The Town FilesSpanaway, Washington
Community in Pierce County · population 35,476 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $445,700
- Household income
- $98,251
- Jan low / Jul high
- 33° / 76°
- Snow a year
- 6 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 4
- Median age
- 33.7
Spanaway is a community of 35,476 people in Pierce County, Washington. The median home is worth $445,700, below the typical Washington town ($475,000). It ranks more walkable than 88% of Washington towns, better transit than 88% of Washington towns, more vibrant than 85% of Washington towns.
How Spanaway ranks
Percentile among Washington towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Washington towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Spanaway is worth $445,700, below the typical Washington town ($475,000). Homes cost about 4.5 times the median household income of $98,251, which is more affordable than 74% of Washington towns. Median rent is $1,813 a month. 73.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Spanaway | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $445,700 | $475,000 |
| Median rent | $1,813 | $1,597 |
| Median household income | $98,251 | $90,625 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.5× | 5.3× |
| Homeownership | 73.7% | 74.4% |
| Median year built | 1989 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.7% | — |
Who lives in Spanaway
| People | Spanaway | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 33.7 | 40.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 10.6% | 17.9% |
| Under 18 | 27.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.6% | 27.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.8% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 15.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 14.7% | — |
| Work from home | 10.5% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 37.3 min | 27.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.8% | 93.9% |
Weather in Spanaway
July highs average 75.7°F and January lows 33.3°F. About 45.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 5.6 inches of snow (typical Washington town: 4.0 in). Expect about 3 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 60 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Spanaway since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Washington town. The strongest, an EF1, struck on September 30, 2013 about 3.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on September 30, 2013.
Severe weather in Pierce County since 1996
Pierce County has been included in 26 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 7, 2026 | Flood | DR-4906: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| December 12, 2025 | Flood | EM-3629: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| September 9, 2020 | Fire | FM-5360: Sumner Grade Fire |
| March 22, 2020 | Biological | DR-4481: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3427: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Pierce County
Pierce County had 333,492 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $70,395 a year. Unemployment was 4.7% in 2023; in Spanaway itself the ACS puts it at 4.7%.
Public schools in Spanaway
18 public schools with 9,973 students, about 19.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spanaway Lake High School | 9-12 | 1,804 | 22.6 |
| Bethel High School | 9-12 | 1,651 | 20.6 |
| Liberty Middle School | 6-8 | 898 | 22.5 |
| Cedarcrest Middle School | 6-8 | 706 | 20.2 |
| Bethel Middle School | 6-8 | 668 | 20.9 |
| Shining Mountain Elementary | K-5 | 626 | 16.5 |
| Elk Plain School of Choice | K-8 | 575 | 16.4 |
| Evergreen Elementary | K-5 | 533 | 15.7 |
| Pioneer Valley Elementary | K-5 | 527 | 16.5 |
| Camas Prairie Elementary | K-5 | 512 | 13.1 |
| Acceleration Academy | 9-12 | 405 | 50.6 |
| Challenger High School | 7-12 | 366 | 19.3 |
Towns near Spanaway
- Frederickson, WA2.9 mi · 24,906 people · home $477,400
- Parkland, WA3.1 mi · 38,623 people · home $423,000
- Clover Creek, WA3.7 mi · 7,161 people · home $471,900
- McChord AFB, WA4.0 mi · 3,188 people · home —
- Summit View, WA4.3 mi · 9,758 people · home $524,300
- Elk Plain, WA4.7 mi · 14,534 people · home $473,500
- Midland, WA5.2 mi · 9,962 people · home $412,800
- Summit, WA5.7 mi · 8,270 people · home $512,600
Spanaway questions
Is Spanaway, Washington a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Spanaway scores better for retirees than 1% of Washington towns and quieter than 3%. 10.6% of residents are 65 or older (median age 33.7).
How much does a house cost in Spanaway?
The median owner-occupied home in Spanaway is valued at $445,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $98,251, so homes cost about 4.5 times income. Median rent is $1,813 a month.
What is the weather like in Spanaway?
July highs average 75.7°F and January lows 33.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 45.1 inches of precipitation a year and 5.6 inches of snow.
Does Spanaway get tornadoes?
4 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Spanaway since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF1 on September 30, 2013. The typical Washington town has had 1.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)