Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Richmond, VA
VS
Spokane Valley, WA
🏆 Spokane Valley leads 13 of 23 categories
Richmond
Virginia
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$59,606
Violent Crime Index
89
Population
227,171 ✓ Larger
Spokane Valley
Washington
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
101.0⚠ High
Median Household Income
$66,483 ✓ Higher
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.
Richmond, VA
Pros
More college-educated — 44.1% hold a bachelor's or higher
Milder winters — January highs near 48°F vs 38°F
Smaller class sizes — 11.9:1 student-teacher ratio
3% cheaper overall cost of living than Spokane Valley
Cons
Property crime (3179.4/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Median income trails Spokane Valley by $6,877/yr
Spokane Valley, WA
Pros
28% less violent crime than Richmond
Violent crime is well below the national average (242.1 vs 380/100k)
Households earn $6,877 more per year on average
Cons
Property crime (3515.6/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Snowy winters — about 45" of snow per year
Cost of living runs 3% higher than Richmond
Key Differences at a Glance
Richmond
Cost of Living
3% cheaper
COL index 98.0 vs 101.0 (100 = US avg)
Spokane Valley
Median Income
$6,877
$66,483 vs $59,606/yr
Spokane Valley
Violent Crime
28% lower
242.1 vs 336.9 per 100k
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Richmond, VA | Spokane Valley, WA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 98.0 ✓ Cheaper | 101.0⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $308,300⚠ High | $307,700⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,227 | $1,175 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $59,606 | $66,483 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.1%⚠ High | 5.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.0 min | 20.4 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 14.3% ✓ Higher | 10.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 114⚠ High | 105⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 89 | 64 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 151⚠ High ✓ Safer | 167⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (107) ✓ Better | C+ (88) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 11.9:1 ✓ Smaller | 17.6:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 44.1% ✓ Higher | 25.3% |
| High School or Higher | 88.8% | 94.2% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Richmond City Public Schools | East Valley School District (Spokane) |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 47.8°F ✓ Warmer | 37.8°F |
| Avg High — July | 89.5°F ✓ Warmer | 87.1°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.1" | 17.4" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 8.8" ✓ Less | 45.4" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 227,171 ✓ Larger | 103,761 |
| Median Age | 34.5 | 37.4 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 43.2% | 57.7% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 17.1% | 21.7% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 13.8% | 17.5% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Richmond's cost of living index is 98.0 vs Spokane Valley's 101.0 (US average = 100).
Richmond is 3% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Spokane Valley leads 13 of 23 categories. Richmond 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 Richmond to Spokane Valley or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($308,300 vs $307,700 median home), income ($59,606 vs $66,483), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Richmond, VA and Spokane Valley, WA are about 2,113 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.