Seattle Culture
Washington Shines in Best State Ranking
U.S. News & World Report cites education and economic opportunity
By Rob Smith May 7, 2025
Washington may be an “outdoor enthusiast’s dream,” but the state fell slightly in U.S. News & World Report’s annual rankings of best states.
The publication ranked the state No. 10 overall, down two spots from its No. 8 ranking last year. Washington finished No. 1 in both 2019 and 2021.
Washington received high marks in education, the natural environment and infrastructure, economic opportunity and equality, but finished near the bottom for its lack of affordability and public safety.
U.S. News & World Report ranked states based on several metrics, including the economy, education, fiscal stability and health care.
“The Evergreen State is an outdoor enthusiast’s dream with its geological diversity, including mountains, deserts, rainforests and a Pacific coastline,” the publication notes “It offers the Olympic Mountains, the San Juan Islands and Mount Rainier, one of the nation’s highest peaks in the Lower 48.”
Utah ranked No. 1 in no small part due to its entrepreneurial and startup environment, followed by New Hampshire, Idaho, Minnesota and Nebraska. Utah and Idaho are the only other western states in the top 10.
Follow Us
Think You Know Seattle?
Greater Seattle Partners releases a treasure trove of fascinating information
You already know that Amazon, Boeing and Microsoft are the region’s top employers. You may be aware that China is our top trade partner. But did you know that almost one-quarter of King County residents are foreign born? Or that more than one in five employees in the county work remotely? Did you know that…
Fresh from Switzerland
A world-renowned chocolatier lands in Tukwila and Bellevue this summer
There’s a new reason to detour through the mall: expertly made Swiss chocolate. Swiss brand Läderach is set to open its first Washington store in early July at Westfield Southcenter in Tukwila. A second location will follow at Bellevue Square in August. Läderach is best known for FrischSchoggi — slabs of chocolate embedded with nuts,…
The Fight for Affordable Housing
Advocates are stepping up efforts and eyeing new approaches
Doug Cox’s journey from inmate to entrepreneur was, to say the least, littered with challenges. Cox, a resident of Aspen Terrace — an affordable housing complex in Seattle’s First Hill neighborhood — is in advanced patent discussions for an interactive toy he invented that mimics the sounds of dinosaurs, military devices, superheroes, and more. The…
Space Needle Unveils Spaceship-Style Elevators
The double-deck, floor-to-ceiling elevators are the first in the world
Riding to the top of the Space Needle just got a lot more fun. The Space Needle last Friday opened the world’s only double-deck, floor-to-ceiling glass elevator. Two similar elevators are slated to open in 2028. The privately funded $100 million modernization project broke ground in 2023. The Space Needle is the only tower in…