99004 and 99217 receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
99004
99217
Opportunity
61 · Top 38%
vs57 · Top 45%
Growth
50 · Top 50%
vs47 · Bottom 45%
Climate
57 · Bottom 8%
vs67 · Bottom 40%
Physical resilience
88 · Top 12%
vs89 · Top 11%
Housing affordability
64 · Bottom 27%
vs65 · Bottom 29%
Access
92 · Bottom 47%
vs87 · Bottom 33%
Economic stability
46 · Bottom 27%
vs62 · Top 45%
Measured values
| Metric | 99004 | 99217 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 22,871 | 21,441 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $67,337 | $73,620 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $33,190 | $38,408 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 68/sq mi | 417/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $420,500 | $377,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,172 | $1,413 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 57.8% | 64.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.8% | 3.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.3% | -0.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 35.7% | 23.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 19.8% | 11.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 37 | 927 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.9 | 4.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 68.2% | -10.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 87°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 22°F | 26°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 18.3" | 17.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 14 mi | 15 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 23.9 min | 24.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 31.0 | 38.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 9 | 4 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 18.10 | 12.44 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 53.8% | 74.4% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
99004
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire.
99217
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire.
Full profiles: 99004 — Cheney, WA · 99217 — Spokane, WA · How this is calculated: methodology