Rents are 15% below what Spokane Valley's 10-year trend predicts — a better deal than its own history suggests.
Rent by unit size
These are HUD Fair Market Rents, the payment standard for a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8). They often differ from the $1,525 market median above, and that is expected: FMR is the 40th percentile of standard-quality units and counts gross rent, so it includes essential utilities such as electricity, water, gas, sewer, and trash. The market median is asking rent, which usually excludes utilities. HUD sets FMR once a year; market rent here updates monthly.
Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents. Read the methodology →
12-month history
Last updated: October 17, 2026
What the numbers show
January. Asking rents in Spokane Valley usually run 2.2% below trend in January and 2.2% above it in July, about $67 a month apart at today's median. Based on 9 years of data.
Rent in Spokane Valley is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2017.
Rent in Spokane Valley changed +2.3% over the year to September 2026. Across the 97 Washington cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +2.6%.
From 2019 to 2024, rent in Spokane Valley rose 41.9% while median household income rose 42.5% ($51,961 to $74,042). Income kept ahead of rent.
Rent in Spokane Valley is 42.9% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 6 months in a row, and rose in 8 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($74,042) is $1,851 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($1,496); a 3-bedroom is $2,070.
The priciest of 4 ZIP codes in Spokane Valley, 99016 ($1,658/mo), costs 14% more than the cheapest, 99216 ($1,457/mo).
Cheney, 25 miles away, rents for 12% less ($1,343/mo), about $2,200 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Spokane Valley. The seasonal pattern compares Zillow’s seasonally adjusted and unadjusted series. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.
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Who lives here
Spokane Valley, WA is majority owner-occupied, 26.5% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Spokane Valley, WA has changed in 5 years
Compared with 2021, rent in Spokane Valley, WA has climbed by $250 per month, settling near $1,525 after starting the period at $1,275. Median household income grew from $60,079 to $74,042 between 2021 and 2024, a 23.2% shift. Income growth outran rent by about 3.6 percentage points, easing the affordability math somewhat compared with 2021. Headcount in the area went from 102,178 to 106,365 between 2021 and 2024, a 4.1% change. Educational attainment has shifted as well, with the share of adults holding a bachelor's degree or higher climbed from 24.4% to 26.5%. Taken together, the five-year picture in Spokane Valley, WA reflects how housing costs and the people paying them have evolved through a stretch that included a pandemic, a hot rental market, and a recent cooling phase.
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Can you afford rent in Spokane Valley on your salary?
At $1,525/mo, how Spokane Valley rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Spokane Valley rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Spokane Valley. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Spokane Valley
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Spokane Valley is $1,525/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $1,036/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,496/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $1,164/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $2,070/mo.
At 25% of local median household income ($74,042/yr), Spokane Valley ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 2.3% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Spokane Valley?
At $1,525/mo, rent takes ~25% of Spokane Valley's median household income ($74,042/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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