WalletHub Ranks Washington 33rd-Best State to Live in 2026

WalletHub just dropped its annual ranking of the best states to live in for 2026, comparing all fifty across 51 different measures of livability — housing affordability, hospital quality, income growth, the stuff that actually shapes daily life. Idaho took the top spot this year, followed by New Jersey. New Mexico landed dead last.

Washington came in at 33rd overall.

Where the Evergreen State Shines — and Where It Doesn’t

The breakdown tells a more complicated story than one number can. Washington’s economy ranked 9th in the country, a genuine strength. Quality of life landed at 10th, and education and health came in at 19th, respectively. Affordability dragged the average down some, sitting at 36th nationally — no shock to anyone who’s shopped for a house here lately.

Then there’s safety. Washington ranked 50th. Dead last, out of fifty states, on crime and safety measures. That number is jarring next to the state’s strong showing everywhere else, and it’s the kind of statistic that deserves more attention than a single line in a report.

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How We Stack Up Against Our PNW Neighbors

Idaho’s overall win came largely from low taxes and strong income growth, but its safety ranking helped too — 3rd in the nation, worlds apart from Washington’s last-place finish. Interestingly, Idaho actually trails Washington in quality of life, ranking 31st compared to our 10th. Good economy, good quality of life, terrible safety numbers — Washington’s profile reads like a state with real strengths undercut by one glaring weakness.

Montana rounded out a respectable 14th overall, while Oregon slid into the bottom ten nationally at 42nd.

For residents in the Wenatchee Valley, this ranking probably won’t change any plans to move. But it’s worth sitting with for a minute — a state this strong economically, with this much going for it in daily quality of life, still has real work to do on keeping people safe. That gap between 9th and 50th is the story here, not the overall number.