10 Best US Cities to Live In

3. Bellevue, Washington

Located across Lake Washington from Seattle, Bellevue has a very well educated population. More than 64% of adult residents had a college degree, among the highest rates in the nation. Bellevue is also economically vibrant, with 5% employment growth between 2011 and 2013, as well as just a 4.7% unemployment rate last year. Large employers T-Mobile and Expedia are both based in the city, while other major employers include Boeing, Microsoft, and Nordstrom. However, Bellevue also falls on the higher end of the spectrum for cost of living. Homes are expensive, with a median home value of over half a million dollars in 2012. Washington has no state income tax, but it has a sales tax of 6.5%, among the highest in the U.S.
Everything considered, the city offers an excellent quality of life, very low crime rate, great culture and dining scene, a right balance between business and leisure, and the famous Pacific Northwest outdoors and lifestyle.