Spokane County, Washington | |
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 TheSpokane County Courthouse in Spokane | |
.svg) Logo | |
 Location within the U.S. state ofWashington | |
 Washington's location within theU.S. | |
| Coordinates:47°37′13″N117°24′12″W / 47.620375°N 117.403371°W /47.620375; -117.403371 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Washington |
| Founded | January 29, 1858 (created) January 19, 1864 (annexed to Stevens Co.) October 30, 1879 (separated from Stevens Co.)[1] |
| Named after | Spokane people |
| Seat | Spokane |
| Largest city | Spokane |
| Government | |
| • Sheriff | John Nowels |
| Area | |
• Total | 1,780.984 sq mi (4,612.73 km2) |
| • Land | 1,764.224 sq mi (4,569.32 km2) |
| • Water | 16.760 sq mi (43.41 km2) 0.94% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 539,339 |
• Estimate (2024) | 555,947 |
| • Density | 305.709/sq mi (118.035/km2) |
| Demonym | Spokanite |
| Time zone | UTC−8 (Pacific) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−7 (PDT) |
| Area code | 509 |
| Congressional district | 5th |
| Website | spokanecounty.gov |
Spokane County is acounty located in theU.S. state ofWashington. As of the2020 census, its population was 539,339,[2] and was estimated to be 555,947 in 2024,[3] making it thefourth-most populous county in Washington. Thecounty seat and largest city isSpokane,[4] the second largest city in the state afterSeattle. The county is named after theSpokane people.
Spokane County is part of theSpokane metropolitan area, which is also part of the greaterSpokane–Coeur d'Alene combined statistical area that includes nearbyKootenai County, Idaho.
The first humans to arrive in what is now Spokane County arrived between 12,000 and 8,000 years ago and werehunter-gatherer societies who lived off the plentiful game in the area. Initially, the settlers hunted predominantlybison andantelope, but after the game migrated out of the region, the native people became dependent on gathering various roots, berries, and nuts, and harvesting fish.[5] The Spokane tribe, after which the county is named, means "Children of the Sun" or "sun people" inSalishan[6] Explorer-geographerDavid Thompson, working as head of theNorth West Company'sColumbia Department, became the first European to explore what is now theInland Northwest.[7] After establishing theKullyspell House andSaleesh House fur trading posts in what are now Idaho and Montana, Thompson then attempted to expand further west. He sent out two trappers,Jacques Raphael Finlay and Finan McDonald, to construct afur-trading post on the Spokane River in Washington and trade with the local Indians.[8] This post was established in 1810, at the confluence of theLittle Spokane andSpokane Rivers, becoming the first enduring European settlement of significance in Washington.[7] Known as theSpokane House, or simply "Spokane", it was in operation from 1810 to 1826.[6]
Spokane County was established by theWashington Territorial Legislature effective January 29, 1858, from a portion ofWalla Walla County, which originally encompassed most of easternWashington Territory between theCascades andRockies. The new county was bound to the west by theColumbia andSnake rivers and to the east by the Rockies; it included portions of modern-dayIdaho andMontana.[9][10] The territorial legislature designated the farm of Angus McLeod as the temporarycounty seat and appointed officials to several positions for Spokane County, but they never took office and did not organize a government. In late 1859, a group of settlers in theBitterroot Valley petitioned to create their own county, which was not granted at that time; the territorial legislature reorganized Spokane County on January 17, 1860, with a seat on a land claim nearFort Colville.[9][11]
The first county government met on May 8, 1860, and began conducting business.[9] The eastern and southern portions of Spokane County were partitioned several times as new counties were created, beginning withMissoula County in December 1860 and followed byShoshone County andNez Perce County in 1861.[12][13] These areas became part of the newIdaho Territory, which was organized by the U.S. Congress on March 3, 1863, and reduced the size of Spokane County even further.[14] On January 19, 1864, the county was annexed into neighboringStevens County, which had been created a year earlier from the northern portions of Walla Walla County. The seat of Stevens County was Pinkney City (nowColville) until it was temporarily relocated to the town ofSpokane Falls (now Spokane) in 1875.[9][15]
Spokane County was re-established on October 30, 1879, from the portions of Stevens County south of the Columbia, Spokane, andWenatchee rivers.[9][16] The western portion of the county was used to createLincoln County, which was established on November 23, 1883.[17] The first post office in the county was located atSpokane Bridge.[18]
The selection of a permanent county seat was to be decided in an election in November 1880 between the growing cities ofCheney and Spokane Falls, both candidates for a majorNorthern Pacific Railway hub. The unofficial returns showed a 14-vote margin in favor of Cheney, but the result was disputed by county officials from Spokane Falls based on "irregularities" in the ballots. The official result had a margin of two or three votes for Spokane Falls, but Cheney residents demanded a recount, which was granted by a court order that was ignored by county officials in Spokane Falls. On March 21, 1881, a group of armed Cheney residents forcibly took custody of the county auditor, recount ballots, and other county records during a nighttime raid. After declaring their own recount had been in favor of Cheney as county seat, the records and the county auditor were moved from Spokane Falls; other government officials also moved to Cheney after a court order upheld the Cheney recount.[15][19] A new ballot question in 1886 resulted in Spokane becoming the permanent county seat.[19]
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,780.984 square miles (4,612.73 km2), of which 1,764.224 square miles (4,569.32 km2) is land and 16.760 square miles (43.41 km2) (0.94%) is water.[20] It is the 19th largest county in Washington by total area.[21]
The lowest point in the county is the Spokane River behindLong Lake Dam (boundary ofStevens County) at 1,538 feet (469 m)above sea level. (Virtually no change inelevation occurs between the dam and the mouth of the Little Spokane River insideRiverside State Park.) The highest point in the county is the summit ofMount Spokane at 5,887 ft (1,794 m) per NAVD 88.[22]
Spokane County has a complex geologic history and varied topography. To the west is the barren landscape of theColumbia Basin and to the east are the foothills of theRockies—theCoeur d'Alene Mountains, which rise to the east in northern Idaho. Spokane County lies in a transition area between the eastern edge of the basalticChanneled Scablands steppe plains to the west and the rugged, timbered Rocky Mountain foothills to the east.[23] The area exhibits signs of the prehistoric geologic events that shaped the area and region such as theMissoula Floods, which ended 12,000 to 15,000 years ago.[24] The geography to the southeast, such as theSaltese Flats andSaltese Uplands is characterized as ashrub–steppe landscape with grassy hills and ravines.[25]
In ecology, as with the topography, the county is also in a transition area, roughly split between theColumbia Plateau ecoregion in the southwest portion, where it is at the eastern edge of the basalticChanneled Scablands steppe plain and theNorthern Rockies ecoregion in the northwest portion, which is the rugged and forestedSelkirk Mountains.[26][27]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1860 | 996 | — | |
| 1870 | 2,000 | 100.8% | |
| 1880 | 4,262 | 113.1% | |
| 1890 | 37,487 | 779.6% | |
| 1900 | 57,542 | 53.5% | |
| 1910 | 139,404 | 142.3% | |
| 1920 | 141,289 | 1.4% | |
| 1930 | 150,477 | 6.5% | |
| 1940 | 164,652 | 9.4% | |
| 1950 | 221,561 | 34.6% | |
| 1960 | 278,333 | 25.6% | |
| 1970 | 287,487 | 3.3% | |
| 1980 | 341,835 | 18.9% | |
| 1990 | 361,364 | 5.7% | |
| 2000 | 417,939 | 15.7% | |
| 2010 | 471,221 | 12.7% | |
| 2020 | 539,339 | 14.5% | |
| 2024 (est.) | 555,947 | [28] | 3.1% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[29] 1790–1960[30] 1900–1990[31] 1990–2000[32] 2010–2020[3] | |||
As of the second quarter of 2025, the median home value in Spokane County was $452,318.[33]
As of the 2024American Community Survey, there are 224,960 estimated households in Spokane County with an average of 2.5 persons per household. The county has a median household income of $86,205. Approximately 12.5% of the county's population lives at or below thepoverty line. Spokane County has an estimated 59.0% employment rate, with 34.9% of the population holding a bachelor's degree or higher and 95.2% holding a high school diploma.[3] There were 238,318 housing units at an average density of 0.21 per square mile (0.1/km2).
The top five reported language (people were allowed to report up to two ancestries, thus the figures will generally add to more than 100%) were English (_%), Spanish (_%), Indo-European (_%), Asian and Pacific Islander (_%), and Other (_%).
The median age in the county was 38.7 years.
| Race / ethnicity(NH = non-Hispanic) | Pop. 1980[34] | Pop. 1990[35] | Pop. 2000[36] | Pop. 2010[37] | Pop. 2020[38] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 323,170 (94.54%) | 337,561 (93.41%) | 375,427 (89.83%) | 408,629 (86.72%) | 431,806 (80.06%) |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 4,238 (1.24%) | 4,972 (1.38%) | 6,437 (1.54%) | 7,714 (1.64%) | 10,486 (1.94%) |
| Native American orAlaska Native alone (NH) | 4,193 (1.23%) | 5,216 (1.44%) | 5,478 (1.31%) | 6,478 (1.37%) | 6,862 (1.27%) |
| Asian alone (NH) | 3,911 (1.14%) | 6,352 (1.76%) | 7,758 (1.86%) | 9,799 (2.08%) | 12,404 (2.30%) |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | — | — | 630 (0.15%) | 1,817 (0.39%) | 4,202 (0.78%) |
| Other race alone (NH) | 1,512 (0.44%) | 269 (0.07%) | 598 (0.14%) | 610 (0.13%) | 2,644 (0.49%) |
| Mixed race or multiracial (NH) | — | — | 10,050 (2.40%) | 14,914 (3.16%) | 35,585 (6.60%) |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 4,811 (1.41%) | 6,994 (1.94%) | 11,561 (2.77%) | 21,260 (4.51%) | 35,350 (6.55%) |
| Total | 341,835 (100.00%) | 361,364 (100.00%) | 417,939 (100.00%) | 471,221 (100.00%) | 539,339 (100.00%) |
As of the2020 census, there were 539,339 people, 212,470 households, 132,324 families residing in the county.[39] Thepopulation density was 305.71 inhabitants per square mile (118.0/km2). There were 224,019 housing units at an average density of 126.98 per square mile (49.0/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 82.13%White, 2.04%African American, 1.50%Native American, 2.35%Asian, 0.80%Pacific Islander, 2.22% from some other races and 8.97% from two or more races.Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 6.55% of the population.[40]
Females consisted of 50.1% of the county. 5.3% of the county consist of foreign-born persons.[3]
Of those 25 years or older, 94.2% people in the county hold ahigh school diploma,GED, or higher; and 31.5% obtaining abachelor's degree or higher. Of those below the age of 65 years, 10.% have a disability and 6.3% are without health insurance. The median household income was $64,079 (in 2021 dollars) and 11.2% of the county are living in poverty.[3]
As of the2010 census, there were 471,221 people, 187,167 households, 118,212 families residing in the county.[41] The population density was 267.2 inhabitants per square mile (103.2/km2). There were 201,434 housing units at an average density of 114.2 per square mile (44.1/km2).[42] The racial makeup of the county was 89.19%White, 1.71%African American, 1.55%Native American, 2.11%Asian, 0.40%Pacific Islander, 1.25% from some other races and 3.79% from two or more races.Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 4.51% of the population.[41]
In terms of ancestry, 27.0% were German, 15.4% were Irish, 13.5% were English, 6.9% were Norwegian, and 4.4% wereAmerican.[43]
There were 187,167 households, 30.9% had children under 18 living with them, 47.2% weremarried couples living together, 11.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.8% were not families; 28.6% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.44, and the average family size was 2.99. The median age was 36.8 years.[41]
The median income for a household in the county was $47,250 and for a family was $59,999. Males had a median income of $44,000 versus $33,878 for females. Theper capita income for the county was $25,127. About 9.1% of families and 14.1% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 17.0% of those under age 18 and 8.5% of those age 65 or over.[44]
As of the2000 census, there were 417,939 people, 163,611 households, 106,019 families residing in the county. The population density was 237.0 inhabitants per square mile (91.5/km2). There were 175,005 housing units at an average density of 99.0 per square mile (38.2/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 88.62%White, 2.00%African American, 1.40%Native American, 1.88%Asian, 0.16%Pacific Islander, 0.82% from some other races and 2.76% from two or more races.Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 2.77% of the population.
In terms of ancestry, about 22.0% were ofGerman, 10.7%Irish, 9.9%English, 7.6% American, and 6.4%Norwegian.
There were 163,611 households, 32.4% had children under 18 living with them, 49.9% weremarried couples living together, 11.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.2% were not families. About 28.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.6% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.46, and the average family size was 3.02.
In the county, the age distribution was 25.7% under 18, 10.6% from 18 to 24, 28.9% from 25 to 44, 22.4% from 45 to 64, and 12.4% who were 65 or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females. there were 96.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.60 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $37,308, and for a family was $46,463. Males had a median income of $35,097 versus $25,526 for females. Theper capita income for the county was $19,233. About 8.30% of families and 12.30% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 14.20% of those under age 18 and 8.10% of those age 65 or over.
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Spokane County is governed by apartisan board of county commissioners, one from each of five districts. They run in a partisanprimary election within their own district, then compete countywide in thegeneral election. Other elected officials include thesheriff,auditor (who is also responsible for elections),assessor,treasurer, andprosecutor, which are also partisan offices. Spokane County has an appointedmedical examiner. In 2023, Spokane County expanded the number of County Commissioner seats from 3 to 5.[45] As of January 2023, the current commissioners for Spokane County are Chris Jordan (Democrat), Amber Waldref (Democrat), Josh Kerns (Republican), Mary Kuney (Republican), and Al French (Republican), from the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth county districts, respectively.[46] The previousSheriff wasOzzie D. Knezovich,[47] who was appointed on April 11, 2006, and retired on December 31, 2022.[48][49] The current elected Sheriff of Spokane County is John Nowels, whose term began on January 1, 2023.[50]
Transportation planning within the county is handled by the Spokane Regional Transportation Council, ametropolitan planning organization that was created in 1962. It distributes federal and state funds for transportation projects and updates the long-range transportation plan for Spokane County.[51]
Spokane County is rather conservative for an urban county, voting Republican for president all but three times since 1948. Democratic strength is concentrated in Spokane itself and in Cheney, which is home toEastern Washington University, while the suburban areas are heavily Republican.[52] The Republican edge has narrowed somewhat since the turn of the century. In the last five elections, the margin has been under 9% each time.
The county was one of two inEastern Washington to vote for2018 Washington Initiative 1639, which strengthened gun laws, along with neighboringWhitman County.[53]
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1892 | 3,367 | 45.45% | 2,247 | 30.33% | 1,794 | 24.22% |
| 1896 | 2,701 | 31.22% | 5,829 | 67.37% | 122 | 1.41% |
| 1900 | 5,515 | 49.84% | 5,125 | 46.32% | 425 | 3.84% |
| 1904 | 10,258 | 71.71% | 2,602 | 18.19% | 1,445 | 10.10% |
| 1908 | 11,719 | 58.68% | 6,557 | 32.83% | 1,694 | 8.48% |
| 1912 | 4,205 | 11.92% | 10,845 | 30.75% | 20,218 | 57.33% |
| 1916 | 19,503 | 45.23% | 21,339 | 49.49% | 2,278 | 5.28% |
| 1920 | 26,219 | 60.55% | 13,412 | 30.97% | 3,670 | 8.48% |
| 1924 | 23,403 | 49.30% | 6,036 | 12.71% | 18,034 | 37.99% |
| 1928 | 35,858 | 65.48% | 18,527 | 33.83% | 373 | 0.68% |
| 1932 | 24,848 | 38.15% | 36,953 | 56.74% | 3,324 | 5.10% |
| 1936 | 19,951 | 28.45% | 48,117 | 68.62% | 2,057 | 2.93% |
| 1940 | 33,228 | 42.17% | 44,852 | 56.92% | 713 | 0.90% |
| 1944 | 36,359 | 44.18% | 45,491 | 55.27% | 456 | 0.55% |
| 1948 | 37,086 | 41.68% | 49,649 | 55.79% | 2,253 | 2.53% |
| 1952 | 56,958 | 55.17% | 45,827 | 44.39% | 451 | 0.44% |
| 1956 | 60,335 | 55.21% | 48,833 | 44.68% | 119 | 0.11% |
| 1960 | 59,557 | 51.62% | 55,553 | 48.15% | 259 | 0.22% |
| 1964 | 49,387 | 44.26% | 62,092 | 55.65% | 102 | 0.09% |
| 1968 | 52,650 | 47.61% | 49,423 | 44.69% | 8,521 | 7.70% |
| 1972 | 74,320 | 59.37% | 44,337 | 35.42% | 6,528 | 5.21% |
| 1976 | 68,290 | 53.37% | 55,660 | 43.50% | 4,004 | 3.13% |
| 1980 | 78,096 | 55.51% | 49,263 | 35.02% | 13,326 | 9.47% |
| 1984 | 88,043 | 58.96% | 59,620 | 39.92% | 1,673 | 1.12% |
| 1988 | 68,787 | 49.43% | 68,520 | 49.24% | 1,843 | 1.32% |
| 1992 | 59,984 | 35.47% | 69,526 | 41.11% | 39,622 | 23.43% |
| 1996 | 66,628 | 41.84% | 71,727 | 45.05% | 20,877 | 13.11% |
| 2000 | 89,299 | 51.88% | 74,604 | 43.35% | 8,209 | 4.77% |
| 2004 | 111,606 | 55.09% | 87,490 | 43.19% | 3,491 | 1.72% |
| 2008 | 108,314 | 49.01% | 105,786 | 47.87% | 6,907 | 3.13% |
| 2012 | 115,285 | 51.07% | 102,295 | 45.31% | 8,174 | 3.62% |
| 2016 | 113,435 | 48.06% | 93,767 | 39.72% | 28,848 | 12.22% |
| 2020 | 148,576 | 50.29% | 135,765 | 45.96% | 11,089 | 3.75% |
| 2024 | 145,338 | 50.63% | 131,163 | 45.69% | 10,581 | 3.69% |
The county government adopted an official flag in 1988 following a public design contest sponsored by the Spokane County Centennial Commission. The winning entry from Stephanie Bumgarner-Ott, the daughter of state legislatorGary Bumgarner, depicts the ceremonialheaddress of theSpokane people against a yellow sun; the background is green with a diagonal blue stripe to represent the Spokane River.[55] The flag was sent for display at theWashington State Capitol for the state centennial in 1989 and 25 copies were made at a cost of $1,751.75; it was used for official events, including the funeral of a county commissioner, but was not on permanent display in Spokane County buildings.[56] One copy of the flag was stored in a vault in the county courthouse until 1995 and later lost again.[56][57] The county government announced plans to decommission the design in 2002 and hold a new public contest due to the original flag's appearance, which was deemed potentially offensive to Native Americans.[58] A new county seal was adopted in 2005 that depicts the county courthouse.[59]
School districts in the county include:[60]
Community colleges include:
Universities include:
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Municipalities and communities ofSpokane County, Washington,United States | ||
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