Washington (home state) is really great but we'd be the best with a better education system, especially college. The Seattle area has only one four year university, and it doesn't serve the local residents or economy that well (they had cutbacks in the computer science department, for example, in one of the best tech industries in the country).
All the other state universities are spread out across the state in middle of nowhere towns.. makes no sense.
Once the light rail network is done ~2020-2025 I think, and if we funded an MIT-like university (I think the economy here would sustain it and attract a lot of talent), then we'd be the best. Until then I've got to think Massachusetts or somewhere is better.
Isn't Seattle U a 4 year? What about PLU and UPS? I realize some of those are outside Seattle a bit, and some are religious based. As for the other major Universities being spread about the state, I am glad that is the case. Kids need to get away from home during college, and since most come from the Seattle/King County area, it is good there are choices out there. I went to CWU fwiw, and loved the Ellensburg area every minute I was there. Remember too, most of these uni's are 100 or so years old, so it was more important they were spread out.
Right now the major uni's are spread perfectly: Seattle (UW), northwest population center (WWU), central wa (CWU), eastern WA (WSU, EWU, Gonzaga). The southwest population center is served by whatever is in portcouver.
One of the great aspects of WA is the incredible diversity in the land. We have coastal, inland sea/sound, islands, alpine, rain forest, high desert, .etc all in one state. I could show people pics from eastern WA and they would guess they are looking at AZ. WA is also by far the most forested state in the union. Couple that with the historical importance of Salmon and environmental issues tend to be important.
fivethirtyeight.com had an interesting write up on WA. Politically, WA is an interesting case. Very socially liberal, but fiscally conservative. In fact, taxes and other fiscal issues could cost the D's some seats, but the R's here have to be different than they are nationally. Good read if you have a few minutes, a few other interesting quirks are pointed out.
http://fivethirtyeight.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/09/24/washington-state-womens-rights-and-big-cities/
If I had to live somewhere else, Montana would be my vote.
/homer