Spokane, WA Homes For Rent

Homes for Rent in Spokane, WA: What You Need to Know

When it comes to appreciating fathers, it’s hard to beat Spokane, a city in eastern Washington. It’s the birthplace of Father’s Day, thanks to resident Sonora Smart Dodd, who led a petition in 1910 to create a day honoring dads.

Spokane’s Local History

The city was originally called Spokan Falls, in honor of the Spokan tribe, whose name means “children of the sun.” It was incorporated in November 1881. Later on, the “e” was added to the name and the word “Falls” was dropped to make it Spokane. A huge fire devastated 32 blocks of Spokane in 1889, but the city was rebuilt and reincorporated a year later.

The Local Sports Scene

The city takes pride in all of its sports teams. The Spokane Indians Minor League Baseball team (Northwest League) has won a total of 18 championships. Local fans also root for the Spokane Chiefs, a junior team that plays in the Western Hockey League, the Spokane Shock (Indoor Football League), and the Spokane Shadow soccer team (Evergreen Premier League). 

The Cost of Living in Spokane

Compared to Seattle, 279 miles away, Spokane is smaller (population: 222,081) but a more reasonable place to live in. Its cost of living rate, food, and housing costs are 9.5%, 17.3%, and 13.9% lower than the national average. Spokane’s median gross rent is $842 while the median rent for a two-bedroom apartment is $931. Washington doesn’t collect personal income tax, but its sales tax rate of 7% to 10.5% is among the highest in the U.S.

Know Your Neighborhoods

Downtown boasts of a beautiful landscape with a river running through it. Residents love being close to work and over 120 restaurants, shops, and nightspots. They also get a front seat to events such as Downtown First Friday and Hoopfest. Dreaming of the suburbs? Country Homes and Mead are a short drive from Spokane, and they both have topnotch schools. Nearly half of all Country Homes residents are renters. Liberty Lake is famous for its eponymous lake, great golf courses, and excellent schools. 

Getting Around in Spokane

Driving is the primary means to get around here, although the Spokane Transit Authority operates 38 bus routes with about 2,500 bus stops throughout the city and surrounding areas. When visiting downtown, use the skywalks connecting major buildings for convenience and also to stay warm and dry in the winter. For out-of-state destinations, Amtrak trains and Greyhound buses service the area. Six airlines provide flights in and out of Spokane International Airport, just seven miles from downtown.