How fun is Washington? It ranks high on new list for entertainment, recreation
In some states, “fun is not just an option but also a way of life.”
That’s according to the online personal finance company WalletHub, which recently ranked all 50 states in the U.S. according to which ones are the “most fun.”
The rankings were based on “26 key indicators of a jolly good time that won’t break the bank,” from how much it costs to catch a movie to music festivals per capita, WalletHub said.
Those indicators fell into two categories: nightlife, and entertainment and recreation.
Washington cracked the top 10, coming in at No. 7.
How does Washington stand out as a ‘most fun’ state?
The Evergreen State’s total score was 55.17 based on WalletHub’s metrics, a point behind sixth-place Colorado and 11.72 points behind the top-ranked California.
In terms of nightlife, Washington ranked fourth overall, with WalletHub looking at average beer and wine prices; movie costs; access to bars; time of last call; and nightlife options, music festivals, performing arts theaters and casinos per capita, in its calculations.
In entertainment and recreation, Washington was sixth overall. WalletHub looked at several indicators in that category, from beach quality and national parks access to the number of restaurants, amusement parks and skiing facilities per capita, it reported.
Washington especially stood out in two areas: ranking fifth in movie theaters per capita and fourth in personal expenditures on recreation services per capita, according to WalletHub.
In an earlier WalletHub ranking of the “most fun cities in America,” Seattle came in 19th out of 180-plus that were evaluated on 65 metrics. Tacoma came in at 115, Spokane was ranked at 122 and Vancouver came in at 136, according to WalletHub.
What are the ‘most fun’ states in the U.S.?
The top three most fun states are California, Florida and Nevada, according to WalletHub.
California’s “especially large number of restaurants, amusement parks, movie theaters, and fitness centers per capita” helped give it the edge, WalletHub said, adding that the Golden State “also boasts the second-most attractions per capita overall.”
Meanwhile, Florida leads the nation “when it comes to the number of restaurants, amusement parks, arcades and music festivals per capita,” according to WalletHub, which noted that the Sunshine State also “has the fourth-most attractions per capita, and the seventh-best variety of arts, entertainment and recreation establishments.”
In Nevada, the famed nightlife helped make for a high ranking, WalletHub said, noting the Silver State “has the most nightlife activities per capita, including a very high number of music festivals and casinos per capita,” along with low average beer and wine prices.
Illinois, New York and Colorado placed ahead of Washington in spots four through six, while Texas, Minnesota and Oregon rounded out the top 10 behind Washington in spots eight through 10.
West Virginia was ranked the lowest of all 50 states.
This story was originally published August 26, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
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