About Washington
Located in the upper northwest corner of the lower continental 48 states, Washington is split into two distinct geographical areas by the towering Cascade Mountain range.
The west side of the state has a mild climate, with large amounts of annual rain and conditions which suit the thick evergreen rainforests.
The east side is much drier, with large areas of semiarid land known as the Palouse, which is considered some of the best growing soil in the nation.
Along with dividing the state geographically, the Cascades also seem to divide it politically, with western Washington being quite liberal and eastern Washington being mostly conservative.
The state of Washington has a crime rate that is higher than the national average.
Their rates of violent crimes, such as murder, robbery, and assault are all lower than the national averages, but their property crime rates are much higher, with motor vehicle theft almost doubling the national average.
Also, Washington has a higher rate of hate crimes, most of which are race and ethnicity related.