Spokane vs Spokane Valley
Spokane, Washington versus Spokane Valley, Washington: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Spokane and Spokane Valley score about the same overall (53 vs 53 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Spokane | Spokane Valley |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $63k | $66k |
| Cost of Living | $45k | $45k |
| Home Value | $287k | $308k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.88% | 0.97% |
| Income Tax | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Sales Tax | 9.38% | 9.38% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 7.09% | 7.59% |
| Unemployment | 6.2% | 5.8% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 30°F | 31°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 70°F | 71°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 16.4 in | 17.4 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 45.4 in | 45.4 in |
| Sunny Days | 184 days | 230 days |
| Summer Humidity | 44°F | 47°F |
| Comfortable Days | 66 days | 61 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 14.6 | 14.7 |
| Air Quality | 46 AQI | 44 AQI |
| School Quality | 97.4 | 62.8 |
| Violent Crime | 2609/100k | 1282/100k |
| Property Crime | 5771/100k | 4083/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 227,922 | 103,761 |
| Median Age | 37.0 | 37.4 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.32 | 0.26 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.99 | 1.00 |
| Political Leaning | Even | Even |
| White (%) | 79.6% | 83.1% |
| Black (%) | 2.6% | 1.4% |
| Hispanic (%) | 7.2% | 7.1% |
| Asian (%) | 2.5% | 1.6% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 8.1% | 6.7% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 21 min | 20 min |
| Walkability | 15.7/20 | 14.4/20 |
| Airport Distance | 5 mi | 14 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 90.5% | 88.6% |
| Amenities Nearby | 23.12 | 25.92 |
| Park & Nature Access | Good | Good |
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 Spokane or Spokane Valley more affordable?
- Spokane Valley has the lower cost of living: its index is $45k, compared with Spokane's $45k and Spokane Valley's $45k. Median rent is $1k in Spokane versus $1k in Spokane Valley.
- Is Spokane or Spokane Valley safer?
- Spokane Valley has the lower violent crime rate. Spokane reports 2609/100k and Spokane Valley reports 1282/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Spokane or Spokane Valley?
- The median home value is $287k in Spokane and $308k in Spokane Valley, so homes are more affordable in Spokane.