typical home $875,339
91.8
Safety
Popular Washington county comparisons
Put two counties side by side before you narrow the search.
How to choose a county in Washington
The best county in Washington depends on what you need most. Families may care more about schools and safety, budget-focused movers may care more about affordability and taxes, and quiet-living households may care more about density and peace & quiet. Large counties and rural counties can rank well for very different reasons, so use the county-size filter to compare places with similar scale.
Best for different needs
Best overall counties in Washington
For best overall counties in Washington, Thurston County, King County, and Lincoln County stand out in this model because they combine several public-data signals instead of winning on only one category.
View this rankingBest counties for families in Washington
For families, Whitman County, San Juan County, and Thurston County score well in the family blend of schools, safety, affordability, taxes, economy, and peace & quiet.
View this rankingMost affordable counties in Washington
For affordability-focused movers, Columbia County, Garfield County, and Lincoln County may appeal because they score well on housing and income tradeoff signals in the current model.
View this rankingBest school counties in Washington
For school-first households, King County, Whitman County, and San Juan County lead the current school score, though families should still compare district-level details.
View this rankingBest low-tax counties in Washington
For lower tax-pressure searches, Lincoln County, Stevens County, and Garfield County score well on the tax model, but buyers should still check local property taxes and carrying costs.
View this rankingBest quiet counties in Washington
For quieter-living searches, Asotin County, Walla Walla County, and Whitman County stand out on peace & quiet signals such as density and built-environment indicators.
View this rankingWhat to watch before moving to Washington
Compare county scale carefully in Washington; large metro counties and rural counties can rank well for very different reasons.
Check town-level housing costs, commute patterns, school districts, and local services before making a final move decision.
Frequently asked questions about the best counties in Washington
What is the best county to live in Washington?
The best county depends on your priorities. In this ranking model, Thurston County currently scores highest overall, but families, budget-focused movers, and quiet-living households may prefer different counties.
What is the best county in Washington for families?
Based on the family ranking blend of schools, safety, affordability, taxes, economy, and peace & quiet, Whitman County stands out in this model.
What is the most affordable county in Washington?
Columbia County scores highly on affordability in this model, but buyers should still compare home prices, taxes, insurance, commute costs, and local job access.
How should I compare large and small counties?
Use the county-size filter. Large metro counties and small rural counties can rank well for very different reasons, so comparing similar county sizes usually gives a more realistic shortlist.
Are these rankings based on reviews?
No. These rankings use public-data signals such as affordability, schools, safety, taxes, economy, home values, and peace & quiet. Local reviews and personal visits should still be part of a final decision.
Which Washington counties score well for schools or taxes?
King County currently leads the school-score view, while Lincoln County stands out on the tax-score view. Use the rankings presets to compare those priorities separately.
All Washington counties
Showing all 39 Washington counties ranked by the default generated overall score.
| Rank | County | Overall | Economy | Afford. | Schools | Safety | Taxes | Peace & Quiet | Typical home | Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Thurston County FIPS 53067 | 61.4 | 68.8 | 27.1 | 84 | 83.9 | 48.7 | 62.5 | $529,712 | $96,563 |
| 2 | King County FIPS 53033 | 61.1 | 77.5 | 13.2 | 96.3 | 94.1 | 41.6 | 18.7 | $871,203 | $124,746 |
| 3 | Lincoln County FIPS 53043 | 60.6 | 45.3 | 50.5 | 63.6 | 83.3 | 71.4 | 85 | $317,803 | $71,512 |
| 4 | Columbia County FIPS 53013 | 59.9 | 55.5 | 63 | 54.7 | 64.8 | 51.6 | 88.8 | $263,242 | $71,810 |
| 5 | Whitman County FIPS 53075 | 59.9 | 41.4 | 26.4 | 96.1 | 98 | 43.8 | 92.8 | $320,724 | $55,406 |
| 6 | San Juan County FIPS 53055 | 59.8 | 64.9 | 10.7 | 86.5 | 91.8 | 59.5 | 77.9 | $875,339 | $84,800 |
| 7 | Snohomish County FIPS 53061 | 59.7 | 70.3 | 17.3 | 84.6 | 86.3 | 50.3 | 59.1 | $762,457 | $111,246 |
| 8 | Asotin County FIPS 53003 | 59.6 | 61.5 | 46.7 | 47.2 | 81.5 | 60.4 | 96.8 | $342,122 | $72,283 |
| 9 | Spokane County FIPS 53063 | 59.6 | 60.8 | 32.4 | 72 | 90.3 | 47.7 | 72.1 | $421,160 | $78,582 |
| 10 | Kitsap County FIPS 53035 | 59 | 70.5 | 25.5 | 84.9 | 71.6 | 53 | 38.7 | $581,186 | $104,158 |
| 11 | Benton County FIPS 53005 | 58.4 | 59.9 | 36.9 | 50.6 | 93.7 | 57.8 | 85.3 | $448,374 | $89,874 |
| 12 | Clark County FIPS 53011 | 56.1 | 69.3 | 24.7 | 63.7 | 88.6 | 49.2 | 33.6 | $550,945 | $97,536 |
| 13 | Whatcom County FIPS 53073 | 55.5 | 59.7 | 13.6 | 72.6 | 88.5 | 51.2 | 85.5 | $615,922 | $81,784 |
| 14 | Island County FIPS 53029 | 55.4 | 62.7 | 15.4 | 71 | 87.7 | 56.3 | 57.4 | $636,280 | $90,551 |
| 15 | Clallam County FIPS 53009 | 54.4 | 53.3 | 19.4 | 65 | 85.8 | 57.1 | 91.9 | $491,326 | $70,370 |
| 16 | Garfield County FIPS 53023 | 54.3 | 45.7 | 60 | 47 | 49.9 | 66.7 | 86.6 | $242,094 | $64,884 |
| 17 | Pierce County FIPS 53053 | 53.4 | 67 | 23.2 | 64.1 | 75 | 44.2 | 48 | $569,201 | $99,564 |
| 18 | Skamania County FIPS 53059 | 53.4 | 69.5 | 21.8 | 52.7 | 67 | 59.7 | 81.1 | $558,353 | $93,265 |
| 19 | Stevens County FIPS 53065 | 52.4 | 45.6 | 38 | 43 | 79.9 | 67.6 | 83.4 | $366,840 | $69,327 |
| 20 | Douglas County FIPS 53017 | 51 | 60 | 19.3 | 37.4 | 90.3 | 55.7 | 91.7 | $490,676 | $80,363 |
| 21 | Pend Oreille County FIPS 53051 | 51 | 39.5 | 32.6 | 47.5 | 86.8 | 65.5 | 78.3 | $366,563 | $67,436 |
| 22 | Adams County FIPS 53001 | 50.7 | 52.3 | 46.8 | 11.7 | 86.4 | 59.9 | 92.1 | $309,432 | $66,136 |
| 23 | Chelan County FIPS 53007 | 50.1 | 61.1 | 11 | 41 | 92.8 | 55.8 | 88.1 | $532,390 | $82,381 |
| 24 | Skagit County FIPS 53057 | 50 | 60.1 | 16 | 43.9 | 87.5 | 48.7 | 84.7 | $581,879 | $89,263 |
| 25 | Lewis County FIPS 53041 | 49.7 | 48.5 | 28.6 | 39.3 | 79.5 | 63.4 | 85.3 | $432,807 | $74,796 |
| 26 | Kittitas County FIPS 53037 | 49 | 53.8 | 11.9 | 48 | 91.8 | 49.5 | 86 | $491,430 | $73,804 |
| 27 | Cowlitz County FIPS 53015 | 48.8 | 48.7 | 32.8 | 31.5 | 86.1 | 50.2 | 84.7 | $416,973 | $76,531 |
| 28 | Jefferson County FIPS 53031 | 48.4 | 53.3 | 16.6 | 44.5 | 82.8 | 51.4 | 88.9 | $594,864 | $74,048 |
| 29 | Wahkiakum County FIPS 53069 | 48.3 | 28.6 | 27.2 | 57.7 | 83.5 | 60.8 | 83.9 | $394,449 | $62,653 |
| 30 | Walla Walla County FIPS 53071 | 48.1 | 55.2 | 29.2 | 22 | 89.2 | 44.4 | 95.4 | $413,300 | $74,202 |
| 31 | Grant County FIPS 53025 | 47.3 | 45.3 | 39.5 | 16 | 81.1 | 62.2 | 90.4 | $359,154 | $73,267 |
| 32 | Pacific County FIPS 53049 | 47.1 | 39.4 | 38.5 | 25.2 | 85.9 | 56.9 | 79.3 | $333,083 | $67,081 |
| 33 | Grays Harbor County FIPS 53027 | 46.4 | 36.5 | 42.4 | 20.7 | 87.6 | 51.6 | 84.7 | $318,140 | $64,414 |
| 34 | Okanogan County FIPS 53047 | 46.3 | 45.3 | 40.3 | 10.4 | 84.8 | 56.1 | 89.8 | $312,253 | $63,207 |
| 35 | Ferry County FIPS 53019 | 44.9 | 37.3 | 38.1 | 10 | 88.9 | 63.4 | 86.9 | $289,885 | $55,614 |
| 36 | Klickitat County FIPS 53039 | 44.9 | 47.9 | 21.5 | 19.6 | 86 | 63 | 88.3 | $462,971 | $71,042 |
| 37 | Mason County FIPS 53045 | 44.6 | 52.9 | 31.3 | 18 | 69.8 | 59 | 71.9 | $449,928 | $83,270 |
| 38 | Franklin County FIPS 53021 | 43.4 | 54.3 | 42.2 | 9.4 | 44.8 | 62 | 89 | $418,168 | $86,714 |
| 39 | Yakima County FIPS 53077 | 42.4 | 33.3 | 39.4 | 9.8 | 79.3 | 58.1 | 92 | $350,640 | $70,656 |