What Are The 8 Safest Neighborhoods in Spokane, Washington?

Spokane, Washington is known for many things, like its proximity to nature, to the Canadian border (less than 100 miles!), and for being both the economic and cultural hub of the metro area. Over 200,000 residents call the city of Spokane home, and the metro area surrounding the town has another 350,000 residents.

If you’re looking for a safe, secure neighborhood to call home in Spokane, you don’t have to look far. Some of the top-rated areas in this bustling Pacific Northwestern city include North Indian Trail, Balboa South Indian Trail, and Manito Cannon Hill. These neighborhoods have the lowest incidence of crime and tend to be rated highly by residents for safety and amenities.

This means that Spokane is just 2% safer than any other US city. Residents have a 1 in 146 chance of being a victim of a violent crime and 1 in 17 cases of being a victim of a property crime, with theft being a huge problem. There were over 10,000 thefts reported in Spokane last year alone.

Not all of the city is bad, however! We’re going to take a look at the top 8 safest neighborhoods in the city, based on FBI crime data. This looks at both property and violent crime and considers the number of people living in the area and the crimes committed.

Our top 8 include:

The North Indian Trail neighborhood is located Northwest of the downtown area and is surrounded by nature. There is no shortage of natural beauty, nestled between Nine Mile Falls, Little Spokane River Natural Area, and Riverside State Park. Indeed, if you want to be outdoors a lot and take advantage of the beautiful scenery, this is the neighborhood for you.

As far as living in the area goes, there is a good mix of apartment complexes and single-family homes. Much of the site is being slotted for development, so brand-new homes are being built and sold at this very moment.

If you’re looking for a residential area with security, easy access to nature, and new builds, this could be perfect for you.

There is a good amount of shopping within the neighborhood itself, and residents won’t have to travel far for groceries, gas, and other essentials.

Located just south of our first neighborhood is Balboa South Indian Trail, another residential community with many personalities and charm. There are many shopping options for residents in this neighborhood, which is a benefit for many over choosing North Indian Run.

Just like in North Indian Run, many of the homes and residential areas are relatively new builds, having been built in the last 10-15 years.

This includes several condos and townhome options for residents who aren’t interested, or can’t afford, a single-family home in the city itself.

The commute time is shorter to downtown here, but you have to travel farther to get such vast open green spaces. Many young families and single professionals live in this neighborhood.

This thriving neighborhood has a lot to like, including a meager unemployment rate and a very healthy median household income.

Located just south of the downtown area, the Manito-Cannon neighborhood has a healthy mix of apartment buildings and single-family homes. The majority of residents own their own home, be it a townhouse, apartment, or whole lot home.

There are many restaurants, cafes, and bars to choose from and several green spaces to break up the feeling of city living, including Duncan Garden, Cannon Hill Park, Manito Park, and the Lilac Garden.

There are plenty of restaurants and shops within easy walking distance for residents, and if you’re commuting from downtown, it is a very short drive.

Yet another neighborhood north of the downtown area is Five Mile Prairie, similar to Balboa South Indian Trail.

This residential area feels less ‘built up’ than some of our previous neighborhoods. Residents have more of a sparse suburban feel than a busier downtown area or a planned new-construction community.

You will notice that this neighborhood has the highest median household income by far and is quite a bit higher than the national average. Unemployment is also deficient.

Many homes are on larger lots, though there is a new planned community to the neighborhood’s west. Sky Prairie Park and the Austin Ravine Conservation Area are both within the neighborhood limits, offering residents a chance to get outside and enjoy the weather of Spokane year-round.

Wow, look at that population jump! This is the largest population we’ve seen in a safe Spokane neighborhood so far, and it still ranks as one of the safer neighborhoods you could choose.

The city has spent a lot of time and effort keeping these areas safe, and it clearly shows. It’s not easy to patrol and maintain safety for that many people in such a small area.

The Northwest neighborhood is, as it sounds, Northwest of the downtown area and tucked against the Riverside State Park. This allows residents to feel like they’re living in the city while still having easy and fast access to lots of nature and green spaces. The Downriver Golf Course is also in the neighborhood if you want to get some golfing in – or take advantage of the Disk Golf Course just outside of that.

There are many shopping options, restaurants, and cafes in the Northwest neighborhood, and just outside the community is one of the more giant shopping malls, NorthTown Mall. Many of the homes in Northwest are older than the previous neighborhoods we have looked at, with relatively small lots.

The neighborhood of Moran Prairie is located southeast of the downtown area, just south of the Manito Cannon Hills area. This neighborhood has a good balance of famous, busy streets, like 57th Avenue, and smaller, residential areas with single-family houses and sidewalk-lined streets or cul-de-sacs for children to play in.

There is plenty of shopping and dining options, including numerous locally-owned cafes and restaurants and even a handful of grocery stores. Residents rarely need to leave their neighborhood to find something to do or run their errands.

Like the Northwest neighborhood, houses tend to be on the older side and a little smaller, with smaller lots. However, there are both newer builds and apartments in this area, so it depends on what is suitable for you and your family.

This oddly-shaped neighborhood is just east of the Manito Cannon Hills neighborhood and north of Moran Prairie. Lincoln Park’s centerpiece is a small but mighty green space with a playground, picnic area, softball field, and more.

This neighborhood has a distinct downtown vibe, with lots of apartment or condo living, restaurants, bars, and coffee shops, plus plenty of shopping.

Single-family homes in the area tend to be older, on smaller lots. If you like the feel of knowing your neighbors, this could be a great neighborhood for you and your family – there is plenty of community!

There are also several art galleries in the northern part of the neighborhood, so there are plenty of cultures that appeal to you or your family.

East of the Northwest neighborhood in North Hill, a busy and thriving community not far from downtown. North Hill might have the lowest median household income of any setting on our list, but residents take pride in their area, keeping crime down and the region as safe as they can.

This busy district has lots of apartments and townhomes, with some older single-family homes to choose from.

There are several parks within the neighborhood itself. Along North Division Street, there is truly no shortage of shopping and dining, including locally made donuts, authentic tacos, and greasy spoon breakfast joints.

Like most of the neighborhoods in Spokane, there are tree-lined sidewalks on all of the residential side streets, and with so much going on, residents really can walk to their favorite café, bookstore, or bar to drop in and spend an afternoon. It’s a close-knit community with a lot to offer.