The Most Affordable Places to Live in Washington State

It seems like everything around us continues to go up in price.  Over the last few years one of the things we have rise is the cost of housing.  Even with that, a new study revealed the ten most affordable places to live in Washington State with the majority of them in Eastern Washington.

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The criteria took into consideration:

1. Cities over 5,000 in population
2. Closing costs
3. Real estate taxes
4. Homeowners insurance
5. Mortgage Rates

Here are the top ten most affordable cities to live in the Evergreen State

1. Connell, WA

Connell, in Franklin County, sits at the top of the affordability index with a score of 53.76.  Median income is just under $72,000 a year.  The average annual mortgage payment is just under $9,000 with homeowners insurance around $425 a year.  Average closing costs are a shade above $4,700 and property taxes in the home of the Eagles are just over $1,330.

2. Ephrata, WA

Ephrata, in Grant County, comes in number two on the affordability index at 47.89.  Median income is a little north of $71,250 a year.  The average annual mortgage payment is a little over $9,230 with homeowners insurance a tick over $440 a year.  Average closing costs are around $4,830 while property taxes are a little under $1,950 annually.

3. Union Gap, WA

Maybe best known as the band name associated with 60's rock star Gary Puckett, Union Gap, in Yakima County, comes in third on the affordability index at 47.71.  The median income in Union Gap is $51,200 a year.  The average annual mortgage payment is around $6,920 and homeowners insurance is the second lowest on the list at $332 per year.  Average closing costs are a little under $2,550 and yearly property taxes settle in at $1,300.

4. Wapato, WA

Wapato is our second Yakima County city on the list, hitting 43.46 on the affordability index.  The median income is a shade under $43,000 per year.  Average annual mortgage payment in Wapato are just under $6,000 and homeowner insurance is the lowest on the list at $287 annually.  The average closing costs come in just under $3.900 and property taxes are also the lowest on the list at around $1,175 per year.

5. Toppenish, WA

Toppenish makes it a trifecta for Yakima County on the 10 most affordable list coming in at a score of 42.31.  The median income is slightly under $53,000 per year.  The average annual mortgage payment is a little under $7,775 and homeowners insurance is less than $375 for the year.  Average closing costs are just north of $4,400 and property taxes are just under $1,325 annually.

6. West Richland, WA

West Richland is Benton County's first entry on the list and continues the Eastern Washington run at six in a row.  One of the fastest growing cities in the State, West Richland scores 40.05 on the affordability index.  West has by far the highest median income at a little under $103,000 per year.  The average annual mortgage payment and homeowners insurance are also the highest on the list at just under $16,000 and around $765 respectively.  They also top the list for average closing costs at roughly $6,875 and property taxes annually are around $2,900.

7. Finley, WA

Benton County's final entry on the list is Finley which is 38.92 on the affordability index.  The median income is just under $69,250 a year.  The average annual mortgage is a little below $11,200 and homeowner insurance is around $540 per year.  Average closing costs are about $2,875 with property taxes a touch under $2,175 annually.

8. Quincy, WA

The second to last Eastern Washington entry on the list is Quincy, in Grant County, placing on the affordability index at 38.29.  The median income is barely under $57,750 a year.  The average annual mortgage payment is around $9,050 while homeowners insurance is roughly $435 annually.  The average closing costs in this quaint community are about $4,780 and property taxes are just above $1,775 per year.

9. Hoquiam, WA

Hoquiam, in Grays Harbor County, is the first, and only, Western Washington city on the list at 37.37 on the affordability index.  The median income is just under $44,200 per year.  The average annual mortgage payment is a tick over $7,000 and homeowners insurance is just above $335 annually.  Average closing costs in the city on the harbor are just under $4,200 and property taxes come in at around $1,350 for a year.

10. Clarkston Heights-Vineland, WA

The home of Washington State's "Field of Dreams", Clarkston Heights-Vineland in Asotin County rounds out our list at 36.77 on the affordability index.  The median income is around $83,500 annually.  The average annual mortgage payment is number two on the list at under $14,375 and homeowners insurance is also the second highest at around $690 per year.  Average closing costs come in at rough $3,040 with closing costs just under $2,575.

To see more of the methodology that went into the survey or to check out other states lists, check out Smartassets survey here.