Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Scottsdale, AZ
VS
Spokane, WA
🏆 Scottsdale leads 17 of 23 categories
Scottsdale
Arizona
17
wins
Cost of Living Index
104.0⚠ High
Median Household Income
$104,197 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
40 ✓ Safer
Population
240,537 ✓ Larger
Spokane
Washington
6
wins
Cost of Living Index
101.0⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$63,316
Violent Crime Index
178⚠ High
Population
227,922
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Scottsdale, AZ
Pros
77% less violent crime than Spokane
Households earn $40,881 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.7 pts lower (3.5%)
More college-educated — 61.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (152.5 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 64°F vs 38°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $651,800
Higher rents — median is $1,768/mo
Hot summers — July highs average 99°F
Cost of living runs 3% higher than Spokane
Spokane, WA
Pros
Homes cost $365k less ($286,900 vs $651,800)
Rent averages $708/mo less ($1,060 vs $1,768)
Cooler summers — July highs near 87°F vs 99°F
Smaller class sizes — 14.8:1 student-teacher ratio
3% cheaper overall cost of living than Scottsdale
Cons
Median income trails Scottsdale by $40,881/yr
Violent crime (674.9/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (4840.8/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (6.2% vs 3.5%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Scottsdale
Median Income
$40,881
$104,197 vs $63,316/yr
Scottsdale
Violent Crime
77% lower
152.5 vs 674.9 per 100k
Scottsdale
Unemployment
2.7 pp lower
3.5% vs 6.2% unemployment
Scottsdale
Summer Heat
12.3°F warmer
July avg high 99.4°F vs 87.1°F
Spokane
Cost of Living
3% cheaper
COL index 101.0 vs 104.0 (100 = US avg)
Spokane
Median Home Value
$365k less
$286,900 vs $651,800
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Scottsdale, AZ | Spokane, WA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 104.0⚠ High | 101.0⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $651,800⚠ High | $286,900 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,768⚠ High | $1,060 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $104,197 ✓ Higher | $63,316 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.5% ✓ Lower | 6.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 21.4 min | 20.7 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 26.5% ✓ Higher | 12.0% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 60 ✓ Safer | 199⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 40 ✓ Safer | 178⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 89 ✓ Safer | 231⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (116) ✓ Better | B (101) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.3:1 | 14.8:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 61.3% ✓ Higher | 32.7% |
| High School or Higher | 97.3% ✓ Higher | 93.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Scottsdale Unified District (4240) | Spokane School District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 63.5°F ✓ Warmer | 37.8°F |
| Avg High — July | 99.4°F ✓ Warmer | 87.1°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 11.2" ✓ Drier | 17.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 45.4" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 240,537 ✓ Larger | 227,922 |
| Median Age | 48.4 ✓ Older | 37.0 |
| Homeownership Rate | 67.0% ✓ Higher | 57.5% |
| Under 18 | 14.3% | 20.3% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 25.1% ✓ More | 16.2% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Scottsdale's cost of living index is 104.0 vs Spokane's 101.0 (US average = 100).
Spokane is 3% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Scottsdale leads 17 of 23 categories. Scottsdale wins 17 and Spokane 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 Scottsdale to Spokane or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($651,800 vs $286,900 median home), income ($104,197 vs $63,316), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Scottsdale, AZ and Spokane, WA are about 1,009 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.