Do You Live in the “Best Place East of the Cascades?”

Locations on the dry side of the Cascade Mountains have become a magnet for people seeking to relocate from the busy rat race of Puget Sound. Here are the Top 12 Washington locations, east of the Cascade Mountains as selected by Niche.com. They took into account: Public schools, housing, "Good for family", crime & safety, nightlife, and diversity.

What is Niche?

‘Niche has the most comprehensive data on U.S. K-12 schools, colleges, and places (neighborhoods, cities, ZIP codes, etc.). We offer data solutions for the education and real estate industries as well as custom solutions for brands and market research.’ -Niche.com

This list of the 12 best locations in Central and Eastern Washington shows why the 509 is an attractive place to live, work, and play.

12 - Ephrata

(rated #7,414 in America) Population: 8.419

“People help each other, and I can’t imagine living anywhere else”

By the way:  Ephrata scored an A in diversity

Overall Niche grade: B+

Public Schools grade: B+

11 - Sunnyslope

(Wenatchee) (rated #7,391 in America) Population: 3,553

“Very safe, and beautiful area, with great schools”

Overall Niche grade: B+

Public Schools grade: B

10 - Terrace Heights

(Yakima County) (rated #6,847 in America) Population: 9,781

“Friendly neighborhood. People are always kind and helpful”

Overall Niche grade: B+

Public Schools grade: B-

9 - Medical Lake

(rated #6,132 in America) Population: 4,909

“I like how Medical Lake is a small, close-knit community”

Overall Niche grade: A-

Public Schools grade: B

8 - Country Homes 

(Spokane suburb) (rated #5,894 in America) Population: 6,248

“Everyone is nice here”

Overall Niche grade: A-

Public Schools grade: A-

7 - Leavenworth 

(rated #5,757 in America) Population: 2,619

“For those that love nature, Leavenworth is a great place”

Overall Niche grade: A-

Public Schools grade: A-

6 - Fairwood 

(Spokane suburb) (rated #5,425 in America) Population: 10,229

“Fairwood is a lot safer than the area around it”

Overall Niche grade: A-

Public Schools grade: A-

5 - Liberty Lake 

(rated #5,136  in America) Population: 12,067

“I like how close-knit everyone is”

Overall Niche grade: A-

Public Schools grade: A-

4 - Richland 

(rated #4,290 in America) Population: 60,867

“Safe environment and supportive community”

Overall Niche grade: A-

Public Schools grade: B+

3 - West Richland 

(rated #4,280 in America) Population: 16,547

“Located close to the Columbia River, offers suburban living in a rapidly growing area”

Overall Niche grade: A-

Public Schools grade: B+

2 - Colfax 

(rated #4.006 in America) Population: 2,799

“Very family friendly atmosphere”

Overall Niche grade: A 

Public Schools grade: A

1 - Pullman 

(rated #2,835 in America) Population: 312,972
“Great place to raise kids, but not be a kid” 

Overall Niche grade: A 

Public Schools grade: A

INFO: Niche.com