Kirkland is the third-best place to live in the U.S., according to Money magazine’s most recent ranking.
The personal finance magazine ranks locations by nine factors including cost of living, economic opportunity, education, diversity, the local housing market and quality of life.
The cities that clinched the No. 1 and No. 2 spots? Atlanta and Tempe, Arizona, respectively. Raleigh, North Carolina; Rogers Park (Chicago), Illinois; and Columbia, Maryland, were just below Kirkland on the list of 50 cities.
“It’s an honor that Kirkland has been recognized nationally for something that we all know to be true: Kirkland is such an amazing place to live,” Deputy Mayor Jay Arnold said in a news release. “Thank you to our wonderful residents and businesses who together contribute to Kirkland’s vibrant and belonging community.”
This year, the magazine acknowledged its rankings have tended to feature “quaint, affordable — and unintentionally yet overwhelmingly white” cities in the past and said they tried to prioritize racial and religious diversity more highly in the ranking.
Money magazine described Kirkland as a beautiful Seattle suburb, with Evergreen Health in its backyard as well as other companies close by in Redmond.
Job openings in Kirkland are expected to grow by more than 10% in the next few years, according to Money. The city, on the eastern shore of Lake Washington, has attracted startups and Google in April opened the next phase of its Kirkland office space.
However, those looking to move to Kirkland can expect steep housing costs. According to the magazine, the average one-bedroom rental costs close to $2,000 and the median home sale price has hit $1 million. The median household income is $130,000, which is also above average.
Kirkland has a pedestrian-friendly downtown and a “vast collection of parks,” featuring paved lakefront paths and wooded forestlands, Money magazine writes.
