Spokane County, Washington
Encyclopedia
Spokane County is a county
located in the U.S. state
of Washington, named after the Spokane tribe
. As of the 2010 census the population was 471,221, making it the fourth most populous county in Washington state. The largest city and county seat
is Spokane
, the second largest city in the state, behind Seattle.
Spokane County was formed on January 29, 1858. It was annexed by Stevens County on January 19, 1864, and re-created on October 30, 1879.
Board of County Commissioners, one from each of three 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
. Here is a link to election results since 2000.
, the county has a total area of 1781 square miles (4,612.8 km²), of which 1764 square miles (4,568.7 km²) is land and 17 square miles (44 km²) (0.96%) is water. The lowest point in the county is the Spokane River
behind Long Lake Dam
(boundary of Stevens County) at 1538 feet (468 m) above sea level. (There is virtually no change in elevation
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 5883 feet (1793 m).
Lakes and reservoirs
Summits and peaks
Notable parks
of 2000, there were 417,939 people, 163,611 households, and 106,019 families residing in the county. The population density
was 237 people per square mile (92/km²). There were 175,005 housing units at an average density of 99 per square mile (38/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 88.62% White
, 2.00% Black
or 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 Hispanic
or Latino
of any race. 22.0% were of German, 10.7% Irish
, 9.9% English
, 7.6% United States
or American and 6.4% Norwegian ancestry according to Census 2000.
There were 163,611 households out of which 32.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.90% were married couples
living together, 11.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.20% were non-families. 28.10% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 3.02.
In the county, the population was spread out with 25.70% under the age of 18, 10.60% from 18 to 24, 28.90% from 25 to 44, 22.40% from 45 to 64, and 12.40% who were 65 years of age 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 the median income 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.
County (United States)
In the United States, a county is a geographic subdivision of a state , usually assigned some governmental authority. The term "county" is used in 48 of the 50 states; Louisiana is divided into parishes and Alaska into boroughs. Parishes and boroughs are called "county-equivalents" by the U.S...
located in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Washington, named after the Spokane tribe
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
. As of the 2010 census the population was 471,221, making it the fourth most populous county in Washington state. The largest city and county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
is Spokane
Spokane, Washington
Spokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region...
, the second largest city in the state, behind Seattle.
Spokane County was formed on January 29, 1858. It was annexed by Stevens County on January 19, 1864, and re-created on October 30, 1879.
Law and government
Spokane County is governed by a partisanPartisan (political)
In politics, a partisan is a committed member of a political party. In multi-party systems, the term is widely understood to carry a negative connotation - referring to those who wholly support their party's policies and are perhaps even reluctant to acknowledge correctness on the part of their...
Board of County Commissioners, one from each of three districts. They run in a partisan primary election
Primary election
A primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
within their own district, then compete countywide in the general election
General election
In a parliamentary political system, a general election is an election in which all or most members of a given political body are chosen. The term is usually used to refer to elections held for a nation's primary legislative body, as distinguished from by-elections and local elections.The term...
. Other elected officials include the Sheriff
Sheriff
A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
, Auditor (who is also responsible for elections), Assessor
Assessor
An assessor may be:* Assessor , the assistant to a judge or magistrate* Assessor , a senior officer of the University of Oxford* Assessor , an expert who calculates the value of property...
, Treasurer
Treasurer
A treasurer is the person responsible for running the treasury of an organization. The adjective for a treasurer is normally "tresorial". The adjective "treasurial" normally means pertaining to a treasury, rather than the treasurer.-Government:...
, and Prosecutor
Prosecutor
The prosecutor is the chief legal representative of the prosecution in countries with either the common law adversarial system, or the civil law inquisitorial system...
, which are also partisan offices. Spokane County has an appointed Medical Examiner
Medical examiner
A medical examiner is a medically qualified government officer whose duty is to investigate deaths and injuries that occur under unusual or suspicious circumstances, to perform post-mortem examinations, and in some jurisdictions to initiate inquests....
. Here is a link to election results since 2000.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the county has a total area of 1781 square miles (4,612.8 km²), of which 1764 square miles (4,568.7 km²) is land and 17 square miles (44 km²) (0.96%) is water. The lowest point in the county is the Spokane River
Spokane River
The Spokane River is a tributary of the Columbia River, approximately long, in northern Idaho and eastern Washington in the United States. It drains a low mountainous area east of the Columbia, passing through the city of Spokane, Washington.-Description:...
behind Long Lake Dam
Long Lake Dam
Long Lake Dam is a concrete gravity dam on the Spokane River, about northwest of Spokane in eastern Washington. It forms Long Lake, a long reservoir, and has a hydroelectric generating capacity of 71 megawatts...
(boundary of Stevens County) at 1538 feet (468 m) above sea level. (There is virtually no change in elevation
Elevation
The elevation of a geographic location is its height above a fixed reference point, most commonly a reference geoid, a mathematical model of the Earth's sea level as an equipotential gravitational surface ....
between the dam and the mouth of the Little Spokane River
Little Spokane River
The Little Spokane River is a major tributary of the Spokane River, approximately 35 mi long, in eastern Washington in the United States. It drains a rural area of forested foothills and a farming valley north of the city of Spokane along the Idaho-Washington border.It rises in southern Pend...
inside Riverside State Park
Riverside State Park
Riverside State Park is a park northwest of Spokane in Nine Mile Falls, Washington. At over , it is the second-largest state park in Washington. The park includes two campgrounds; one at the Bowl & Pitcher and the other at the Nine Mile Recreation area...
.) The highest point in the county is the summit of Mount Spokane
Mount Spokane
Mount Spokane is a mountain located northeast of Spokane, Washington. Its summit is the highest point in Spokane County, and it is one of the tallest peaks in the Inland Northwest...
at 5883 feet (1793 m).
Geographic features
Rivers- Spokane RiverSpokane RiverThe Spokane River is a tributary of the Columbia River, approximately long, in northern Idaho and eastern Washington in the United States. It drains a low mountainous area east of the Columbia, passing through the city of Spokane, Washington.-Description:...
- Little Spokane RiverLittle Spokane RiverThe Little Spokane River is a major tributary of the Spokane River, approximately 35 mi long, in eastern Washington in the United States. It drains a rural area of forested foothills and a farming valley north of the city of Spokane along the Idaho-Washington border.It rises in southern Pend...
- Latah CreekLatah CreekLatah Creek, also known as Hangman Creek, is a large stream in eastern Washington and north central Idaho in the United States. The creek flows northwest from the Rocky Mountains to Spokane, where it empties into the Spokane River...
Lakes and reservoirs
- Medical Lake
- West Medical Lake
- Liberty LakeLiberty Lake, WashingtonLiberty Lake is an incorporated city in Spokane County, Washington, United States, on the Idaho state line. Liberty Lake is a suburb of Spokane, Washington. Thus, it is situated between Spokane and Coeur d'Alene, Idaho...
- Newman Lake
Summits and peaks
- Mount SpokaneMount SpokaneMount Spokane is a mountain located northeast of Spokane, Washington. Its summit is the highest point in Spokane County, and it is one of the tallest peaks in the Inland Northwest...
Notable parks
- Dishman Hills Natural Conservation AreaDishman HillsDishman Hills Natural Resources Conservation Area is a 530 acre area protected by a combination of public and non-profit groups, located in Spokane County, Washington...
- Riverside State ParkRiverside State ParkRiverside State Park is a park northwest of Spokane in Nine Mile Falls, Washington. At over , it is the second-largest state park in Washington. The park includes two campgrounds; one at the Bowl & Pitcher and the other at the Nine Mile Recreation area...
Highways
|
 - State Route 206Washington State Route 206 State Route 206 is a state highway in northeastern Washington state beginning at US 2 and ending at Mount Spokane State Park....  - State Route 290Washington State Route 290 State Route 290 , named Hamilton Street and Trent Avenue, is a long state highway serving Spokane County in the U.S. state of Washington. SR 290 travels parallel to a Union Pacific railroad from in Spokane through Millwood and across the Spokane River three times towards Spokane...  - State Route 291Washington State Route 291 State Route 291 is a long state highway located in Spokane and Stevens counties in the U.S. state of Washington. The highway begins at an intersection with concurrent highways U.S...  - State Route 902Washington State Route 902 State Route 902 is a long state highway located entirely in Spokane County, Washington, United States. The highway serves to connect Lakeland Village and Medical Lake to the county seat of Spokane. The highway has existed since at least 1931, and before the 1964 state highway renumbering, it was...  - State Route 904Washington State Route 904 State Route 904 is a long state highway in the U.S. state of Washington, located entirely in Spokane County. The route starts at an interchange with and in Tyler and travels to Cheney, serving the Eastern Washington University, before ending at I-90 and US 395 in Four Lakes... |
- 
- 
- U.S. Route 195
- 
- State Route 27Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 417,939 people, 163,611 households, and 106,019 families residing in the county. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 237 people per square mile (92/km²). There were 175,005 housing units at an average density of 99 per square mile (38/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 88.62% White
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 2.00% Black
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or African American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 1.40% Native American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 1.88% Asian
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.16% Pacific Islander
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.82% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 2.76% from two or more races. 2.77% of the population were Hispanic
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or Latino
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
of any race. 22.0% were of German, 10.7% Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
, 9.9% English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
, 7.6% United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
or American and 6.4% Norwegian ancestry according to Census 2000.
There were 163,611 households out of which 32.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.90% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 11.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.20% were non-families. 28.10% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 3.02.
In the county, the population was spread out with 25.70% under the age of 18, 10.60% from 18 to 24, 28.90% from 25 to 44, 22.40% from 45 to 64, and 12.40% who were 65 years of age 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 the median income for a family was $46,463. Males had a median income of $35,097 versus $25,526 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
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.
Census-recognized communities
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Millwood, Washington Millwood is a town in Spokane County, Washington, United States. The population was 1,786 at the 2010 census. Millwood is a suburb of Spokane, Washington, and is surrounded on three sides by the city of Spokane Valley, Washington.-History:... Otis Orchards-East Farms, Washington Otis Orchards-East Farms is a census-designated place in Spokane County, Washington, United States, near the county's border with Idaho. The population was 6,220 at the 2010 census... Rockford, Washington Rockford is a town in Spokane County, Washington, United States. The population was 470 at the 2010 census.-History:Rockford was first settled in 1878 by D.C. Farnsworth... Spangle, Washington Spangle is a town in Spokane County, Washington, United States. The population was 240 at the 2000 census. The name is from William Spangle, early pioneer.- History :Spangle was first settled in 1872 by William Spangle... Spokane, Washington Spokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region... Spokane Valley, Washington Spokane Valley is an incorporated city in Spokane County, Washington, United States. It is located east of Spokane and west of Coeur d'Alene. It surrounds the town of Millwood on three sides... Town and Country, Washington Town and Country is a census-designated place in Spokane County, Washington, United States. The population was 4,857 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Town and Country is located at .... Waverly, Washington Waverly is a town in Spokane County, Washington, United States. The population was 121 at the 2000 census and decreased 12.4% to 106 in the 2010 census.-History:... |
Other communities
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Mead, Washington Mead is an unincorporated suburb north of Spokane in Spokane County, Washington, United States. Named for Civil War general George Meade, this rural area is tracked by the United States Census Bureau. As of 2010, population of Mead was 7,275.... Mica, Washington Mica is an unincorporated community in Spokane County, Washington, United States. Mica is located along Washington State Route 27 southeast of downtown Spokane. Mica has a post office with ZIP code 99023.... Milan, Washington Milan is an unincorporated community in Spokane County, Washington, United States. Milan is a rural community located along the Burlington Northern Railroad, east of Deer Park. It is named after the Italian city of Milan.... Newman Lake, Washington Newman Lake is an unincorporated community in Spokane County, Washington, United States. Newman Lake, which took its name from early settler William Newman, is east-northeast of downtown Spokane. Newman Lake has a post office with ZIP code 99025.... Nine Mile Falls, Washington Nine Mile Falls is an unincorporated community in Spokane County, Washington, United States. It is located 9 mi from downtown Spokane, at the location of the former falls on the Spokane River. The Nine Mile Falls Dam was built by Spokane & Inland Empire Railroad on the site of the falls in... Valleyford, Washington Valleyford is an unincorporated community in Spokane County, Washington, United States. Valleyford is southeast of downtown Spokane. Valleyford has a post office with ZIP code 99036.... |
Spokane County Library District
Established in 1942, Spokane County Library District was created as a limited purpose municipal corporation to serve the unincorporated areas of Spokane County. In addition, the library also serves the cities and towns of Cheney, Deer Park, Fairfield, Latah, Medical Lake, Millwood, Rockford, Spangle, Spokane Valley, and Waverly (annexed to District); and Airway Heights (contracting with District). The total population served is 236,120 including 123,411 in the unincorporated county and 112,709 in affiliated cities and towns. Employing 164 full and part-time staff, the library system is composed of ten branches - two resource libraries (North Spokane and Spokane Valley) and eight community libraries; Airway Heights, Argonne, Cheney, Deer Park, Fairfield, Medical Lake, Moran Prairie, North Spokane, Otis Orchards and Spokane Valley.External links
- http://www.spokanecounty.org/
- Spokane County Library District