Spokane and Boise City 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
Spokane
Boise City
Opportunity
61 · Top 39%
vs77 · Top 12%
Growth
48 · Bottom 45%
vs48 · Bottom 46%
Climate
67 · Bottom 38%
vs61 · Bottom 19%
Physical resilience
89 · Top 11%
vs82 · Top 20%
Housing affordability
70 · Bottom 42%
vs67 · Bottom 37%
Access
95 · Top 49%
vs90 · Bottom 36%
Economic stability
54 · Bottom 36%
vs65 · Top 39%
Measured values
| Metric | Spokane | Boise City | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 230,293 | 237,242 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $70,064 | $83,904 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $40,080 | $49,861 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,349/sq mi | 2,786/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $363,500 | $484,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,215 | $1,446 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 58.8% | 63.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.9% | 3.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.3% | -0.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 33.9% | 47.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.8% | 10.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 927 | 743 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.0 | 3.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -10.0% | -23.2% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 87°F | 93°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 26°F | 26°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 17.4" | 11.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 6 mi | 2 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.1 min | 20.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.2 | 38.6 | 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
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire.
Boise City
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Spokane
69
Your Score
70
Area Score
Boise City
70
Your Score
71
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Spokane, WA · Boise City, ID · How this is calculated: methodology