City comparison
Spokane, WA is about 225 miles (375 km) from Tacoma, WA in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 300 miles, or about 5 h behind the wheel at highway speeds.
Driving distance is a rough estimate (great-circle × 1.25); driving time assumes a 60 mph blended average. Real trips run 10–20% longer with stops.
A direct flight from Spokane, WA to Tacoma, WA takes about 28 min, covering roughly 225 miles in a straight line. Connecting itineraries with a layover typically add 1–3 hours.
Block-to-block estimate at ~500 mph cruise, including taxi, climb, and descent — what an airline would publish, not pure airborne time.
Spokane has a population of 227,922, vs 219,234 in Tacoma — about the same size. By land area, Spokane covers about 69 sq mi vs 50 sq mi for Tacoma.
Population from US Census ACS. Land area from the Census Gazetteer (city proper, excluding inland water).
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Spokane | Tacoma | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,060/mo | $1,489/mo | 40.5% higher in Tacoma |
| Median home value | $286,900 | $415,300 | 44.8% higher in Tacoma |
| Median household income | $63,316 | $79,085 | 24.9% higher in Tacoma |
| Groceries index | 104.9 | 103.0 | 1.8% higher in Spokane |
| Utilities index | 94.3 | 92.5 | 1.9% higher in Spokane |
| Transportation index | 99.9 | 108.1 | 8.1% higher in Tacoma |
| Healthcare index | 99.9 | 108.8 | 8.9% higher in Tacoma |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Spokane, you'd need $124,744 in Tacoma to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Spokane, WA is about 19.8% cheaper overall than Tacoma, WA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 55% higher in Tacoma than in Spokane. If you earn $80,000 in Spokane, you'd need about $99,795 in Tacoma to keep the same standard of living.