TierPoint Spokane

Spokane's economy combines healthcare (the Inland Northwest's medical hub anchored by Providence and MultiCare), Fairchild Air Force Base, education (Gonzaga, Eastern Washington, WSU Spokane), and an emerging tech and clean-energy presence. Data centers serve those enterprise tenants — one tracked facility and roughly 210 NAICS 518 jobs (estimated). The metro is a small data center market.

The electrician wage stands out: $79,830 median across 1,290 workers, well above national and anchored by IBEW Local 73's strong Pacific Northwest presence. HVAC technicians earn $62,840, a wider gap but still healthy. The 2,430 maintenance workforce earns $52,280. IT managers clear $172,900, which is high for a metro this size.

For a trades worker, Spokane offers some of the strongest electrician wages in any small metro on this list. Best fit for IBEW electricians and for HVAC technicians serving the healthcare and university construction pipeline. Cost of living is among the lowest in the West.