Farmington Hills vs Spokane
The short version
- Overall prices are about the same in both metro areas (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $354,500 in Farmington Hills and $363,500 in Spokane.
- Households earn more in Farmington Hills ($104,836 vs $70,064 median).
- Spokane has the warmer winter: January highs of 35°F vs 30°F.
- Spokane gets far more snow: 45 inches a year vs 36.
- Commutes are shorter in Spokane (21 vs 25 minutes each way).
- Washington has no state income tax on wages; Michigan's top rate is 4.25%.
Side by side
| Farmington Hills, MI | Spokane, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 83,291 | 230,783 |
| Growth since 2020 | -0.9% | +0.8% |
| People per square mile | 2,504 | 3,356 |
| Median age | 42.6 | 37.2 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 58% | 34% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $104,836 | $70,064 |
| Median home value | $354,500 | $363,500 |
| Home value to income | 3.4× | 5.2× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,551 | $1,215 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 100.3 | 100.3 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 94.7 | 97.1 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $75,200 | $75,300 |
| Homeowners | 65% | 59% |
| Top state income tax | 4.25% | None |
| Combined sales tax | 6% | 9.57% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 24.7 | 20.6 |
| Work from home | 23% | 15% |
| Take public transit | 0% | 3% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 5.2% | 5.7% |
| Poverty rate | 7.6% | 13.8% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 30° / 16° | 35° / 25° |
| July high / low | 83° / 60° | 84° / 58° |
| Precipitation per year | 33 in | 16 in |
| Snowfall per year | 36 in | 45 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 11 | 21 |
| Nights below freezing | 146 | 132 |
| Comfortable months | 5 | 5 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively High | Relatively Moderate |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 97.5 | 90.0 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 36% | 56% |
| Home prices, past year | +4.4% | +0% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +39.6% | +29.1% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: Farmington Hills: May to September. Spokane: May to September.
Full monthly tables: Farmington Hills weather by month and Spokane weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $75,200 in Farmington Hills and $75,300 in Spokane. Moving from Farmington Hills to Spokane, you would need about $75,000 to match a $75,000 salary.
Which would you pick?
One vote per person. Results show after you vote.