Spokane vs Tacoma
Spokane, Washington versus Tacoma, Washington: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Spokane edges out Tacoma on overall objective livability (53 vs 49 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Spokane | Tacoma |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $63k | $79k |
| Cost of Living | $45k | $55k |
| Home Value | $287k | $415k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.88% | 0.96% |
| Income Tax | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Sales Tax | 9.38% | 9.38% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 7.09% | 8.14% |
| Unemployment | 6.2% | 5.4% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 30°F | 42°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 70°F | 66°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 16.4 in | 40.8 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 45.4 in | 5.6 in |
| Sunny Days | 184 days | 217 days |
| Summer Humidity | 44°F | 53°F |
| Comfortable Days | 66 days | 113 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 14.6 | 83.5 |
| Air Quality | 46 AQI | 38 AQI |
| School Quality | 97.4 | 91.0 |
| Violent Crime | 2609/100k | 2692/100k |
| Property Crime | 5771/100k | 8571/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 227,922 | 219,234 |
| Median Age | 37.0 | 36.9 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.32 | 0.59 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.99 | 1.01 |
| Political Leaning | Even | D+19 |
| White (%) | 79.6% | 57.2% |
| Black (%) | 2.6% | 10.1% |
| Hispanic (%) | 7.2% | 12.3% |
| Asian (%) | 2.5% | 8.5% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 8.1% | 11.9% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 21 min | 30 min |
| Walkability | 15.7/20 | 15.2/20 |
| Airport Distance | 5 mi | 16 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 90.5% | 90.7% |
| Amenities Nearby | 23.12 | 30.93 |
| Park & Nature Access | Good | 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 Spokane or Tacoma more affordable?
- Spokane has the lower cost of living: its index is $45k, compared with Spokane's $45k and Tacoma's $55k. Median rent is $1k in Spokane versus $1k in Tacoma.
- Is Spokane or Tacoma safer?
- Spokane has the lower violent crime rate. Spokane reports 2609/100k and Tacoma reports 2692/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Spokane or Tacoma?
- The median home value is $287k in Spokane and $415k in Tacoma, so homes are more affordable in Spokane.