Four of the top ten in the “One Thousand Top Booming Suburbs in America” list are Close to Seattle

Cottage Lake, Sammamish, Mercer Island and Maple Valley all scored above 971 out of 1,000 putting them in the top ten of Caldwell Banker’s list of “Top Booming Suburbs” based on levels of employment, access to good schools, safety and other factors. As America continues to bounce back from the recession, this ranking identifies suburbs that have shown strong economic growth since the recovery, says Budge Huskey, president and chief executive officer of Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. These communities have the American ideals we love, the suburban dream intact and a population that is finding jobs at a better rate than the national average. That is the definition of a thriving community.

Of course, some of the commute times that are the basis for those statistics could rapidly deteriorate as traffic conditions in the Seattle area worsen.

Here are some of the basics on those four top ten communities.

Cottage Lake, Wash. (Suburb of Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue / King County)
Growth in Employed Persons: 3.5 percent
Average Commute Time: 30 minutes
Resembling an idyllic Leave It to Beaver setting, situated on a beautiful lake, this unincorporated suburb hosts many individual IT, finance, insurance, medical and biotechnology firms, but also benefits from nearby Internet, retail and other corporate headquarters in downtown Seattle. The area is also a big proponent of sustainability and the wine-making and agritourism industries.

Sammamish, Wash. (Suburb of Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue / King County)
Growth in Employed Persons: 3.5 percent
Average Commute Time: 30 minutes
Sammamish, Wash., features a highly-dedicated workforce of employers in the technology and aerospace sectors. As a young city (the town was incorporated in 1999), there are several upscale residential communities, in addition to a local symphony orchestra, three private golf courses and a public beach within five miles.

Mercer Island, Wash. (Suburb of Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue / King County)
Growth in Employed Persons: 3.5 percent
Average Commute Time: 20 minutes
Mercer Island, Wash., holds the title of most populated island on a lake within the United States, and is the 50^th largest city in the State of Washington. Being connected to Seattle by the second longest floating bridge in the world, this suburb emphasizes its jobs in professional services, which makes up the leading industry found within Mercer Island, followed by sectors of finance, retail and education.

Maple Valley, Wash. (Suburb of Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue / King County)
Growth in Employed Persons: 3.5 percent
Average Commute Time: 33 minutes
Maple Valley, featuring three lakes, two golf courses, and several miles of trails, harnesses the nostalgia of country living and the convenience of a city. Having more than doubled its population since the 1990s, this suburb has become one of the fastest growing areas in the state, with a job market focused on retail, construction and education.

The whole list can be searcher at Coldwell Banker Real Estate