Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Olathe, KS
VS
Spokane Valley, WA
🏆 Olathe leads 17 of 23 categories
Olathe
Kansas
17
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.3 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$108,077 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
52 ✓ Safer
Population
142,114 ✓ Larger
Spokane Valley
Washington
6
wins
Cost of Living Index
101.0⚠ High
Median Household Income
$66,483
Violent Crime Index
64
Population
103,761
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Olathe, KS
Pros
Households earn $41,594 more per year on average
19% less violent crime than Spokane Valley
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.6 pts lower (3.2%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (196.0 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 50.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Living costs sit below the national average (index 93.3)
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Spokane Valley, WA
Pros
Violent crime is well below the national average (242.1 vs 380/100k)
Cons
Median income trails Olathe by $41,594/yr
Property crime (3515.6/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (5.8% vs 3.2%)
Cost of living runs 8% higher than Olathe
Key Differences at a Glance
Olathe
Cost of Living
8% cheaper
COL index 93.3 vs 101.0 (100 = US avg)
Olathe
Median Income
$41,594
$108,077 vs $66,483/yr
Olathe
Violent Crime
19% lower
196.0 vs 242.1 per 100k
Olathe
Unemployment
2.6 pp lower
3.2% vs 5.8% unemployment
Spokane Valley
Median Home Value
$10k less
$307,700 vs $317,900
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Olathe, KS | Spokane Valley, WA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 93.3 ✓ Cheaper | 101.0⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $317,900⚠ High | $307,700⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,229 | $1,175 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $108,077 ✓ Higher | $66,483 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.2% ✓ Lower | 5.8%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 21.5 min | 20.4 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 16.3% ✓ 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 | 52 ✓ Safer | 64 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 45 ✓ Safer | 167⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (125) ✓ Better | C+ (88) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 4.7:1 ✓ Smaller | 17.6:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 50.9% ✓ Higher | 25.3% |
| High School or Higher | 94.7% ✓ Higher | 94.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | School for Deaf | East Valley School District (Spokane) |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 38.7°F ✓ Warmer | 37.8°F |
| Avg High — July | 88.2°F ✓ Warmer | 87.1°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 40.7" | 17.4" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 13.8" ✓ Less | 45.4" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 142,114 ✓ Larger | 103,761 |
| Median Age | 36.3 | 37.4 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 73.5% ✓ Higher | 57.7% |
| Under 18 | 26.8% ✓ More | 21.7% |
| Over 65 | 12.6% | 17.5% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Olathe's cost of living index is 93.3 vs Spokane Valley's 101.0 (US average = 100).
Olathe is 8% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Olathe leads 17 of 23 categories. Olathe wins 17 and Spokane Valley wins 6. 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 Olathe to Spokane Valley or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($317,900 vs $307,700 median home), income ($108,077 vs $66,483), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Olathe, KS and Spokane Valley, WA are about 1,274 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.