Olympia vs Spanaway
Olympia, Washington versus Spanaway, Washington: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Olympia and Spanaway score about the same overall (49 vs 51 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Olympia | Spanaway |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $74k | $91k |
| Cost of Living | $55k | $55k |
| Home Value | $410k | $360k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.95% | 1.06% |
| Income Tax | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Sales Tax | 9.38% | 9.38% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 8.37% | 7.26% |
| Unemployment | 6.9% | 5.4% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 40°F | 41°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 64°F | 65°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 59.0 in | 42.9 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.9 in | 5.6 in |
| Sunny Days | 187 days | 187 days |
| Summer Humidity | 52°F | 52°F |
| Comfortable Days | 97 days | 107 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 96.2 | 39.7 |
| Air Quality | 35 AQI | 39 AQI |
| School Quality | 76.4 | 69.6 |
| Violent Crime | 1548/100k | 832/100k |
| Property Crime | 4230/100k | 2333/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 55,151 | 34,015 |
| Median Age | 38.7 | 32.6 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.39 | 0.64 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.97 | 1.04 |
| Political Leaning | D+19 | D+19 |
| White (%) | 71.4% | 50.3% |
| Black (%) | 2.6% | 9.9% |
| Hispanic (%) | 11.2% | 17.2% |
| Asian (%) | 6.7% | 6.5% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 8.1% | 16.1% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 21 min | 38 min |
| Walkability | 14.6/20 | 9.2/20 |
| Airport Distance | 40 mi | 26 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 90.4% | 93.6% |
| Amenities Nearby | 78.51 | 64.68 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Moderate |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Olympia or Spanaway more affordable?
- Spanaway has the lower cost of living: its index is $55k, compared with Olympia's $55k and Spanaway's $55k. Median rent is $1k in Olympia versus $2k in Spanaway.
- Is Olympia or Spanaway safer?
- Spanaway has the lower violent crime rate. Olympia reports 1548/100k and Spanaway reports 832/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Olympia or Spanaway?
- The median home value is $410k in Olympia and $360k in Spanaway, so homes are more affordable in Spanaway.