Spokane County, Washington

Spokane County, Washington
Spokane County is a county located in the U.S. state of Washington. As of the 2020 census, its population was 539,339, making it the fourth-most populous county in Washington. The largest city and county seat is Spokane, the second largest city in the state after Seattle. The county is named after the Spokane tribe.
Spokane County is part of the Spokane-Spokane Valley metropolitan statistical area, which is also part of the greater Spokane-Coeur d'Alene combined statistical area that includes nearby Kootenai County, Idaho.
History
The first humans to arrive in what is now Spokane County arrived between 12,000 and 8,000 years ago and were hunter-gatherer societies who lived off the plentiful game in the area. Initially, the settlers hunted predominantly bison and antelope, but after the game migrated out of the region, the native people became dependent on gathering various roots, berries, and nuts, and harvesting fish. The Spokane tribe, after which the county is named, means "Children of the Sun" or "sun people" in Salishan Explorer-geographer David Thompson, working as head of the North West Company's Columbia Department, became the first European to explore what is now the Inland Northwest. After establishing the Kullyspell House and Saleesh House fur trading posts in what are now Idaho and Montana, Thompson then attempted to expand further west. He sent out two trappers, Jacques Raphael Finlay and Finan McDonald, to construct a fur-trading post on the Spokane River in Washington and trade with the local Indians. This post was established in 1810, at the confluence of the Little Spokane and Spokane Rivers, becoming the first enduring European settlement of significance in Washington. Known as the Spokane House, or simply "Spokane", it was in operation from 1810 to 1826.
Spokane County was established by the Washington legislature effective January 29, 1858. It was annexed by Stevens County on January 19, 1864, and recreated on October 30, 1879. The first post office in the county was located at Spokane Bridge. The current Spokane county seat holder, Spokane, wrested the seat from Cheney in 1886.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which (0.9%) are covered by water. The lowest point in the county is the Spokane River behind Long Lake Dam (boundary of Stevens County) at above sea level. (Virtually no change in elevation occurs between the dam and the mouth of the Little Spokane River inside Riverside State Park.) The highest point in the county is the summit of Mount Spokane at .
Spokane County has a complex geologic history and varied topography. To the west is the barren landscape of the Columbia Basin and to the east are the foothills of the Rockies—the Coeur d'Alene Mountains, which rise to the east in northern Idaho. Spokane County lies in a transition area between the eastern edge of the basaltic Channeled Scablands steppe plains to the west and the rugged, timbered Rocky Mountain foothills to the east. The area exhibits signs of the prehistoric geologic events that shaped the area and region such as the Missoula Floods, which ended 12,000 to 15,000 years ago. The geography to the southeast, such as the Saltese Flats and Saltese Uplands is characterized as a shrub–steppe landscape with grassy hills and ravines.
In ecology, as with the topography, the county is also in a transition area, roughly split between the Columbia Plateau ecoregion in the southwest portion, where it is at the eastern edge of the basaltic Channeled Scablands steppe plain and the Northern Rockies ecoregion in the northwest portion, which is the rugged and forested Selkirk Mountains.
Rivers
Spokane River
Little Spokane River
Latah Creek
Deep Creek
Cable Creek
Saltese Creek
Lakes and reservoirs
Medical Lake
West Medical Lake
Liberty Lake
Newman Lake
Shelley Lake
Notable summits and peaks
Mount Spokane
Mount Kit Carson
Mica Peak
Krell Hill
Notable parks
Dishman Hills Natural Conservation Area
Riverside State Park
Riverfront Park
Manito Park
Mount Spokane State Park
National protected area
Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge
Major highways
Interstate 90
U.S. Route 2
U.S. Route 195
U.S. Route 395
State Route 27
State Route 206
State Route 290
State Route 291
State Route 902
State Route 904
Adjacent counties
Stevens County – northwest
Pend Oreille County – north
Bonner County, Idaho – northeast
Kootenai County, Idaho – east
Benewah County, Idaho – southeast
Whitman County – south
Lincoln County – west
Demographics
2020 census
As of the census of 2020, there were 539,339 people, 209,640 households were residing within the county. The population density was averaging 2.46 persons per household. The 227,877 housing units had an average density of .
Females consisted of 50.1% of the county. 5.6% of persons are less than 5 years of age, 21.8% are under 18 years, and 16.8% are 65 years or older.
The racial makeup of the county was 88.4% White, 6.6% Hispanic or Latino, 4.5% two or more races, 2.5% Asian, 2.1% Black or African American, 1.9% American Indian or Alaskan Native, 0.7% Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander. 5.3% of the county consist of foreign born persons.
Of those 25 years or older, 94.2% people in the county hold a high school diploma, GED, or higher; and 31.5% obtaining a bachelor's degree or higher. Of those below the age of 65 years, 10.% have a disability and 6.3% are without health insurance. The median household income was $64,079 (in 2021 dollars) and 11.2% of the county are living in poverty.
2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 471,221 people, 187,167 households, and 118,212 families were residing in the county. The population density was . The 201,434 housing units had an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 89.2% White, 2.1% Asian, 1.7% African American, 1.5% American Indian, 0.4% Pacific Islander, 1.2% from other races, and 3.8% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 4.5% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 27.0% were German, 15.4% were Irish, 13.5% were English, 6.9% were Norwegian, and 4.4% were American.
Of the 187,167 households, 30.9% had children under 18 living with them, 47.2% were married couples living together, 11.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.8% were not families; 28.6% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.44, and the average family size was 2.99. The median age was 36.8 years.
The median income for a household in the county was $47,250 and for a family was $59,999. Males had a median income of $44,000 versus $33,878 for females. The per capita income for the county was $25,127. About 9.1% of families and 14.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.0% of those under age 18 and 8.5% of those age 65 or over.
2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 417,939 people, 163,611 households, and 106,019 families were in the county. The population density was . The 175,005 housing units had an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 88.62% White, 2.00% African American, 1.40% Native American, 1.88% Asian, 0.16% Pacific Islander, 0.82% from other races, and 2.76% from two or more races; 2.77% of the population were Hispanics or Latinos of any race. About 22.0% were of German, 10.7% Irish, 9.9% English, 7.6% American, and 6.4% Norwegian ancestry.
Of the 163,611 households, 32.4% had children under 18 living with them, 49.9% were married couples living together, 11.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.2% were not families. About 28.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.6% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.46, and the average family size was 3.02.
In the county, the age distribution was 25.7% under 18, 10.6% from 18 to 24, 28.9% from 25 to 44, 22.4% from 45 to 64, and 12.4% who were 65 or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females. there were 96.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.60 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $37,308, and for a family was $46,463. Males had a median income of $35,097 versus $25,526 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,233. About 8.30% of families and 12.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.20% of those under age 18 and 8.10% of those age 65 or over.
Law and government
Spokane County is governed by a partisan board of county commissioners, one from each of five districts. They run in a partisan primary election within their own district, then compete countywide in the general election. Other elected officials include the sheriff, auditor (who is also responsible for elections), assessor, treasurer, and prosecutor, which are also partisan offices. Spokane County has an appointed medical examiner. In 2023, Spokane County expanded the number of County Commissioner seats from 3 to 5. As of January 2023, the current commissioners for Spokane County are Chris Jordan (Democrat), Amber Waldref (Democrat), Josh Kerns (Republican), Mary Kuney (Republican), and Al French (Republican), from the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth county districts, respectively. The previous Sheriff was Ozzie D. Knezovich, who was appointed on April 11, 2006, and retired on December 31, 2022. The current Sheriff of Spokane County is John Nowles, who was appointed on January 1, 2023.
Transportation planning within the county is handled by the Spokane Regional Transportation Council, a metropolitan planning organization that was created in 1962. It distributes federal and state funds for transportation projects and updates the long-range transportation plan for Spokane County.
Spokane County is rather conservative for an urban county. It has voted Republican all but three times since 1948. Lyndon Johnson was the last Democrat to win a majority of the county's vote. It gave a plurality of votes to Bill Clinton in both elections. Democratic strength is concentrated in Spokane itself and in Cheney, which is home to Eastern Washington University, while the suburban areas are heavily Republican.
The Republican edge has narrowed somewhat since the turn of the century. In the last four elections, the margin has been single digits.
Communities
Cities
Airway Heights
Cheney
Deer Park
Liberty Lake
Medical Lake
Millwood
Spangle
Spokane (county seat)
Spokane Valley
Towns
Fairfield
Latah
Rockford
Waverly
Census-designated places
Country Homes
Fairchild Air Force Base
Fairwood
Four Lakes
Mead
Otis Orchards-East Farms
Town and Country
Unincorporated communities
Amber
Buckeye
Chattaroy
Colbert
Deep Creek
Denison
Duncan
Dynamite
Elk
Espanola
Freeman
Garden Springs
Geiger Heights
Glenrose
Greenacres
Green Bluff
Hazard
Highland
Manito
Marshall
Mica
Milan
Moab
Mount Hope
Newman Lake
Nine Mile Falls
Orchard Prairie
Peone
Plaza
Riverside
Seven Mile
Silver Lake
Spokane Bridge
Spring Valley
Stringtown
Tyler
Valleyford
Veradale
Ghost towns/neighborhoods
Babb
Coey
Darknell
Dragoon
Freedom
Geib
Hite
Lyons
Mock
North Pine
Rahm
Rodna
Saxby
Scribner
Wallner
Education
School districts include:
Central Valley School District
Cheney School District
Deer Park School District
East Valley School District (Spokane)
Freeman School District
Great Northern School District
Liberty School District
Mead School District
Medical Lake School District
Newport School District
Nine Mile Falls School District
Orchard Prairie School District
Reardan-Edwall School District
Riverside School District
Rosalia School District
Spokane Public Schools
St. John School District
Tekoa School District
West Valley School District (Spokane)
Community colleges include:
Spokane Community College
Spokane Falls Community College
Universities include:
Eastern Washington University
Gonzaga University
Washington State University
Whitworth University
University of Washington
See also
National Register of Historic Places listings in Spokane County, Washington
References
External links
1858 establishments in Washington Territory
Populated places established in 1858
Eastern Washington
Washington placenames of Native American origin