Sammamish, Washington has secured an impressive #6 ranking on U.S. News and World Report’s prestigious list of best small cities in America for 2025. The eastside King County community, located along the shores of Lake Sammamish, earned exceptional marks for its robust job market, ranking #3 nationally. This employment strength is largely attributed to the city’s strategic location near Seattle’s thriving tech corridor. Perhaps most notable is Sammamish’s remarkable median household income of $235,000—nearly triple the national average of approximately $80,000.
While economic prosperity forms a significant part of Sammamish’s appeal, the city’s natural surroundings played an equally important role in its high ranking. The community’s access to Lake Sammamish, numerous parks, and trail systems helped it place in the top 25 nationally for both desirability and quality of life. However, this picturesque area comes with a premium price tag. The median home value in Sammamish stands at a substantial $1.18 million, with typical monthly rents hovering around $2,403, reflecting the region’s challenging affordability landscape despite its many advantages.
U.S. News and World Report employs a thorough methodology to determine these coveted rankings, evaluating cities across five key categories. Quality of life represents the largest factor at 26% of the total score, examining elements like education quality, healthcare access, and natural environment. The remaining assessment is distributed among value and affordability, desirability, job market strength, and net migration (which accounts for just 2% of the final score). This multifaceted approach aims to provide a complete view of what makes communities truly livable.
Sammamish stands as the sole West Coast representative in the top 10 small cities list, highlighting its unique position among western communities. While other Washington cities performed well in the broader rankings—with Redmond (#83), Bellevue (#126), and Kirkland (#133) all making the top 250 cities nationwide—none matched Sammamish’s elite small-city status. The complete top 10 small cities ranking shows a geographic diversity dominated by eastern and southern communities: Johns Creek (GA), Apex (NC), Leander (TX), Rochester Hills (MI), Troy (MI), Sammamish (WA), Ellicott City (MD), Flower Mound (TX), Pflugerville (TX), and Plymouth (MN).
