Worcester receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Spokane-Spokane Valley
Worcester
Opportunity
64 · Top 33%
vs64 · Top 32%
Growth
50 · Bottom 48%
vs46 · Bottom 42%
Climate
60 · Bottom 25%
vs61 · Bottom 29%
Physical resilience
85 · Top 11%
vs86 · Top 9%
Housing affordability
73 · Bottom 20%
vs84 · Bottom 34%
Access
80 · Bottom 44%
vs80 · Bottom 44%
Economic stability
69 · Top 36%
vs87 · Top 9%
Measured values
| Metric | Spokane-Spokane Valley | Worcester | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 597,123 | 867,788 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $77,488 | $95,939 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $41,549 | $48,914 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 141/sq mi | 574/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $405,300 | $423,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,264 | $1,426 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 65.7% | 65.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.9% | 4.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.3% | -1.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 32.2% | 39.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 11.7% | 10.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 3,184 | 1,793 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 5.3 | 2.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -20.4% | -8.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 84°F | 80°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 21°F | 17°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 22.5" | 48.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 33 mi | 41 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.2 min | 31.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.1 | 40.2 | 2024 ACS 5-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
Spokane-Spokane Valley
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire.
Worcester
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Spokane-Spokane Valley
68
Your Score
68
Area Score
Worcester
72
Your Score
71
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA Metro Area · Worcester, MA Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology