Other cities may claim to be beer capitals, but they wouldn’t have a bar stool leg to stand on if it wasn’t for Yakima. This south central Washington farming city produces more than 75% of America’s annual hop harvest that thrives in the volcanic soil and long, hot summer days. There’s even a museum dedicated to hops. The city’s #39 ranking for Weather speaks to its welcoming climate. But it’s not just beer in this fertile valley at the eastern base of the Cascade Range. Irrigation by the Yakima River supports the area’s numerous orchards that produce apples, pears, peaches, and more. The city’s small town vibes and large Hispanic population attracted by farm labor adds a multicultural flavor to rural Washington. Yakima ranks #14 in our Foreign-bBorn Residents subcategory.