Seattle named one of America's top 10 dream cities
Why it matters: The results of a new survey underscore that Americans still view Seattle as one of the most desirable places to land and confirms what locals already believe — that this scenic city really is among the best in the world.
It also reinforces Seattle's identity as a city shaped by transplants and newcomers, a fact that sparks both civic pride and complaints, depending on the rain, the rent and rush hour.
Driving the news: Seattle ranks seventh among U.S. cities people most want to move to, according to the 2025 America's Best Cities report by Resonance, a marketing and branding firm for cities and destinations.
As part of that report, Resonance worked with Ipsos to ask about 2,000 respondents nationwide to name the top three U.S. towns or cities they'd most like to live in someday.
New York, Los Angeles and Miami came out on top, followed by San Diego, Chicago and Las Vegas.
By the numbers: Resonance's comprehensive ranking evaluates cities based on hard metrics, including GDP, unemployment rates, air quality, and softer indicators like social media activity.
Seattle ranked No. 5 overall, coming in second for air quality and third for GDP per capita among U.S. metros.
Seattle is also the nation's No. 2 tech talent market, per CBRE, with new expansions from Commonwealth Bank and Brex, per the ranking.
What they're saying: "Few North American cities are stacking high-impact wins as fast as Seattle," according to the report's authors.
Seattle's momentum is reflected, they say, in infrastructure upgrades, a hospitality boom and surging tourism numbers.
New Sound Transit lines are improving commutes, expansion continues at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, per the report.
Tourism also "roared back" last year, with Visit Seattle logging 40 million visitors who spent $8.8 billion in 2024.
The city's port estimated a record number of cruise passengers last year.
We want to hear from you: We know, we know. Some locals like to keep Seattle's charms a secret.
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