Three of the ‘most envied’ suburbs in America are located in WA. Two are on the west side
Two cities in western Washington were named among the most-envied in the country for their suburban lifestyles.
Moving Feedback, a moving company reviewer, surveyed 3,000 U.S. adults to create a ranking of the 175 most desirable suburbs in America.
Here are the two suburbs located near Seattle, as well as one more city in eastern Washington that also made the list, Liberty Lake.
Mercer Island, WA
Mercer Island was ranked #9 on the list of most envied suburbs in America. Mercer Island is located in Lake Washington between Seattle and Bellevue. This suburb ranked high on the list due to its location which “provides picturesque waterfront properties and scenic views,” according to Moving Feedback.
Mercer Island has a population of a little over 25,000 people and offers a feel of urban and suburban mix as well as a friendly community, according to resident reviews on Niche. Mercer Island’s residents white residents make up 67% of the population and are followed by Asian residents that make up 21% of the population.
The median household income for Mercer Island in 2020 was double the national average at a little over $150,000 and the median price for a home was about $1.4 million, according to Data USA. Income and home values, as well as Mercer Island’s proximity to Seattle “make it an attractive option for people seeking a luxurious and convenient lifestyle,” according to the moving company reviewer.
Along with the great views, Mercer Island has highly regarded schools with Niche ranking it third place for the best public schools in Washington.
Medina, WA
A little farther north from Mercer Island on Lake Washington is Medina, Washington. Medina was ranked #11 on Moving Feedback’s survey.
Medina is located east from Seattle on a peninsula on the opposite shore of Lake Washington, and has a population of almost 3,000 residents. Medina is 1.4 square miles in size and is filled with many parks and offers residents a rural feel. Medina is also known for having highly-rated public schools.
Data from Data USA shows that between 2019 and 2020 the population of Medina only increased by 0.49%. White residents make up 60% of the population and Asian residents make up 27% of the city’s population. Although Medina has a small population, there is a small concentration of high-profile tech millionaires who own property there, including Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos.
Medina is known to be an expensive city to live in, but between 2019 and 2020, the median household income had a -12.8% decrease from $212,337 to $185,163, according to Data USA.
The median property value in Medina is still very high at a little over $2 million.
Other WA suburbs ranked among the most envied in America
Liberty Lake, WA
Liberty Lake, Washington was ranked #85 on the list of most-envied suburbs in America. Liberty Lake is located in Spokane County in eastern Washington. Liberty Lake has a population of almost 12,000 people and is 90% white non-Hispanic. The median household income in Liberty Lake in 2020 was $96,051, according to Data USA.
According to reviews on Niche from residents, Liberty Lake is safe and provides a sense of community.
The top 10 most envied suburb in America
According to Moving Feedback, these suburbs are the most envied for their lifestyles:
Calabasas, California
Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida
Huntington Bay, New York
SouthPark, North Carolina
Forest Acres, South Carolina
Sugar Land, Texas
Alpharetta, Georgia
Alamo Heights, Texas
Mercer Island, Washington
McLean, Virginia
This story was originally published September 23, 2023 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Three of the ‘most envied’ suburbs in America are located in WA. Two are on the west side."
