Everett

Downtown Everett has real bones: the Historic Everett Theatre, the arenas for hockey and concerts, and a stretch of cafes and eateries along Hewitt and Colby. The marina district on the bay adds a boardwalk, restaurants, and summer concerts with Olympic Mountain views across the water.

The aerospace complex at Paine Field, where Boeing builds its widebody jets, anchors the city's economy, and the field's small passenger airport has become a milestone amenity for the north end. The neighborhoods run from Victorians near downtown to family subdivisions on the north and east, with river parks along the Snohomish at the city's edge.

Everett is the north end's best value for buyers who want city services, a waterfront identity, and a commute that is only genuinely bad in the worst hours. It is also one of the region's few cities where entry-level buyers still have options that do not begin with a bidding war.