Rating Spokane: - 10/26/2010

I grew up in Spokane and lived there for 29 years. The Cons: Crime rate is not what you would think. A good deal of vehicle and home theft, petty crime. Winters are long and cold. In fact, if you are looking for a warm place to live, forget Spokane. It barely gets warm here until after July 4 most years. Not a lot of rain and most years for a city so far North, not a ton of snow, but they can get dumped on some years. Not a good place to start of move up in a career, a much better place to end up or to retire. Mostly caucasian. Not the most diverse place to live, for sure. Little to really see or do here if you are not into the outdoors and outdoor recreation. The Pros: If you like the four seaons, cold/cool cloudly weather, this is a good place for you. Good schools. Good, diverse colleges. Very nice downtown compliments of Expo 74'. Reasonable cost of living, but not cheap by any means and more on par with the rest of the U.S. in housing costs now. Property Taxes are a bit high, but utilities and other costs are reasonable and no state income tax. Can live in Idaho just across the line and save on property taxes and work in WA to not pay income taxes (Vancouver/Portland scenerio). Good place to raise a family. Great for hunting, fishing, boating, anything to do with water because Spokane has tons and tons of all kinds of water in and around it. Better than it used to be for national events, cycling, skating, has Arena Football, good college sports nearby. Gonzaga BB.

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Thinking of moving - 10/2/2010

I am originally from SoCal, moved to NM for my hubby to go to school cheap (he is now a paramedic and further going to school for his RN), and now we are looking to move to the Northwest where we can raise our family, including our autistic daughter, and experience snowy winters, cool springs/falls, mild summers, lots of nature/hunting/camping/fishing, and be able to live kinda close to the workplace. The workplace in my husband's case would be a private ambulance service (like AMR) or a hospital, preferably with a fully equipped ER and surgical department. How are the hospitals out there? Are they pretty advanced and technologically current? Are they large city hospitals or small community hospitals that are limited in the patients they are able to treat? I would greatly appreciate anybody who can answer these questions. One other issue was the Autism Insurance Reform bill...does anyone know if the governor there is any closer to enacting that bill? Or is it gonna sit on the desk for another year?

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Big small town - 5/17/2010

Spokane is a wonderful mix of small town values and big city ammenities. Love the four distinct and equal seasons, cultural and community events, outdoor activities and good schools.

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Life Long Resident of Spokane Wa! :) - 2/27/2010

I was born in Spokane in 1959. I love it here! I appreciate the 4 distinct seasons, the lower than average cost of living, and the stability of the housing market here. I have raised 5 children here.Housing trends here are far more stable than much of the country. You can view my blog at www.SpokaneRealEstateVoice.com to see the latest statistics. BethAnn Long Coldwell Banker Tomlinson 509-362-4607 www.BethAnnHomes.com (website) search homes for sale in Spokane Wa.

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Spokane, WA good place to live - 2/9/2010

Lived in Spokane for for 19 years, great place to raise a family, great schools (espec. Mead District), awesome outdoor activities (lakes, mountains), but very difficult to find a job to support a family. It is a huge service industry city, with a large medical community, but for the average middle class, is difficult to find a job over $35,000. Loved the four seasons, although Summer is short, so party hard on the hot days!

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Clash of the climate changes - 2/2/2010

I have lived in Spokane on and off for nearly forty years. Spokane gets cold, and it gets snow every year. Unfortunately, it seems to be just temperate enough not to get LOTS of snow each year, and some years (this one included 2009-2010) the snow doesn't stay on the ground for more than a few days. Spokane gets four seasons, which I enjoy along with many folks here. One of the favorite passtimes of residents is complaining about the weather, instead of the streets which are in horrible shape for a large city.

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Wonderful Place to live - 1/14/2010

Having lived in Seattle for 34 years, then moving to Spokane 10 years ago, I would never go back. Spokane has more than 6 months on sunny days, 4 distinct seasons and the people are great. Check Crime Statistics for Spokane County to check out the crime in an area you are interested in. Traffic is almost not traffic compared to Seattle. The cost of owning a home is in the "reasonable" area and it simply is a good place to live. If you want to visit the "big city of Seattle" it is only 4 hours away and it is an easy drive. The outdoors are a big draw and over 30 Golf Courses within miles of Spokane. Simply a great place to live.

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Spokane weather - 12/10/2009

After living in Spokane for a year, I mostly like the weather here. The winter last year got pretty cold a few times, but compared to Alaska where we moved from, it wasn't bad. We got a lot of snow, but again, it wasn't that bad. The summer was wonderful.

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Slow pace living - 11/26/2009

I moved here thinking I was moving to the sticks, but I was pleasantly surprised to find a nice place to live. I am a minority and the area is mostly Caucasian populated. At first I was worried that I would not fit in but most have treated me fairly, even though I initially walked around with a chip on my shoulders. The schools are excellent and the economy hasn't been hit too hard by the current financial collapse. There is plenty of outdoor activities, such as hunting, fishing, and snow activities. The air is great and the landscape is nice to look at. The only negative thing I come up with is that there are not many big retail companies.

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Great Place - 11/10/2009

Love it here.

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Do not come here - 11/6/2009

The job rate here is down.Chances of finding a job are slim. The city busses no longer cover the greater spokane area so it's not to easy to get around. The programs here to help find jobs has been cut.

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Living in Spokane, WA - 8/24/2009

My wife and I have lived all over the U.S. due to corporate transfers. We have lived from coast to coast and border to border. In seeking the ideal place to live we did some research and made a spreadsheet outling the key things that were important to us. Some of those things included healthcare; cost of living, culture, climate, etc. Hands down Spokane, WA was the winner. It would be very hard to find a better quality of life for the price. And the added bonus is the overall friendliness of the people. We are from Southern California and I can tell you that life there is nothing like it is here. We have incredible healthcare facilities, universities, cultural activities, great outdoor activities, and unbelievably low cost of living and a year round four season climate WITHOUT HUMIDITY! A friend of mine characterized Spokane as a Big, Little Town and "the best kept secret in the West."

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Mobile Homes, Heating Costs - 8/18/2009

Does anyone on this blog know the space rents in mobile home parks in Spokane? How much does it cost to heat a mobile home in Spokane? How much to heat a studio apartment? One post said no jobs: are there really no health care jobs in Spokane? Thanks, "Elle"

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Spokane in a nutshell - 7/2/2009

Both my wife and I have family that grew up in Spokane. I was an airforce BRAT and moved around most of my life. We settled here in Spokane my late teenage years. I have lived at all four corners of the USA. If you like seasons, Spokane has all four but the winter is very long with grey skies.. If you can get past the winter, the spring, summer and fall are wonderful. Some of the best you will find in the US. The people in Spokane for the most part are friendly. As with any city, it depends on where you live. The nicer neighborhoods you will find on the outskirts of the city. North, top of the South Hill, East of Pines and West of Downtown. The nicest neighborhoods would have to be the South Hill (more towards the top), Wandemere, Meade, Colbert area (North) and far East Spokane (Valley). Also Eagle Ridge (West) is a great new family friendly neighborhood right off the freeway. Spokane is revitalizing downtown with new condos, restaurants, and lots of shopping. The River Front Park is also located downtown and you will find it is one of the nicest parks in the country with a variety of family activities. If you like biking, roller blading, jogging, etc., Spokane is also home to the Centennial trail. You can take this paved trail from River Front Park and travel miles and miles through Spokane along the river ending in Idaho. If you like the outdoors, there are many lakes, mountains, and rivers all within an hour drive. Cost of living is a little prices with 8.9% sales tax and housing prices shot up dramatically in the last 5 years. There is no income tax but that is definately made up with all the other tax we pay. In all, my wife and I moved back here from the East Coast to raise our family in this environment. It is a good place for families. I hope this helps some of you who are thinking of making the move!

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No Jobs - 6/21/2009

No Jobs, No Culture, No Recreation.

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Many great qualities - 4/16/2009

My wife and I moved to Spokane last year; this is my hometown. We enjoy the seasons except for the winter so we went to Arizona for 3 months. We love living in a city with a river running thru downtown and a state park 15 min from our house, numerous lakes and a small town feeling. Greenbluff is a great place to go for wonderful fresh fruits and vegetables. Great skiing within 50 miles, a great golf course 1 mile away, an awesome Church, LifeCenter. A day's drive to numerous national parks and Canada. We love it. Fred & Lynn Alloway

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Great Place To Live - 3/4/2009

I moved to Spokane five years ago from Southern California. I love the four seasons and the friendly people. Winter is great for sledding, skiing and enjoying quiet nights with your family by the fire. Summer is amazing with many lakes and water activities nearby. There are many parks for outdoor activities and picnics. The medical community is exceptional and the schools are good. This is a great place to raise a family and enjoy life.

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Our "Big little city" - 11/3/2008

Spokane has very distinct seasons. Summer temperatures are mid-eighties to high nineties. Winter months at times get long. 2007 snow was 98 inches throughout the five+ months of snow on the ground. If you like winter recreation, Spokane and surrounding areas are for you. Spring and Fall weather though is very pleasant, and a nice relief from the drastic changes through the other seasons.

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Spokane - 10/30/2008

I live in a small town out side of Spokane Washington, and as a soon to be highschool graduate, I cannot wait to get out of here, though to some Spokane can be the ideal place to live, with it's traditional structures mixed with modern buildings, for me, i've been counting out the days until I can leave here.

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Public Transportation? - 6/30/2008

Is it easy to live in Spokane without a car? Especially getting around in winter? Is there good bus or public transport, and is it safe? I'm considering relocating to Spokane. Thanks!

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