Spokane is a city located in Spokane County Washington. Spokane has a 2024 population of 229,527. It is also the county seat of Spokane County. Spokane is currently growing at a rate of 0.03% annually and its population has increased by 0.14% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 229,205 in 2020.
The average household income in Spokane is $84,416 with a poverty rate of 14.8%. The median age in Spokane is 37 years: 36.2 years for males, and 37.9 years for females.
Spokane is located in Spokane County, Washington in the United States. Located in eastern Washington about 90 miles south of the Canadian border.
While Spokane has long been criticized for its lack of diversity, the city is becoming more diverse now that people from former Soviet Union countries are forming a more significant part of the city's demographics. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, many immigrants -- mainly Ukrainians and Russians -- made their way to Spokane. In 2000, people of Ukrainian or Russian ancestry accounted for 2% of Spokane County's population.
Pacific Islanders are the fastest-growing demographic in the city, and they are believed to be the 3rd largest minority group in Spokane County after Ukrainians, Russians, and Latinos. Spokane formerly had a large Asian community in Chinatown, which was demolished in the 1970s due to urban blight.
Spokane, and the Pacific Northwest area as a whole is part of what is termed the "Unchurched Belt," which refers to the region's low church membership and religious affiliation rates. Out of the population of 212,000 people, there are about 64,000 Evangelical Protestants, 66,000 Catholics, and 25,000 Mainline Protestants. The Spokane Islamic Center became the first mosque in the city in 2009. The city also has at least 3 Jewish congregations, including the Emanu-El congregation, which opened the first synagogue in the state in 1892. Spokane is also home to the Mormon Spokane Washington Temple District, and it's the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Spokane.
Spokane is predicted to grow reasonably steadily over the next 15 years, eventually gaining 22% growth between 2005 and 2030. The city growth over time has seen intense periods of positive growth, followed by decades of slowed growth. After a loss of approximately 6% in the 1970s, growth has returned at an even slower rate. Only time will tell if this city will pick up their previous population growth rates.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Spokane was:
Race | Population | Percentage (of total) |
|---|---|---|
| White | 186,820 | 81.97% |
| Two or more races | 19,866 | 8.72% |
| Black or African American | 6,006 | 2.64% |
| Asian | 5,987 | 2.63% |
| Other race | 4,343 | 1.91% |
| Native American | 2,882 | 1.26% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 2,018 | 0.89% |
White
Two or more races
Black or African American
Asian
Other race
Native American
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
Household Type | Count | Average Size | Owner | Renter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All | 96,007 | 2.3 | 57.5 | 42.5 |
| Non Family | 43,856 | 1.33 | 43 | 57 |
| Married | 36,397 | 3.1 | 78.8 | 21.2 |
| Female | 11,094 | 3.11 | 45.1 | 54.9 |
| Male | 4,660 | 3.2 | 56.8 | 43.2 |
2.99
Average Family Size
2.3
Average Household Size
57.5%
Rate of Home Ownership
Married
Male
Female
NonFamily
owner
renter
Male
Female
Education Attained | Count | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 9th to 12th Grade | 7,166 | 4.5% |
| Associates Degree | 19,516 | 12.26% |
| Bachelors Degree | 33,043 | 20.76% |
| Graduate Degree | 19,025 | 11.95% |
| High School Graduate | 36,492 | 22.92% |
| Less Than 9th Grade | 3,655 | 2.3% |
| Some College | 40,308 | 25.32% |
Less Than 9th Grade
9th to 12th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Associates Degree
Bachelors Degree
Graduate Degree
High School Graduation Rate
Bachelors Rate
Race | Total | High School | Bachelors |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 133,218 | 125,779 | 45,624 |
| 2+ Races | 9,549 | 8,752 | 2,467 |
| Hispanic | 8,827 | 7,751 | 1,970 |
| Asian | 3,884 | 3,050 | 1,655 |
| Black | 3,837 | 3,434 | 542 |
| Other Race | 2,509 | 2,145 | 513 |
| Native American | 1,975 | 1,623 | 284 |
| Islander | 1,145 | 864 | 120 |
The highest rate of high school graduation is among white people with a rate of 94.42%.
The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among asian people with a rate of 42.61%.
All
Male
Female
Name | Average | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelors Degree | $54,727 | $62,537 | $47,172 |
| Graduate Degree | $76,811 | $95,065 | $66,288 |
| High School Graduate | $35,885 | $39,134 | $31,693 |
| Less Than 9th Grade | $30,478 | $33,159 | $24,914 |
| Overall | $43,459 | $47,943 | $39,233 |
| Some College | $38,900 | $42,925 | $35,121 |
$43,459
Average Earnings
$47,943
Average Male
$39,233
Average Female
Only English
Spanish
Other Indo-European Languages
Asian and Pacific Island Languages
Other Languages
91.87% of Spokane residents speak only English, while 8.13% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 2.69% of the population.
rate
Name | Total | In Poverty | Poverty Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 177,451 | 24,146 | 13.61% |
| Multiple | 19,336 | 3,238 | 16.75% |
| Hispanic | 15,882 | 2,846 | 17.92% |
| Black | 5,861 | 1,280 | 21.84% |
| Other | 4,028 | 1,044 | 25.92% |
| Native | 2,677 | 981 | 36.65% |
| Asian | 5,770 | 872 | 15.11% |
| Islander | 2,001 | 583 | 29.14% |
14.8%
Overall Poverty Rate
13.7%
Male Poverty Rate
15.88%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in Spokane is Native, with 36.65% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in Spokane is White, with 13.61% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 1.81%. Among those working part-time, it was 18.94%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 26.45%.
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Less Than 9th Grade | 29.88% |
| High School | 17.47% |
| Some College | 13.81% |
| Bachelors or Greater | 5.11% |
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Male Unemployed | 38.43% |
| Female Unemployed | 37.36% |
| Female Employed | 7.78% |
| Male Employed | 5.43% |
Households
Families
MarriedFamilies
NonFamilies
Name | Median | Mean |
|---|---|---|
| Families | $82,941 | $105,109 |
| Households | $63,316 | $84,416 |
| Married Families | $99,792 | $122,872 |
| Non Families | $40,949 | $55,911 |
mean
median
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
41.3%
Overall Marriage Rate
42.5%
Male Marriage Rate
40.2%
Female Marriage Rate
male
female
The age group where males are most likely to be married is 35-44, while the female age group most likely to be married is 35-44.
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
Second Gulf War
First Gulf War
Vietnam
Korea
World War II
17,237
Number of Veterans
15,077
Male Veterans
2,160
Female Veterans
War | Veterans |
|---|---|
| Vietnam | 6,024 |
| First Gulf War | 4,611 |
| Second Gulf War | 3,955 |
| Korea | 838 |
| World War II | 205 |
count
Age Group | Veterans |
|---|---|
| 65 to 74 | 4,461 |
| 35 to 54 | 4,379 |
| 75+ | 3,366 |
| 55 to 64 | 3,303 |
| 18 to 34 | 1,728 |
count
Name | Veterans | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| White | 15,340 | 10.04% |
| Hispanic | 854 | 7.69% |
| 2+ Races | 697 | 5.71% |
| Black | 551 | 12.66% |
| Other Race | 226 | 6.44% |
| Asian | 193 | 4.17% |
| Native American | 178 | 7.95% |
| Islander | 52 | 3.96% |
Less Than 9th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Bachelors or Greater
8.42%
Veteran Poverty Rate
34.71%
Veteran Disability Rate
LaborForceParticipation
62.6%
Labor Force Participation
58.4%
Employment Rate
6.2%
Unemployment Rate
LaborForceParticipation
LaborForceParticipation
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
54.4%
Born in Spokane
94.21%
Native Born
5.79%
Foreign Born
2.79%
Non Citizen
3%
Naturalized
94.21% of Spokane residents were born in the United States, with 54.4% having been born in Washington. 2.79% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Asia.
Year | Population | Growth | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2029 | 229,930 | 80 | 0.03% |
| 2028 | 229,850 | 81 | 0.04% |
| 2027 | 229,769 | 81 | 0.04% |
| 2026 | 229,688 | 80 | 0.03% |
| 2025 | 229,608 | 81 | 0.04% |
| 2024 | 229,527 | 80 | 0.03% |
| 2023 | 229,447 | -958 | -0.42% |
| 2022 | 230,405 | 255 | 0.11% |
| 2021 | 230,150 | 945 | 0.41% |
| 2020 | 229,205 | 7,401 | 3.34% |
| 2019 | 221,804 | 2,536 | 1.16% |
| 2018 | 219,268 | 1,829 | 0.84% |
| 2017 | 217,439 | 2,141 | 0.99% |
| 2016 | 215,298 | 2,603 | 1.22% |
| 2015 | 212,695 | 1,477 | 0.7% |
| 2014 | 211,218 | 1,087 | 0.52% |
| 2013 | 210,131 | 760 | 0.36% |
| 2012 | 209,371 | 292 | 0.14% |
| 2011 | 209,079 | -458 | -0.22% |
| 2010 | 209,537 | 0 | 0% |
| 2000 | 195,629 | 18,433 | 10.4% |
| 1990 | 177,196 | 5,896 | 3.44% |
| 1980 | 171,300 | 784 | 0.46% |
| 1970 | 170,516 | -11,092 | -6.11% |
| 1960 | 181,608 | 19,887 | 12.3% |
| 1950 | 161,721 | 39,720 | 32.56% |
| 1940 | 122,001 | 6,487 | 5.62% |
| 1930 | 115,514 | 11,077 | 10.61% |
| 1920 | 104,437 | 35 | 0.03% |
| 1910 | 104,402 | 67,554 | 183.33% |
| 1900 | 36,848 | 16,926 | 84.96% |
| 1890 | 19,922 | -210,008 | -91.34% |