Seattle's land comes at a premium: The area's residential communities are hemmed in by the Olympic Mountains and Cascade Range, as well as the Puget Sound.
And the area's strong economy -- helped by a slew of profitable tech outfits such as Microsoft and Amazon.com -- keeps workers flocking to the area.
As a result home prices, at a median of $310,000, are more than 60% higher than the national median of $188,000, according to NAHB,
The cost of renting in the area is just slightly higher than the national average. Even so, with interest rates so low and home prices forecast to rise, buying is the better option even for those planning just a three-year stay. They should save 14% compared with renting. After five years, that saving advantage rises to 34% and to 42% after seven.
