Head-to-Head · City Comparison
New York, NY
VS
Spokane Valley, WA
🏆 Spokane Valley leads 13 of 23 categories
New York
New York
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
112.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$76,607 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
177⚠ High
Population
8,622,467 ✓ Larger
Spokane Valley
Washington
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
101.0⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$66,483
Violent Crime Index
64 ✓ Safer
Population
103,761
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
New York, NY
Pros
Households earn $10,124 more per year on average
More college-educated — 40.2% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 12.8:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $732,100
Higher rents — median is $1,714/mo
Violent crime (671.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 112.5)
Spokane Valley, WA
Pros
Homes cost $424k less ($307,700 vs $732,100)
64% less violent crime than New York
Rent averages $539/mo less ($1,175 vs $1,714)
Commutes run 21 min shorter each way
Violent crime is well below the national average (242.1 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.8 pts lower (5.8%)
Cons
Median income trails New York by $10,124/yr
Property crime (3515.6/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Snowy winters — about 45" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
New York
Median Income
$10,124
$76,607 vs $66,483/yr
Spokane Valley
Cost of Living
12% cheaper
COL index 101.0 vs 112.5 (100 = US avg)
Spokane Valley
Violent Crime
64% lower
242.1 vs 671.0 per 100k
Spokane Valley
Median Home Value
$424k less
$307,700 vs $732,100
Spokane Valley
Unemployment
1.8 pp lower
5.8% vs 7.6% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | New York, NY | Spokane Valley, WA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 112.5⚠ High | 101.0⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $732,100⚠ High | $307,700⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,714⚠ High | $1,175 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $76,607 ✓ Higher | $66,483 |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.6%⚠ High | 5.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 41.1 min⚠ High | 20.4 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 13.0% ✓ Higher | 10.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 151⚠ High | 105⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 177⚠ High | 64 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 113⚠ High ✓ Safer | 167⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (108) ✓ Better | C+ (88) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 17.6:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 40.2% ✓ Higher | 25.3% |
| High School or Higher | 83.3% | 94.2% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | NEW YORK CITY GEOGRAPHIC DISTRICT # 2 | East Valley School District (Spokane) |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 39.7°F ✓ Warmer | 37.8°F |
| Avg High — July | 84.8°F | 87.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.1" | 17.4" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 24.5" ✓ Less | 45.4" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 8,622,467 ✓ Larger | 103,761 |
| Median Age | 37.5 ✓ Older | 37.4 |
| Homeownership Rate | 32.9% | 57.7% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 20.6% | 21.7% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 15.5% | 17.5% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
New York's cost of living index is 112.5 vs Spokane Valley's 101.0 (US average = 100).
Spokane Valley is 12% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Spokane Valley leads 13 of 23 categories. New York 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 New York to Spokane Valley or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($732,100 vs $307,700 median home), income ($76,607 vs $66,483), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
New York, NY and Spokane Valley, WA are about 2,170 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.