Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Nashua, NH
VS
Spokane Valley, WA
🏆 Spokane Valley leads 13 of 23 categories
Nashua
New Hampshire
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
106.1⚠ High
Median Household Income
$88,766 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
42 ✓ Safer
Population
90,943
Spokane Valley
Washington
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
101.0⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$66,483
Violent Crime Index
64
Population
103,761 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Nashua, NH
Pros
34% less violent crime than Spokane Valley
Households earn $22,283 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (160.5 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.7 pts lower (5.1%)
More college-educated — 40.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 12.0:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,597/mo
Pricier housing — median home is $344,900
Snowy winters — about 53" of snow per year
Cost of living runs 5% higher than Spokane Valley
Spokane Valley, WA
Pros
Rent averages $422/mo less ($1,175 vs $1,597)
Violent crime is well below the national average (242.1 vs 380/100k)
Homes cost $37k less ($307,700 vs $344,900)
Commutes run 5 min shorter each way
5% cheaper overall cost of living than Nashua
Cons
Median income trails Nashua by $22,283/yr
Property crime (3515.6/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (5.8% vs 5.1%)
Snowy winters — about 45" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
Nashua
Median Income
$22,283
$88,766 vs $66,483/yr
Nashua
Violent Crime
34% lower
160.5 vs 242.1 per 100k
Nashua
Unemployment
0.7 pp lower
5.1% vs 5.8% unemployment
Spokane Valley
Cost of Living
5% cheaper
COL index 101.0 vs 106.1 (100 = US avg)
Spokane Valley
Median Home Value
$37k less
$307,700 vs $344,900
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Nashua, NH | Spokane Valley, WA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 106.1⚠ High | 101.0⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $344,900⚠ High | $307,700⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,597⚠ High | $1,175 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $88,766 ✓ Higher | $66,483 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.1%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.8%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 24.9 min | 20.4 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 12.2% ✓ Higher | 10.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 49 ✓ Safer | 105⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 42 ✓ Safer | 64 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 60 ✓ Safer | 167⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (112) ✓ Better | C+ (88) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 17.6:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 40.4% ✓ Higher | 25.3% |
| High School or Higher | 92.2% | 94.2% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Nashua School District | East Valley School District (Spokane) |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 34.5°F | 37.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 84.7°F | 87.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 46.3" | 17.4" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 52.9" | 45.4" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 90,943 | 103,761 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 40.1 ✓ Older | 37.4 |
| Homeownership Rate | 55.5% | 57.7% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 18.8% | 21.7% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 16.4% | 17.5% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Nashua's cost of living index is 106.1 vs Spokane Valley's 101.0 (US average = 100).
Spokane Valley is 5% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Spokane Valley leads 13 of 23 categories. Nashua wins 10 and Spokane Valley wins 13. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Nashua to Spokane Valley or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($344,900 vs $307,700 median home), income ($88,766 vs $66,483), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Nashua, NH and Spokane Valley, WA are about 2,219 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.