WA’s Most Coveted Neighborhoods: Where the Rich Reside in Plain Sight

I’m the kind of person who used to hop in my beat-up Grand AM and drive around the ritzy, expensive neighborhoods in my hometown of Nashville, just to pretend I was coming home to “the good life.”

I was only 20 or so years old, but there was something about imagining myself living in one of those mansions and exclusive neighborhoods that kept calling my name.

Cut to a couple of decades later, and now I consider the high price of a gallon of gas to be the reason why I don’t zip around and play “Pretend Beverly Hillbillies” like I used to. I do, however, still keep up with where “The Jones” love to live here in the Evergreen State.

WA's Richest Neighborhoods

Let’s take a look at such hidden gems in Spokane, Bellingham, Yakima, Richland, and Seattle. These cities have the “best” neighborhoods that some Redditors say they would kill to live in.**

SPOKANE:

A visit to Spokane can be a lot of fun no matter your age or mode of transportation (there's bike lanes in many spots). There’s even a Star Wars arcade! When in Rome (Spokane) and you want to feel fancy, visit Magdalena’s Crêperie in the Kendall Yards part of town.

BELLINGHAM:

Bellingham is known for it's thriving arts culture, proximity to Canada, and lots of outdoor activities.

Northshore Rd is exclusive because of its surrounding natural beauty and because of how close it is to the water in the Silver Beach neighborhood.

Everybody's got a big house and gorgeous scenery in the Sunnyland neighborhood.

The Edgemoor neighborhood is surrounded by gorgeous views of Bellingham Bay.

YAKIMA:

The Yakima Valley has hops for days, delicous apples, and a laid-back country feels in the city. It's giving, Reno 911 meets Silent Hill vibes to me. HA!

You can find some really cool architecture in some of Yakima's ritzy homes, like this former bed & breakfast mansion on Yakima Ave.

West Valley is considered a good place to find the most expensive homes in Yakima, especially along Scenic Dr.

• SEE ALSO: This Tiny Island Town Named the Snobbiest City in Washington
  

SEATTLE:

Ah, Seattle…The land of Range Rovers, Subarus, expensive customized electric vehicle Rivians, floating homes, the Krakens, Seahawks, Sounders, and Mariners, and *the Hellcats*!

Don’t judge a house by its outside cover, especially along the shorelines of Lake Union.

Many homes in Seattle look unassuming on the outside on purpose. Once you go in, however, you’re in for some fancy (and expensive) House Beautiful Magazine picturesque rooms!

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RICHLAND:

Richland is part of a city trifecta including Pasco and Kennewick. Washington's triplet cousins have some fancy neighborhoods in The Ridges and places near the Columbia River.

You can find large, expensive million-dollar homes in Badger Canyon neighborhood, like this home on Allenwhite.

Country Ridge Rd is loaded with million-dollar homes, too.

This ritzy home on Tiger Lane is quite impressive--it has a garage for the boat!

These are the 9 most affluent neighborhoods in Washington State to watch for extended growth in 2025:

Fairhaven

South Hill

Rockwood

Sunnyland

Edgemoor

Queen Anne

South Lake Union

Columbia Point

Badger Canyon

**This is a figurative “kill”; I hate that I even have to put in this disclaimer, but people are crazy and weird these days, so here we are.