Spokane-Spokane Valley cost of living
Prices in the Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA metro area run at 100.3 against a national average of 100, ranking it #83 of 387 metros. Rents there sit at 97.1.
What drives the number
Spokane-Spokane Valley sits at 100.3, which is as close to the national average as this series gets. It ranks #83 of 387 metro areas, in the middle by construction rather than by coincidence. Against Washington as a whole it is 6.7 points less expensive, which is the unusual direction, and it means the expensive part of the state is somewhere else.
The parts move together here rather than pulling against each other: goods at 105.0, rents at 97.1, other services at 91.2. When the components agree, the headline number is a fair summary of the whole cost of living rather than a proxy for rent. Goods at 105.0 are themselves 5 points off national, which is a wide gap for a category that is mostly shipped in.
The practical use of this number is converting pay between places. Take any salary quoted here, divide by 100.3, multiply by 100, and you have what it would need to be nationally to leave you equally well off.
The vertical line is the national average of 100. Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities, SARPP, 2024.
What the biggest local jobs are really worth
The same pay buys different amounts in different places, so a salary quoted in Spokane-Spokane Valley is not comparable to one quoted elsewhere until it is divided by the local parity. These are the occupations that employ the most people here, with the quoted median alongside what that median is worth at national prices.
| Occupation | Employed | Median pay | Worth nationally | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 9,980 | $46,030 | $45,892 | $34,900 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 7,730 | $34,880 | $34,776 | $30,480 |
| Retail Salespersons | 7,550 | $35,840 | $35,733 | $34,580 |
| Registered Nurses | 6,480 | $99,290 | $98,993 | $93,600 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 4,950 | $40,760 | $40,638 | $37,090 |
| Cashiers | 4,330 | $35,400 | $35,294 | $31,190 |
| Office Clerks, General | 4,280 | $47,290 | $47,149 | $43,630 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 4,160 | $44,190 | $44,058 | $38,940 |
Pay from the BLS metro survey, adjusted by dividing by the metro parity of 100.3.
Nearby metro areas
| Metro area | All items | Rents | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue | 111.1 | 151.3 | #7 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard | 105.6 | 129.6 | #26 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro | 105.4 | 125.1 | #28 |
| Wenatchee-East Wenatchee | 103.9 | 115.0 | #37 |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater | 103.7 | 116.7 | #38 |
| Bellingham | 103.3 | 112.9 | #42 |
Spokane-Spokane Valley: common questions
Is Spokane-Spokane Valley expensive?
Prices are 0.3% above the national average, a parity of 100.3 where the country is 100. It ranks #83 of the 387 metro areas BEA measures. Against Washington as a whole it is 6.7 points less expensive.
What salary do you need in Spokane-Spokane Valley?
The median worker there earns $51,600, which buys what $51,446 buys nationally once local prices are taken into account. Comparing a salary offer between cities without this adjustment is comparing nothing useful.
Is housing the reason?
Usually. Rents here are at 97.1 against goods at 105.0. Goods barely vary between American cities because most are shipped and priced nationally; housing varies enormously, and it dominates any cost of living comparison.