These Are The 10 Richest Cities In Washington

Sammamish, Snoqualmie, Cottage Lake: These cities aren’t just some of the best places to live in Washington. They are also home to some of the richest people in the Evergreen State.

Sammamish in particular houses the richest residents in the state thanks, in part, to a median household income of $144,775 and a ridiculously low poverty rate of 2.2%.

If you’re thinking of moving to one of these towns, you’ll probably need to start saving. The richest places in Washington share common characteristics such as having a genius level populous, sky high home prices, and a Pleasantville level of married couples.

After analyzing Census data from the 2010-2014 American Community Survey for the 190 places in Washington with more than 5,000 people, we were left with this set of the ten richest places in the Evergreen State:

1. Sammamish
2. Snoqualmie
3. Cottage Lake
4. Mercer Island
5. Bothell East
6. Union Hill-Novelty Hill
7. Silver Firs
8. Felida
9. Klahanie
10. Newcastle

For more on how we calculated the top ten, read on or skip to the end for the full list. Oh, and the poorest place in Washington? That would be Wapato.

How We Determined The Richest Places In Washington

The first thing that comes to most people’s minds when they think about determining the richest places is simply how much people earn. After all, rich people have really high salaries.

However, we don’t think that one statistic wholly encompasses what it means to be one of the “richest places”. So we looked at this set of criteria from the 2010-2014 American Community Survey:

• Poverty Level
• Median Household Income
• Unemployment Rate

Median household income is the most digestible way to understand how rich a place really is. The unemployment rate tries to capture the prospects for more people to become rich. If more people are employed, the richer the future looks.

After we collected the data for all 190 places with more than 5,000 people in Washington, we ranked each place from 1 to 190 for each of the criteria, with 1 being the richest.

We then averaged all the rankings for a place into a “Rich Score” with the place having the lowest overall Rich Score, Sammamish, crowned the “Richest Place In Washington”.

You can learn more about the top ten below or skip to the end to see the rankings for all 190 places.

1. Sammamish

Population: 49,077
Median Income: 14477500.0%
Poverty Level: 2.2%
Unemployment Rate: 4.4%

2. Snoqualmie

Population: 11,625
Median Income: 13006000.0%
Poverty Level: 1.5%
Unemployment Rate: 4.7%

3. Cottage Lake

Population: 23,318
Median Income: 13480200.0%
Poverty Level: 3.5%
Unemployment Rate: 4.5%

4. Mercer Island

Population: 23,636
Median Income: 12565100.0%
Poverty Level: 3.5%
Unemployment Rate: 4.5%

5. Bothell East

Population: 8,959
Median Income: 10457300.0%
Poverty Level: 3.9%
Unemployment Rate: 2.8%

6. Union Hill-Novelty Hill

Population: 21,313
Median Income: 12460600.0%
Poverty Level: 2.8%
Unemployment Rate: 6.1%

7. Silver Firs

Population: 22,398
Median Income: 10248000.0%
Poverty Level: 3.6%
Unemployment Rate: 5.2%

8. Felida

Population: 7,416
Median Income: 10025000.0%
Poverty Level: 3.1%
Unemployment Rate: 5.8%

9. Klahanie

Population: 11,538
Median Income: 11683000.0%
Poverty Level: 2.3%
Unemployment Rate: 6.6%

10. Newcastle

Population: 10,792
Median Income: 11045600.0%
Poverty Level: 6.0%
Unemployment Rate: 5.0%

There You Have It – The Richest Places In Washington

Like we said earlier, when we set out to identify the richest places in Washington, we weren’t sure what we’d encounter, but it ended up being some of the best places to live in Washington. When you look at the data, the cities and places mentioned above meet the criteria for being at the very top of the income ladder for everyone that lives there.

If you’re curious enough, here are the poorest cities in WA, according to data:

Poorest: Wapato
2nd Poorest: Kelso
3rd Poorest: Hoquiam
For more Washington reading , check out:

• These Are The 10 Worst Places To Live In Washington
• These Are The 10 Most Ghetto Cities In Washington
• These Are The 10 Most Dangerous Cities In Washington

Detailed List Of Richest Places In Washington

City	Rank	Population	Median Income	Poverty Level	Unemployment Rate
Sammamish	1	49,077	$144,775	2.2%	4.4%
Snoqualmie	2	11,625	$130,060	1.5%	4.7%
Cottage Lake	3	23,318	$134,802	3.5%	4.5%
Mercer Island	4	23,636	$125,651	3.5%	4.5%
Bothell East	5	8,959	$104,573	3.9%	2.8%
Union Hill-Novelty Hill	6	21,313	$124,606	2.8%	6.1%
Silver Firs	7	22,398	$102,480	3.6%	5.2%
Felida	8	7,416	$100,250	3.1%	5.8%
Klahanie	9	11,538	$116,830	2.3%	6.6%
Newcastle	10	10,792	$110,456	6.0%	5.0%
Maltby	11	11,447	$107,535	5.4%	5.6%
Artondale	12	13,089	$87,850	4.6%	4.7%
Woodinville	13	11,201	$97,604	5.2%	5.3%
Lake Morton-Berrydale	14	9,654	$92,000	4.4%	5.7%
Mill Creek	15	18,667	$88,770	4.8%	4.8%
DuPont	16	8,851	$80,754	4.2%	5.0%
Wollochet	17	6,332	$84,436	5.3%	4.7%
Issaquah	18	32,551	$88,770	4.6%	6.0%
Fairwood CDP (King County)	19	19,088	$93,402	5.3%	6.1%
Mukilteo	20	20,635	$89,942	4.5%	6.1%
Normandy Park	21	6,491	$90,446	2.8%	7.2%
Redmond	22	56,704	$99,586	7.1%	5.8%
Cavalero	23	5,251	$98,605	2.3%	8.2%
East Renton Highlands	24	11,674	$92,556	4.7%	7.1%
Lake Tapps	25	12,306	$103,065	6.6%	6.5%
Clarkston Heights-Vineland	26	6,754	$62,743	3.6%	3.7%
Bothell West	27	18,243	$85,258	3.9%	7.3%
Eastmont	28	20,443	$89,931	4.4%	7.4%
Mill Creek East	29	16,754	$98,998	6.0%	7.3%
Mount Vista	30	7,745	$71,906	6.6%	4.7%
Camas	31	20,458	$84,643	5.3%	7.0%
Vashon	32	10,447	$72,568	5.8%	6.0%
Bainbridge Island	33	23,206	$95,976	6.3%	7.2%
Maple Valley	34	24,040	$97,809	4.2%	8.5%
Brier	35	6,255	$98,125	5.9%	7.7%
Kirkland	36	83,320	$90,611	6.8%	7.0%
Ridgefield	37	5,373	$91,205	5.4%	8.0%
Hobart	38	6,548	$83,036	7.2%	6.3%
Covington	39	18,361	$87,315	6.8%	7.0%
Graham	40	24,330	$71,951	6.1%	6.7%
Bellevue	41	132,268	$92,524	8.1%	7.1%
Lake Forest Park	42	12,938	$90,495	8.3%	7.3%
Hockinson	43	5,129	$79,097	4.7%	8.5%
Lake Shore	44	6,560	$70,093	4.0%	8.4%
Picnic Point	45	8,969	$91,552	4.8%	9.2%
Edmonds	46	40,343	$72,926	8.6%	6.3%
Woods Creek	47	5,881	$101,506	5.0%	9.7%
Kenmore	48	21,263	$88,472	9.1%	7.1%
Edgewood	49	9,538	$78,328	6.1%	8.2%
West Richland	50	12,680	$81,778	7.4%	8.0%
Town and Country	51	5,450	$60,109	8.6%	4.4%
Richland	52	51,116	$69,372	8.8%	6.5%
Lakeland South	53	13,047	$77,554	6.5%	8.4%
Bothell	54	34,920	$75,643	7.6%	7.8%
Duvall	55	7,185	$105,729	7.8%	9.2%
Milton	56	7,260	$67,069	6.3%	7.9%
Bonney Lake	57	18,040	$79,725	8.2%	8.0%
Waller	58	7,681	$63,125	5.3%	8.2%
Poulsbo	59	9,436	$57,296	7.5%	5.3%
Liberty Lake	60	8,027	$71,898	3.5%	9.9%
North Bend	61	6,127	$73,571	12.9%	5.7%
Alderwood Manor	62	8,628	$67,917	7.0%	8.2%
Lynden	63	12,579	$59,021	7.4%	6.2%
Sudden Valley	64	6,749	$76,464	7.2%	8.8%
Fairwood CDP (Spokane County)	65	8,312	$64,475	11.8%	5.7%
Tumwater	66	18,128	$62,258	10.6%	6.3%
Minnehaha	67	8,864	$60,417	5.6%	8.7%
Lake Stevens	68	29,258	$70,345	8.6%	8.5%
Otis Orchards-East Farms	69	6,538	$58,714	10.6%	5.1%
Lake Stickney	70	8,324	$63,359	10.5%	6.9%
Finley	71	6,204	$59,266	5.9%	8.5%
Mountlake Terrace	72	20,318	$61,477	8.6%	7.5%
Fircrest	73	6,592	$60,544	6.8%	8.6%
Steilacoom	74	6,083	$57,434	10.1%	6.1%
Seattle	75	637,850	$67,365	14.0%	6.5%
Lakeland North	76	12,860	$70,005	8.3%	9.0%
Barberton	77	5,895	$79,071	14.0%	7.6%
Terrace Heights	78	6,701	$57,865	7.1%	8.2%
Frederickson	79	19,754	$69,250	8.1%	9.3%
Monroe	80	17,564	$66,649	10.1%	8.3%
Anacortes	81	15,965	$59,369	10.6%	6.8%
Renton	82	95,479	$65,223	11.0%	7.5%
Summit	83	8,025	$65,152	11.4%	7.4%
South Hill	84	54,878	$74,010	8.0%	10.1%
Mead	85	7,314	$59,773	8.1%	8.4%
Parkwood	86	7,312	$56,924	10.6%	6.6%
Orting	87	6,941	$72,810	10.3%	9.3%
Prairie Ridge	88	11,935	$70,905	9.2%	9.5%
Selah	89	7,328	$50,333	10.8%	5.0%
Manchester	90	5,081	$67,241	9.4%	9.2%
Martha Lake	91	16,441	$77,229	9.9%	9.8%
Shoreline	92	54,254	$64,096	10.4%	8.7%
Camano	93	15,201	$66,890	7.1%	10.6%
East Port Orchard	94	5,098	$57,960	10.3%	8.0%
Tracyton	95	5,909	$70,000	8.6%	10.3%
Spanaway	96	29,113	$59,988	9.9%	8.9%
Enumclaw	97	11,388	$56,764	11.9%	7.4%
North Lynnwood	98	17,602	$60,292	10.8%	8.7%
Marysville	99	62,472	$64,328	9.3%	10.3%
Snohomish	100	9,326	$52,250	12.8%	6.7%
Lacey	101	44,031	$59,885	9.7%	9.4%
Walnut Grove	102	10,705	$56,448	5.7%	10.9%
Clover Creek	103	7,052	$63,682	9.0%	10.5%
Elk Plain	104	13,947	$65,830	7.4%	12.5%
Stanwood	105	6,468	$53,600	12.1%	7.6%
Puyallup	106	38,092	$63,009	9.6%	10.4%
Bryn Mawr-Skyway	107	15,339	$57,575	11.5%	8.5%
Ephrata	108	7,888	$54,563	16.3%	6.7%
Kennewick	109	75,971	$51,739	15.9%	6.5%
Battle Ground	110	18,168	$57,347	11.0%	8.7%
Silverdale	111	20,364	$59,260	9.2%	10.6%
Sumner	112	9,548	$52,275	10.7%	8.8%
College Place	113	8,905	$43,133	17.4%	5.5%
Orchards	114	21,259	$60,184	10.4%	10.6%
Arlington	115	18,370	$61,131	11.8%	10.4%
Wenatchee	116	32,627	$47,168	12.5%	7.9%
Fife	117	9,346	$57,500	12.7%	9.1%
Pasco	118	65,858	$54,700	16.6%	7.7%
Bangor Base	119	6,355	$45,707	6.2%	10.8%
Connell	120	5,130	$51,094	17.1%	7.1%
Lynnwood	121	36,267	$50,562	14.3%	8.1%
Des Moines	122	30,403	$58,308	14.8%	8.9%
Gig Harbor	123	7,620	$64,087	12.0%	11.2%
Fort Lewis	124	13,776	$44,949	9.0%	9.4%
Five Corners	125	19,787	$65,645	11.3%	12.5%
Federal Way	126	91,676	$54,186	14.4%	8.7%
Summit View	127	7,033	$62,708	15.5%	10.0%
University Place	128	31,670	$59,164	10.1%	12.5%
Washougal	129	14,563	$60,353	10.7%	12.1%
Auburn	130	73,403	$57,635	14.9%	9.5%
Kent	131	122,620	$57,490	15.1%	9.4%
Burien	132	49,291	$52,140	17.4%	8.5%
Salmon Creek	133	20,985	$68,231	14.4%	13.8%
Tanglewilde	134	5,865	$53,255	21.1%	8.3%
Oak Harbor	135	22,220	$48,362	11.9%	9.8%
Olympia	136	47,847	$52,834	16.6%	9.0%
West Side Highway	137	5,659	$53,605	12.6%	10.6%
East Wenatchee	138	13,403	$52,989	13.5%	10.4%
Ferndale	139	12,040	$51,944	14.0%	10.0%
Spokane Valley	140	90,829	$48,274	14.1%	9.6%
Prosser	141	5,793	$53,736	12.4%	11.7%
Hazel Dell	142	19,590	$48,545	14.4%	10.1%
Birch Bay	143	8,475	$55,035	12.7%	13.0%
Port Townsend	144	9,168	$43,050	13.5%	10.4%
Woodland	145	5,535	$65,065	20.1%	14.1%
Moses Lake	146	21,141	$47,914	13.7%	11.3%
Pacific	147	6,845	$55,907	14.2%	13.5%
Port Orchard	148	12,715	$55,521	15.3%	12.0%
Vancouver	149	165,554	$50,379	14.5%	11.3%
Mount Vernon	150	32,356	$44,404	19.5%	9.4%
Burlington	151	8,466	$48,399	16.6%	10.6%
Everett	152	104,708	$48,562	16.1%	10.9%
Walla Walla	153	31,895	$42,348	20.8%	8.8%
Tacoma	154	201,794	$51,269	16.4%	11.3%
Spokane	155	210,142	$42,814	19.7%	9.5%
SeaTac	156	27,606	$45,573	19.6%	10.1%
White Center	157	14,228	$42,763	18.8%	9.6%
Ocean Shores	158	5,609	$43,496	10.7%	17.3%
Yelm	159	7,398	$49,658	18.8%	11.8%
Bellingham	160	82,080	$42,440	26.8%	9.6%
Union Gap	161	6,061	$34,624	30.8%	9.0%
Tukwila	162	19,573	$44,820	20.7%	11.1%
Parkland	163	36,263	$47,647	16.3%	13.0%
Sedro-Woolley	164	10,645	$44,014	18.1%	11.8%
Othello	165	7,524	$42,414	23.8%	10.4%
Bremerton	166	38,664	$43,527	21.1%	11.2%
Pullman	167	30,851	$24,487	51.7%	9.1%
Chehalis	168	7,265	$34,967	16.8%	11.4%
Yakima	169	92,806	$40,189	20.7%	11.2%
West Clarkston-Highland	170	5,224	$38,218	19.1%	11.3%
Midland	171	8,526	$42,929	15.8%	16.3%
Lakewood	172	58,890	$44,667	17.9%	14.1%
Country Homes	173	5,566	$46,607	28.3%	11.7%
Ellensburg	174	18,455	$28,341	45.5%	9.6%
Sequim	175	6,651	$38,739	15.4%	15.5%
Sunnyside	176	16,038	$32,641	17.6%	11.8%
Airway Heights	177	6,356	$37,989	22.8%	11.4%
Port Angeles	178	19,125	$39,524	19.7%	12.6%
Shelton	179	9,798	$40,833	25.0%	11.9%
Aberdeen	180	16,544	$39,735	23.3%	12.9%
Clarkston	181	7,318	$29,824	23.4%	11.9%
Longview	182	36,589	$37,827	22.6%	15.0%
Quincy	183	7,075	$38,322	25.1%	13.8%
Toppenish	184	9,007	$29,135	37.6%	11.9%
Centralia	185	16,664	$37,230	24.8%	15.4%
Grandview	186	11,023	$37,012	25.8%	15.3%
Cheney	187	11,014	$28,194	46.4%	12.5%
Hoquiam	188	8,560	$33,194	26.1%	17.1%
Kelso	189	11,837	$33,492	33.1%	22.5%
Wapato	190	5,043	$32,803	33.7%	17.1%