CitytisticsShortlist

Cost of living, pay and housing

47.77° N · 117.42° W · GEOID 5323165

Fairwood

Spokane County, Washington · part of the Spokane, WA metro

WashingtonFairwood, WAFairwoodFairwood

The short answer

Fairwood is home to 10,674 people. Median household income is $91,988 a year and median rent is $1,208 a month, 15.8% of income (a ratio of two medians, not any one household's burden). Rent pressure is lighter than in most places. The median home is valued at $469,100, about 5.1x annual median household income.

The story in Fairwood is how fast things are changing. Household income rose 7.5% a year while rent rose 2.5% between the 2019 and 2024 surveys, pay gained on rent more than in 95% of places its size. Also notable: Rent is light relative to pay, but the county has a FEMA natural hazard risk score of 90 out of 100. Budget for insurance before counting the savings.

49OF 100

CTXCitytistics Index

Average

Fairwood scores better than 49% of the 6,612 places we rate, and ranks 88th of 190 in Washington.

How the CTX is built

Category ratings · 0 to 100, typical place 50

Affordability 20%55
Economy 20%52
Safety 20%n/a
Amenities 15%41
Education 10%75
Commute 10%21
Growth 5%n/a

Not rated: safety, growth, for want of data (the city police department does not report a full year to the FBI). The other weights are spread over the categories rated.

Median gross rent
$1,208
12% below the median place
Median household income
$91,988
15% above the median place
Median home value
$469,100
47% above the median place
Unemployment
5.3%
9% above the median place

Compared with the median of the 6,645 places we track. The bundle was checked 2026-11-14; each measure may refer to an older release.

What stands out about Fairwood

  • GrowthCompared with the 25 places most like it in size, age, education, housing and region (such as Soquel, CA, Waimea, HI and Alpine, CA), household income growth here is higher: 7.5% a year against a typical 4.5% a year.
  • AffordabilityThe median rent takes 15.8% of the median household's income, a smaller share than in 86% of the 2,301 places of 10,000 to 25,000 people we track.
01

Moving to Fairwood

Spokane County gains about 0.8 residents per 1,000 a year to moves between counties.

Moved in20,200
Moved out19,866
Net+334

Where people come from and where they go, top counties

Within Washington, other states or abroad

Arrivals
Leavers
Within WashingtonOther statesAbroad

Income per tax return

Arrivals$65K
Leavers$66K

People on tax returns who moved between counties, from IRS migration data, 2022 to 2023. Figures are for all of Spokane County; flows under 20 returns are not published.

Who moves here
3.2% of residents arrived from another county in the past year, 2.9% from another state.
Who arrives and who leaves
Households moving into Spokane County report $65,400 a year in income on average; those leaving, $66,000.
Income you would need
$48,300 a year to rent the median home at the 30% line. From your city
Rent or buy
Median rent is $1,208 a month; owners with a mortgage pay $2,159 a month including taxes and insurance, on a median home of $469,100.
Getting to work
30 minutes each way on average; 15.9% work from home; 1.8% take transit.
If it is close but not quite
Sylvania, OH matches it on character for less of your income. Compare the two
Moved here in the past year1
3.2%
44% below the median place
Moved from another state1
2.9%
44% above the median place
Income of households moving in6
$65,416
7% below the median place
All 5 moving measures
MeasureFairwoodAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Moved here in the past year13.2%44% below
Moved from another state1County figure2.9%44% above
Net movers per 1,000 people6County figure0.8above (median -0.6)
Income of households moving in6County figure$65,4167% below
Income of households moving out6County figure$66,0486% below
02

What it costs to live here

Owning with a mortgage costs about $951 a month more than the median rent, a wider gap than in 85% of the 2,298 places of 10,000 to 25,000 people we track.

Fairwood15.8%
Typical place20.4%

Share of the median household income that goes to the median rent. Above 30% is the usual stress line.

Income needed to rent
$48,320
a year, at the 30% line
Rent to income
15.8%
23% below the median place
Home price to income
5.1x
34% above the median place

Could you afford it?

The median rent would take
16%
comfortably under the 30% line
Left after rent, in US prices
$76,700
a year
Vs the typical household here
Same
as the median household

Uses the median rent in Fairwood, $1,208 a month, and local prices for everything else (101.0 against a US average of 100). It runs in your browser and stores nothing.

Like Fairwood, but easier on the budget

Places that match Fairwood on character (size, age, education, homeownership, household size, housing age, remote work and climate) but where rent takes a clearly smaller share of income. Cost was left out of the match on purpose.

PlaceMatchRent to incomeMore left a year
Sylvania, OH9412.8% vs 15.8%$13,900Compare
Waterloo, IL9410.8% vs 15.8%$12,800Compare
Gilbertsville, PA9412.0% vs 15.8%$25,700Compare
Cumberland Hill, RI9312.0% vs 15.8%$36,600Compare

Moving from somewhere else? Work out the salary you would need in Fairwood.

Sponsored · exampleMoving to Fairwood? Compare quotes from licensed movers. No partner is signed yet. Sponsored offers are always labelled and never change the data.
Renters paying 30%+1
58.2%
15% above the median place
Median home value1
$469,100
47% above the median place
Median year built1
1986
0% above the median place
All 15 cost and housing measures
MeasureFairwoodAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median gross rent1$1,20812% below
Rent to income115.8%23% below
Property tax rate10.9%2% above
Home price to income15.1x34% above
Prices vs US average2Metro figure100.31% below
Fair market rent, 2 bedrooms3County figure$1,4947% below
Property tax paid (median)1$4,34533% above
Median home value1$469,10047% above
Home prices, 1-year change4County figure2.6%18% below
Home prices, 5-year change4County figure50.9%1% below
Homeownership173.2%10% above
Renters paying 30%+158.2%15% above
Owner costs with a mortgage1$2,15915% above
Vacant homes1County figure5.5%22% below
Median year built119860% above
03

Work and pay

Mean commute is 30 min, 22% above the median place.

Mean commute1
30 min
22% above the median place
Income per person1
$49,453
23% above the median place
Poverty rate1
7.8%
28% below the median place
All 10 work and pay measures
MeasureFairwoodAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Median household income1$91,98815% above
Income per person1$49,45323% above
Unemployment1County figure5.3%9% above
Average annual pay5County figure$68,9495% above
Pay growth, 1 year5County figure5.3%43% above
Jobs5County figure243,70462% above
Poverty rate17.8%28% below
Mean commute130 min22% above
Works from home115.9%27% above
Commutes by transit1County figure1.8%116% above
04

Who lives here

High school or higher is 98.3%, 6% above the median place.

High school or higher1
98.3%
6% above the median place
No health insurance1
3.0%
53% below the median place
Bachelor's or higher1
46.5%
45% above the median place

More about who lives here, against the typical place

Homes with broadband95.0% +3%
Born abroad5.0% −43%
Median age41.6 +7%
Household size2.5 +2%
All 8 people measures
MeasureFairwoodAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Population110,6743946th largest
Median age141.67% above
Bachelor's or higher146.5%45% above
High school or higher198.3%6% above
Household size12.52% above
Born abroad15.0%43% below
No health insurance13.0%53% below
Homes with broadband195.0%3% above
05

Life in Fairwood

The nearest National Park Service site is Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area, about 44 miles away.

160 sites are on the National Register of Historic Places.

Out the door, against the typical place

Parks per 10k residents5.6 −45%
Playgrounds per 10k3.8 −60%
Grocery stores per 10k1.9 −12%
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k15.9 +43%
Libraries per 10k0.0 −100%
Named paths and bike trails1 km −30%
Bus and rail stops per sq mi0.8 3.6×

Mapped by volunteers in OpenStreetMap inside the city limits (Census boundaries), so coverage is fuller in some places than others. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL.

National Park Service sites nearby

  • Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area 44 miles
  • Nez Perce National Historical Park 95 miles
  • Whitman Mission National Historic Site 129 miles

Businesses per 10,000 residents (county figures)

Restaurants and bars21.2 +2%
Shops28.8 −5%
Arts, recreation and fitness4.0 −2%
Doctors' offices and clinics20.6 +2%
Child care centers2.1 −9%

Counts businesses with paid staff, so small owner-run shops are not included.

Nearest National Park Service site9
43.7
42% above the median place
Public schools11
185
above the median place (median 9)
Public school students11
76,526
above the median place (median 4,897)
All 18 schools and local life measures
MeasureFairwoodAmong 6,645 placesVs median
Public schools11County figure185above (median 9)
Public school students11County figure76,526above (median 4,897)
Students per teacher11County figure17.111% above
Restaurants and bars per 10k7County figure21.22% above
Shops per 10k7County figure28.85% below
Arts, recreation and fitness per 10k7County figure4.02% below
Doctors' offices and clinics per 10k7County figure20.62% above
Child care centers per 10k7County figure2.19% below
Parks per 10k85.645% below
Playgrounds per 10k83.860% below
Grocery stores per 10k81.912% below
Restaurants, cafes and bars per 10k815.943% above
Libraries per 10k80.0below (median 0.9)
Named paths and bike trails81.430% below
Transit stops per sq mi80.8257% above
Nearest National Park Service site943.742% above
National Park Service sites within 60 miles9150% below
National Register listings10County figure160above (median 13)
06

Safety, weather and risk

Average temperature is 47°F, 14% below the median place.

No crime figure yet. Either the city police department did not report to the FBI for the latest year, or our monthly fetch has not reached Fairwood. Larger places are fetched first.

Average temperature12
47°F
14% below the median place
Annual precipitation12
20.4 in
53% below the median place
Wildfire risk13
96.6
58% above the median place
All 10 weather and risk measures
MeasureFairwoodAmong 6,645 placesVs median
July average high12County figure84°F4% below
January average low12County figure24°F5% below
Average temperature12County figure47°F14% below
Annual precipitation12County figure20.4 in53% below
Natural hazard risk13County figure90.03% below
Tornado risk13County figure42.748% below
Wildfire risk13County figure96.658% above
Heat wave risk13County figure94.95% above
Median air quality index14County figure430% above
Good air days14County figure64.7%6% below
08

Fairwood in 2030: where the trends point

If recent trends hold, the median rent will take about 16% of the median income in 2030, about the same as 16% now.

Citytistics projections to 2030: each figure's own trend, blended with the typical trend across the places we rate, eased toward long-run US growth and carried forward from the latest release. The range is where 80% of places landed when we tested the same method on past releases. On projected 2030 affordability, Fairwood does better than 54% of places. Its projected home value growth beats 77%.

MeasureLatest2030 projectionLikely rangeAvg. per year
Median rent$1,208/mo (2024)$1,530/mo$1,250 to $1,860/mo+4.0%
Median household income$91,988 (2024)$117,000$99,000 to $138,500+4.1%
Median home value$469,100 (2024)$687,000$499,000 to $946,000+6.6%

The median home would be worth 5.9 years of the median income in 2030, against 5.1 now.

A projection of recent trends, not a prediction of the economy or advice to buy or sell. How we project.

09

Places like Fairwood

The closest matches on income, rent, home value, education and age, and the places nearby.

PlaceRentIncome
Hartland, WI$1,230$87,754Compare
Warrenton, VA$1,418$83,331Compare
Menomonee Falls, WI$1,313$100,238Compare
Hudson, MA$1,397$90,524Compare
Hudson, MAMenomonee Falls, WIWarrenton, VAHartland, WIFairwood, WAFairwoodHartlandWarrentonMenomonee FallsHudsonFairwoodHartlandWarrentonMenomonee FallsHudson

Places built like Fairwood

Its statistical peers: the closest matches on size, age, education, homeownership, household size, housing age, origin and remote work, in the same part of the country. Cost and outcomes are left out of the match, so the table shows how Fairwood performs against places like it.

PlaceRent to incomeIncome growthPop. change
Fairwood, WA15.8%7.5%/yrn/a
Soquel, CA22.9%4.9%/yrn/aCompare
Waimea, HI22.4%1.9%/yrn/aCompare
Alpine, CA21.8%4.3%/yrn/aCompare
Aptos, CA18.4%3.6%/yrn/aCompare
Kaiminani, HI13.0%8.2%/yrn/aCompare
Larkfield-Wikiup, CA26.0%4.2%/yrn/aCompare

Common questions

Is Fairwood a good place to live?

It depends on what you need, so here is what the numbers say. Its Citytistics Index is 49 out of 100, better than 49% of the places we rate and 88th of 190 in Washington. Compared with the 25 places most like it in size, age, education, housing and region (such as Soquel, CA, Waimea, HI and Alpine, CA), household income growth here is higher: 7.5% a year against a typical 4.5% a year. The median rent takes 15.8% of the median household's income, a smaller share than in 86% of the 2,301 places of 10,000 to 25,000 people we track. On cost, space and class size it scores 71 out of 100 for families. See how it ranks with your own weights.

Is Fairwood expensive to live in?

The median rent takes 15.8% of the median household income, against 20.4% in the typical place we track. Housing is a lighter load here than usual. The median home is valued at $469,100.

What salary do you need to live in Fairwood?

To rent the median home without spending more than 30% of income on rent, a household needs about $48,320 a year. Work it out from your current city.

What places are similar to Fairwood?

On income, rent, home value, education and age, the closest matches are Hartland, WI, Warrenton, VA, Menomonee Falls, WI and Hudson, MA.

Sources and methods

The small numbers beside each measure point here. Every dataset is public; links go to the publisher.

  1. American Community Survey 5-year estimates · US Census Bureau · 2020 to 2024 estimatesTables B01002, B01003, B05002, B07003, B08013, B08301, B15003, B17001, B19013, B19301, B23025, B25002, B25003, B25010, B25035, B25064, B25070, B25077, B25088, B25103, B28002, S2701
  2. Regional Price Parities · US Bureau of Economic Analysis · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  3. Fair Market Rents · US Department of Housing and Urban Development · Fiscal year 2027
  4. House Price Index · Federal Housing Finance Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14
  5. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages · US Bureau of Labor Statistics · 2025 annual averages
  6. SOI Tax Stats, county-to-county migration · Internal Revenue Service · Tax years 2022 to 2023Counts tax returns and the people on them; flows under 20 returns are suppressed.
  7. County Business Patterns · US Census Bureau · 2023 data
  8. OpenStreetMap · © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database License (ODbL) · Map data as of 2026-11
  9. National Park Service sites · Wikidata (CC0), units operated by the National Park Service · Retrieved 2026-11
  10. National Register of Historic Places · National Park Service · Listings through 2026-05-22
  11. Common Core of Data · National Center for Education Statistics · 2024 release
  12. 1991-2020 climate normals · NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · Series updated 2026-11-05Averages for 1991 to 2020 computed from NOAA's county climate series (nClimDiv).nClimDiv county series
  13. National Risk Index · Federal Emergency Management Agency · Latest release, retrieved 2026-11-14NRI data and maps
  14. Air Quality System, annual AQI by county · US Environmental Protection Agency · 2025 dataAirData download files

Derived by Citytistics from the tables above: rent to income (B25064, B19013); property tax rate (B25103, B25077); home price to income (B25077, B19013).

What stands out compares Fairwood with places of a similar size, using only figures measured for Fairwood itself; county and metro figures never count. Survey figures are estimates with margins of error. Formulas and definitions: methodology. API: /api/v1/places/fairwood-spokane-county-washington

Citytistics. “Fairwood, Washington.” Data as of 2026-11-14. https://www.citytistics.com/city/fairwood-spokane-county-washington/

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.