$100k a year, no longer in San Luis Obispo

change
Spokane, WA cityscape

swapping out of san luis obispo

Spokane

wa · metro 600k

photo: William Jacobs / pexels

a dispatch from

spokane

WA

47.66°N

117.43°W

Spokane is eastern Washington's anchor city, very different from Seattle: drier, sunnier, with the Spokane River tumbling through downtown in actual waterfalls. Riverfront Park (built for the 1974 World's Fair) is the city's living room. Bing Crosby was born here. Mt. Spokane and Coeur d'Alene Lake are nearby. The Bloomsday run every May draws around 40,000 people. Affordable and outdoorsy.

metro600k

in our guides

#7

of 10

Affordable cities for outdoor lovers

read the guide
#3

of 10

Affordable cities near national parks and wilderness

read the guide
#3

of 10

Best cities for retirees who love the outdoors

read the guide
#10

of 10

Best cities for families

read the guide
#7

of 10

Best cities for families who love the outdoors

read the guide
#7

of 10

Best cities in states with no income tax

read the guide
#4

of 10

Affordable alternatives to Denver

read the guide
#8

of 10

Best cities for a $200k salary

read the guide
#4

of 10

Best cities in the Pacific Northwest

read the guide

01 · the verdict

the verdict

$2,350

cheaper each month than San Luis Obispo

Spokane sits well below San Luis Obispo on cost. Same paycheck, a noticeably lighter month.
landable, recorded on the spokane entry

02 · the money

a quick ledger.

01rent

$1,520/mo

51% cheaper than San Luis Obispo(vs $3,095/mo)

02state income tax

0%

$775/mo less in state tax than San Luis Obispo

vs 9.3% in San Luis Obispo

03after rent

$6,813/mo

$2,350 more than San Luis Obispo

gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.

04a house here

$420k

55% cheaper than San Luis Obispo

vs $934k in San Luis Obispo

05metro size

600k

vs 282k in San Luis Obispo

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

164

pleasant days a year, in spokane.

San Luis Obispo actually gets more: 303 pleasant days a year. Cold snaps are part of the year: 34 days below 20° here, 0 in San Luis Obispo.

A real upgrade on things to do: 3.7× San Luis Obispo's pace.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

81/100

19% higher than San Luis Obispo

vs 68/100 in San Luis Obispo

Closest outdoor draw: Mount Spokane, 16.5 mi.

·walk score®

91/100

7% lower than San Luis Obispo

vs 98/100 in San Luis Obispo

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

10

233% more than San Luis Obispo

vs 3 nonstops in San Luis Obispo

04 · see also

in the same ballpark as spokane:

see also

boise

more flight options

turn the page

see also

allentown

more things to do

turn the page

see also

colorado springs

more things to do

turn the page

compare spokane with:

BoiseAllentownColorado Springs