Living in Spokane gives you many of the conveniences and amenities of a good-sized city while keeping lakes, rivers, trails, universities, and outdoor recreation close to home. Housing is considerably less expensive than in Seattle and many other West Coast cities, although Spokane isn't the bargain it once was. Buyers should also be prepared for hotter summers, wildfire smoke, visible homelessness in parts of the city, and housing prices that have climbed substantially over the past several years.
For someone considering buying a home in Spokane(opens in new tab), those tradeoffs are worth understanding before choosing a neighborhood or setting a budget. As a three-decade resident, Marsha and her husband originally moved to Spokane for his job but quickly grew to value the combination of community-mindedness, an emphasis on the arts, and easy access to nature-focused recreation.
What Is the Spokane Cost of Living in 2026?
Spokane's overall cost of living is roughly 2% below the national average, based on recent estimates. Housing costs are approximately 10% to 14% below the national average, although those numbers can look very different to someone who has lived here for a couple of decades.
During the first quarter of 2026, the median resale price in Spokane County was $407,248, according to Spokane Trends. That was down from $426,900 during the first quarter of 2025 but well above the $350,900 median recorded in early 2021. (For more on this topic, see our article on what $500k buys in Spokane(opens in new tab).)
For longtime residents, the change is easy to see. Spokane was always somewhat more expensive than many Midwestern communities, but buying a house here has become noticeably more expensive in recent years. The affordable housing shortage is part of that conversation.
Spokane Is Still Much Less Expensive Than Seattle
Housing prices look different when you compare Spokane with other cities in the Pacific Northwest. Recent comparisons put Spokane home prices roughly 50% to 58% below Seattle and about 35% below Portland.
Spokane County's $407,248 median resale price in early 2026 was also substantially below Washington State's $613,700 median resale price. For someone relocating from Seattle, that difference can change the type of home or neighborhood that fits within their budget.
Buyers coming from less expensive parts of the Midwest may have the opposite reaction. Spokane housing may cost more than they expected, particularly if their impressions of the city were formed several years ago.
If you’re thinking about buying a home in Spokane, don’t miss our Step-by-Step Guide to Homeownership(opens in new tab).
Are you ready to buy a home in Spokane? NuKey Realty is your local real estate agent here to help!
Spokane Feels Like a City Without Feeling Congested
One of Spokane's advantages is its size. The population supports universities, hospitals, restaurants, arts organizations, sports, concerts, and a lively downtown without the daily scale of a Seattle-sized metro area.
The Spokane River runs directly through downtown, with Riverfront Park and Spokane Falls creating a beautiful city-center setting. Downtown development around the river has made that natural feature part of everyday city life rather than something residents have to drive out of town to enjoy.
Hoopfest(opens in new tab) (the largest 3-on-3 basketball tournament in the world), Bloomsday(opens in new tab) (Spokane’s iconic annual 12K race), Gonzaga Basketball, and ONE Spokane Stadium should satisfy most enthusiasts' sports cravings. Spokane also hosts minor league baseball and pro soccer teams.
Finally, Spokane has the cultural strength that institutions of higher learning provide. Gonzaga and Whitworth Universities are the best-known examples, while the U-District brings students, faculty, events, and educational opportunities into the area.
Outdoor Recreation Is Easy to Reach
You don't have to save outdoor activities for a weeklong vacation when you live in Spokane. Rivers, lakes, hiking trails, kayaking spots, and other recreational areas are all within an easy drive.
Depending on where you live, an ordinary summer weekend could include kayaking in the morning and heading downtown for dinner that evening. Residents also have access to hiking, biking, skiing, fishing, boating, and other activities across Eastern Washington and North Idaho.
Spokane is also working toward becoming more bike-friendly. Improvements take time, and cyclists will find some parts of the city easier to navigate than others, but biking is becoming a larger part of transportation planning.
Getting Around Spokane Has Pros and Cons
Compared with a much larger metro area, getting from one part of Spokane to another can be fairly manageable, but where you choose to buy still matters, especially if you're commuting to work, taking children to school, or regularly traveling between Spokane and Spokane Valley.
One transportation project residents have been watching for years is the North Spokane Corridor, often called the North-South Freeway. Construction has taken a long time, but its completion should create an important new north-south connection.
This is one reason buyers benefit from looking beyond the house itself. Driving the route between a potential neighborhood and work, school, shopping, or other regular destinations can tell you quite a bit about how that location will fit everyday life.
Forgetting to think beyond the house itself is just one of the common mistakes first-time homebuyers tend to make(opens in new tab). Having a trusted real estate professional can help you buy without regret.
Summers Have Become Harder to Predict
Spokane residents are used to four distinct seasons, but summer has brought some difficult changes. Heat and wildfire smoke have become bigger concerns in recent years.
A beautiful summer day can be ideal for hiking, paddling, or spending time at one of the area's lakes. During a bad fire season, smoke can reduce air quality and make outdoor plans much less appealing. Extended periods of high temperatures can also make air conditioning an important consideration when shopping for a house.
For buyers relocating from another climate, ask about heating and cooling systems during a home search. Spokane winters and summers both put those systems to work.
Spokane Has Challenges Buyers Should Know About
A useful relocation guide(opens in new tab) shouldn't pretend every part of living here is picturesque. Spokane has a visible unhoused population, and fentanyl and other drug use have affected the community.
Spokane Trends(opens in new tab) reported a Point-in-Time count of 1,806 unhoused people in Spokane County during 2025. That figure was up from 1,592 in 2006.
Crime also deserves context, not a blanket description of Spokane as either safe or unsafe. Spokane County recorded 2,177 violent crimes known to law enforcement in 2024. Population matters when comparing that number over time: the violent crime rate was 3.8 incidents per 1,000 residents in both 2004 and 2024. For comparison, Washington's 2024 rate was 3.3 per 1,000, while the U.S. rate provided for 2023 was 3.7.
Spend Time in a Neighborhood Before Buying There
Statistics can help with research, but they can't tell you how you'll feel on a particular street. Buyers can learn a great deal by visiting an area more than once and at different times of day.
Drive around on a weekday morning and return on a weekend evening. Check the routes you use regularly, nearby parks and businesses, and anything else that matters to your household. Spokane neighborhoods(opens in new tab) can feel quite different from one another even when they're only a few miles apart.
What Do Longtime Residents Still Love About Spokane?
After 27 years, Marsha says the qualities that first made Spokane appealing haven't disappeared. Still a good-sized city with a sense of community, Spokane’s location provides access to outdoor activities that would require much more planning in many metropolitan areas.
The city also has an active arts community, a beautiful downtown riverfront, and a university presence that brings additional energy. Add the nearby lakes, rivers, hiking, kayaking, and other recreation, and it's easy to understand why people who originally came here for work or school sometimes stay for decades.
Do you need help buying a home in Spokane?
Is Living in Spokane Right for You?
Spokane has changed considerably over the past three decades, especially in housing prices and growth. The river still runs through the middle of downtown, the outdoors are still close at hand, and the city still offers a mix of community and amenities that has kept many residents here for decades.
If you're thinking about making Spokane home, NuKey Realty & Property Management can help you look beyond listing photos and find a neighborhood and property that fit the way you want to live. Contact (opens in new tab)NuKey Realty for help buying a home in Spokane, Washington(opens in new tab), and start exploring what your budget can buy in today's market.