A Seattle neighborhood known for its trendy restaurant scene, good schools, and generally left-leaning residents is one of the best places to live in the United States, according to a new report.

South Lake Union placed sixth in the 2025 Best Places to Live in America rankings compiled by Niche, a reviews website that describes itself as the “market leader in connecting colleges and schools with students and families.”

It was the only neighborhood in the Pacific Northwest to crack the top 10, besting places like the Indiana town of Carmel, Atlanta’s Midtown neighborhood, and the Huntsville, Alabama, suburb of Madison.

Separately, Bellevue, Washington, ranked 9th in Niche’s 2025 Best Cities to Live in America list, scoring highly for its public schools, jobs, diversity, and commute. It beat out liberal enclave Berkeley, California, which was 10th.

The rankings considered crime, school ratings, living costs, local amenities, and job prospects, using data from the U.S. Census Bureau, FBI, Labor Department, and other sources, according to Niche. The rankings included 230 cities and more than 18,000 locations across the U.S.

Here’s more on the rankings:

Is Bellevue a good place to live?

Bellevue, a city of about 151,000 people, has some of the best public schools and is one of the healthiest places to live in the nation, according to Niche. It has an “urban suburban” feel and scores highly for employment rates and business growth. The median household income is $161,300, and the median home value is $1.2 million. Residents generally reported feeling “pretty safe” in Bellevue.

Is South Lake Union a good neighborhood?

South Lake Union is the best neighborhood to raise a family in Seattle, and it’s also the best neighborhood in the city for young professionals, according to Niche. The median home value is $586,000, and the median rent is $2,445. The neighborhood also scores highly in the health and fitness, nightlife, commute, and outdoor activities categories. The median household income is $130,318.

Top 10 best places to live, according to Niche

1. Colonial Village, neighborhood in Arlington, Virginia
2. Atlantic Station, neighborhood in Atlanta, Georgia
3. Chesterbrook, suburb of Philadephia, Pennsylvania
4. Harbour Island, neighborhood in Tampa, Florida
5. City Center, neighborhood in Santa Monica, California
6. South Lake Union, neighborhood in Seattle, Washington
7. Carmel, town in Indiana
8. Midtown, neighborhood in Atlanta, Georgia
9. Madison, suburb of Huntsville, Alabama
10. Johns Creek, suburb of Atlanta, Georgia

Top 10 best cities to live, according to Niche

1. Naperville, Illinois
2. The Woodlands, Texas
3. Cambridge, Massachusetts
4. Arlington, Virginia
5. Irvine, California
6. Plano, Texas
7. Columbia, Maryland
8. Overland Park, Kansas
9. Bellevue, Washington
10. Berkeley, California

SEATTLE – The Washington Emergency Management Division is keeping a close eye on the weather Wednesday evening.

What they’re saying:

A spokesperson for the state emergency management center says tornadoes can pop up quickly without much warning in the Pacific Northwest.  

He says you’ll want to prepare for possible severe weather by charging your phones and removing outdoor items like lawn furniture before it hits.

An EF2 tornado sent massive trees toppling into Christopher Raymond’s home in Port Orchard back in 2018. He talked with FOX 13 just after the storm.   

“Some of us are just trying to hold on to whatever little we’ve got left. None of us died. That’s the most important part,” said Christopher Raymond during the FOX 13 interview in 2018.

Although tornadoes may be more of a rarity in Washington, they can happen.

Tornadoes were also captured on video in Kent in 2018, in Richaland in 2020 and in Hanford in 2014.

Crews also talked to a man in Longview who was pushed to the floor by a tornado in 2014. It also ripped his auto shop apart.

“Rips the door open, throws my butt on the floor. I watched the roof go. ‘Whoop.’ I don’t know where it went,” said Al Wills during an interview in 2014.

The Emergency Management Division or EMD says Washington state gets around 2.5 tornadoes a year.

“There is about 2% to 4% chance of a tornado,” said Steven Friederich, public information officer for the Public Emergency Management Division, Washington Oceanic Division.

He advises that if you hear a roaring sound from the wind, or see up to baseball-size hail falling during Wednesday’s storm, take cover.  

“Get under something sturdy, keep sheltered until the storms have passed. That’s DUCK,” said Friederich. “That’s phrasing used all over the country.”

Even if the storm doesn’t generate a tornado, he says it’s a good idea to download utility apps associated with your providers in advance and prepare for power outages.  

“Charging those external battery sources for your cell phones, today is a good day to do that, making sure you have batteries for your flashlights, making sure if you have a hybrid or electric car, making sure all that is charged,” said Friederich.

He says it’s also a good idea to stock up on food and other supplies ahead of a storm.

“We like to encourage people to be two weeks ready,” said Friederich.

Friederich says the EF2 tornado in Port Orchard ended up generating $1.8 million in damage.

He says it’s also a good idea to reach out to neighbors ahead of time in order to be able to better assist one another if disaster strikes.

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A confirmed case of measles in Washington, D.C. is being investigated by health officials after the contagious person visited several locations in the district.

The DC Department of Health warned the public of the potential exposure in a press release shared late Tuesday morning.

TENNESSEE REPORTS FIRST MEASLES CASE AMID U.S. OUTBREAK

According to the release, those who were in the following places in the district at the listed times may have been exposed:

Amtrak Northeast Regional 175 Train (Southbound): March 19, 7:30 p.m. through 1:30 a.m.

Amtrak Concourse, Union Station: March 19, 11:00 p.m. through 1:30 a.m.

MedStar Urgent Care, Adams Morgan: March 22, 7:00 p.m. through 11:00 p.m.

Measles is a highly contagious virus that spreads through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Symptoms usually start 7 to 14 days after exposure. Symptoms include a fever over 101°F as well as a cough, runny nose, and red or watery eyes.

The most distinctive symptom of measles, appearing 3 to 5 days after onset of symptoms, is a rash that starts on the face and spreads across the body. Infected people can spread measles four days before the rash appears and up to four days afterward.

MARYLAND CONFIRMS FIRST MEASLES CASE IN TRAVELER AT MAJOR DC AIRPORT

If you have been exposed to measles or were at one of the locations shared by the DC Department of Health during the times listed and are not vaccinated, health officials recommend watching for symptoms until 21 days after exposure. 

If you are in Washington, D.C., health officials also recommend calling a doctor or DC Health at 844-493-2652 for additional guidance. Those exposed to measles are urged to stay home and avoid others if any symptoms appear.

A syringe is pictured ahead of MMR vaccination at the City of Lubbock Health Department in Lubbock, Texas, U.S. February 27, 2025. REUTERS/Annie Rice (REUTERS/Annie Rice)

Nearby Maryland experienced its first confirmed case of measles in a traveler at the Baltimore airport on March 10. The virus has swept much of the Northeast this winter.

People who have received two doses of the MMR or measles vaccine or were born before 1957 are considered protected. Those with only one dose of the vaccine are mostly protected but may seek a second shot for full immunity. Measles is considered preventable with the MMR vaccine, which offers lifetime protection with two doses.

A view shows MMR vaccine at the City of Lubbock Health Department in Lubbock, Texas, U.S. February 27, 2025. (REUTERS/Annie Rice)

Infants under 12 months old and those who are unvaccinated are considered most at-risk for measles.

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Measles has been on the rise across the nation this cold and flu season, with 327 cases reported in Texas as of Tuesday, March 25. 40 people have been hospitalized from the outbreak so far in the Lone Star State.

The CDC has confirmed a total of 378 cases nationwide as of March 20 in a release.