Spokane County, Washington

Infobox U.S. County
county = Spokane County
state = Washington




map size = 225
founded = January 29, 1858 and
October 30, 1879
seat = Spokane | area_total_sq_mi =1781
area_land_sq_mi =1764
area_water_sq_mi =17
area percentage = 0.96%
census yr = 2006
pop = 446706 [http://www.census.gov/popest/counties/tables/CO-EST2006-01-53.xls]
density_km2 =92
web = www.spokanecounty.org
|

Spokane County is a county located in the state of Washington. It is named after the Spokane Indian tribe. As of the 2007 Washington Census estimation, the population was 451,200, making it the fourth most populous county in Washington state. The county seat is at Spokane, the county's largest city, and the second largest city in Washington state to 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.cite web |title=Milestones for Washington State History — Part 2: 1851 to 1900|url=http://www.historylink.org/essays/output.cfm?file_id=5380| date=March 6, 2003|publisher=HistoryLink.org] cite web | title=Spokane County, Washington: Historical Dates and Maps |url=http://www.spokanecounty.org/asp/vis_history.asp#dates| accessdate=2008-01-01]

Law and Government

Spokane County is governed by a partisan 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.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,781 square miles (4,612 km²), of which, 1,764 square miles (4,568 km²) of it is land and 17 square miles (44 km²) of it (0.96%) is water. It is part of the Palouse, a wide and rolling prairie-like region of the middle Columbia basin. The lowest point in the county is the Spokane River behind Long Lake Dam (boundary of Stevens County) at 469 meters (1,538 feet) 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 Mount Spokane at 1,793 meters (5,883 feet).

Geographic features

Rivers
*Spokane River
*Little Spokane RiverLakes and reseviors
*Medical Lake
*Clear Lake
*West Medical Lake
*Liberty Lake, Washington
*Newman Lake
*Silver LakeSummits and peaks
*Mount Spokane

Notable parks
*Dishman Hills Natural Conservation Area
*Riverside State Park

Major highways

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Adjacent counties

*Pend Oreille County, Washington - north
*Bonner County, Idaho - northeast
*Kootenai County, Idaho - east
*Benewah County, Idaho - southeast
*Whitman County, Washington - south
*Lincoln County, Washington - west
*Stevens County, Washington - northwest

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 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.

Census-recognized communities

*Airway Heights
*Cheney
*Country Homes
*Deer Park
*Dishman
*Fairchild AFB
*Fairfield
*Fairwood
*Green Acres
*Latah
*Liberty Lake
*Medical Lake
*Millwood
*Opportunity
*Otis Orchards-East Farms
*Rockford
*Spangle
*Spokane
*Spokane Valley
*Town and Country
*Trentwood
*Veradale
*Waverly

Other communities

*Amber
*Chattaroy
*Colbert
*Elk
*Espanola
*Four Lakes
*Green Bluff
*Marshall
*Mead
*Mica
*Milan
*Newman Lake
*Nine Mile Falls
*Plaza
*Tyler
*Valleyford

References