Spokane receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Worcester
Spokane
Opportunity
57 · Top 48%
vs61 · Top 39%
Growth
68 · Top 19%
vs48 · Bottom 45%
Climate
61 · Bottom 18%
vs67 · Bottom 38%
Physical resilience
85 · Top 15%
vs89 · Top 11%
Housing affordability
59 · Bottom 25%
vs70 · Bottom 42%
Access
79 · Bottom 16%
vs95 · Top 49%
Economic stability
48 · Bottom 26%
vs54 · Bottom 36%
Measured values
| Metric | Worcester | Spokane | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 207,055 | 230,293 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $70,102 | $70,064 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $37,221 | $40,080 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 5,542/sq mi | 3,349/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $374,400 | $363,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,487 | $1,215 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 42.8% | 58.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.4% | 3.9% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.3% | -0.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 35.2% | 33.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 19.6% | 13.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 720 | 927 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.5 | 4.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 25.2% | -10.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 80°F | 87°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 17°F | 26°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 48.3" | 17.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 41 mi | 6 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.5 min | 22.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 33.9 | 37.2 | 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
Worcester
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Spokane
Elevated or high exposure: wildfire.
Full profiles: Worcester, MA · Spokane, WA · How this is calculated: methodology