Moving to
Spokane Valley.

All Spokane Valley data Compare Spokane Valley

106,365people live here $74,042median household incomeNear US average $1,353median rent per monthNear US average $382,300median home value▲ 15% above US

What it's like to live in Spokane Valley

Spokane Valley is a mid-size city in Washington with commutes that run shorter than most cities, a growing population, and schools with class sizes near the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.

The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Spokane Valley deals with air quality that falls short of national benchmarks, cold winters, snowy winters, and a car-dependent commute, with few people using transit.

The good

Short commutes
Growing population
Average class sizes

The not so good

Air quality concerns
Cold winters
Snowy winters — 45" per year
Car-dependent — few commuters use transit

How Spokane Valley compares

Median household income

Spokane Valley$74,042

Washington avg$98,141

US$80,734

Median rent (per month)

Spokane Valley$1,353

Washington avg$1,760

US$1,413

Median home value

Spokane Valley$382,300

Washington avg$564,600

US$332,700

What it takes to move to Spokane Valley

Based on Spokane Valley's median rent, home value and household income

To rent

$2,706

up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit

Income to keep rent under 30%: $54,120 a year
50% of Spokane Valley renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent

To buy

$76,460

a 20% down payment on the median home

With 10% down: $38,230
Homes cost 5.2× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)

Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.

The details

Cost of livingNear US average

$1,353/mo median rent

Rent is pretty middle of the road, at $1,353 a month median. Not a bargain, not a budget-buster. About typical for a city this size. Home prices run above average, with a median around $382,300. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.

Median home value $382,300 · 50% of renters cost-burdened

Job marketNear US average

4.4% unemployment

Unemployment here is 4.4%, close to the national average of 4.3%.

City-level (BLS)

Safety▼ 29% below US

233 violent crimes per 100k

Pretty safe, all things considered. Violent crime sits below the national average, nothing alarming, just ordinary city-life awareness.

Property crime 3337/100k · Spokane Valley Police Department · 2025 data

Getting around▼ 20% below US

21 min average commute

Commutes are reasonable, averaging 20.8 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 13% work from home.

How workers get to work

Drive alone

75%

Work from home

13%

Carpool

8.2%

Walk

1.5%

Public transit

1.3%

Other

1.2%

Climate

Summers are warm, with highs around 83°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 26°F and snow a regular occurrence. It's a dry climate with limited rainfall.

Average month

High °FLow °FPrecip (in)

30-year averages, 1991–2020

Healthcare

1 hospital

There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits, rated 5.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.

Medicare-certified hospitals

Education & workforce▼ 26% below US

27% bachelor's degree or higher

College degree attainment runs below average at 27%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.

Schools

45 public schools inside the boundary

There are 45 public schools inside the boundary and 8 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 18:1, slightly above the national average of 16:1.

Parks & recreation

The nearest national park or historic site is Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area (63 miles away).

Bottom line

Spokane Valley's strongest points are commutes that run shorter than most cities and a growing population; the main tradeoffs are air quality that falls short of national benchmarks and cold winters. A year of median rent ($1,353/mo) equals 22% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime and people who want short commutes. It may be a harder fit for anyone who doesn't drive.

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