NAICS 51

Information in Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA

Metro Market Score 58.7 (Challenging), ranked #230 of 294 metros. 429 establishments, 2,840 jobs.

Metro Market Score 58.7

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Challenging

ⓘ Lower is better. Relative to national information average.

Spokane-Spokane Valley scores 58.7 on the Metro Market Score for information, placing it in the bottom quartile. High wage costs, strong existing competition, or slowing growth contribute to tougher entry conditions compared to most metros.

Industry Concentration

67.7

LQ: 0.59

Rank #199 of 294 metros

Wage Competitiveness

71.1

$92,583 avg wage

Growth Trend

↓ 34.4

Employment growth index

Rank #194 of 294 metros

Wage Pressure

21.6

YoY wage change index

429 Information Firms in Spokane-Spokane Valley

429

Establishments

+0.9% YoY

2,840

Total Employment

-4.6% YoY

$92,583

Average Annual Wage

+4.7% YoY

0.59

Location Quotient

Below national avg

Within Washington

#8 of 10

information metros in state

Washington state rank

#49 of 51

for information entry risk

vs State Median

+6.6

worse than median (52.2)

Spokane-Spokane Valley vs Washington Statewide

How this metro's information market compares to Washington overall. The state ranks #49/51 for entry risk.

Measure	Spokane-Spokane Valley	WA Statewide
Overall Score	58.7 Challenging	55.7 High
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#230 of 294 metros	#49 of 51 states

Metro and state scores use different methodologies (metro has 4 QCEW-based metrics; state adds BDS survival and momentum data). Direct score comparisons are approximate.

Other Industries in Spokane-Spokane Valley

Administrative and Support Services 53.5 Other Services 53.5 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 56.4 Construction 60.9 Accommodation and Food Services 68.4 Healthcare and Social Assistance 68.7 Retail Trade 69.7 Finance and Insurance 74.8

Information in Other Washington Metros

Yakima 30.0 #61/294 Kennewick-Richland 31.1 #65/294 Walla Walla 42.9 #136/294 Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard 45.2 #154/294 Mount Vernon-Anacortes 47.3 #173/294 Longview-Kelso 52.2 #202/294 Bellingham 55.4 #217/294 Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater 64.9 #259/294 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue 75.6 #289/294

Information Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Spokane-Spokane Valley's 58.7 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA 58.7 #231/294 Madison, WI 58.8 #232/294 Champaign-Urbana, IL 58.6 #229/294 Dubuque, IA 58.5 #228/294 Springfield, MA 58.5 #227/294 Eugene-Springfield, OR 59.5 #233/294 St. Cloud, MN 57.9 #226/294 Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA 59.6 #234/294 Syracuse, NY 57.8 #225/294 Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA 59.7 #235/294

Information in States Bordering Washington

State-level entry risk for information in adjacent states. Use this to weigh cross-border options.

Idaho 43.8 #24/51 Oregon 52.0 #45/51

Browse Information in Other States

State-level entry risk reports for information across all 51 markets, sorted by rank.

About Metro Market Score: A weighted composite of industry concentration (25%), wage competitiveness (25%), wage pressure (20%), and employment growth trend (30%). Lower scores indicate more favorable conditions. For Spokane-Spokane Valley's information sector, the employment growth component (65.7) has the strongest pull on the composite. Metro scores use QCEW data only (no BDS survival data at metro level). Read full methodology →

Data Sources

Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), Bureau of Labor Statistics. MSA-level establishment counts, employment, wages, and location quotients for the Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment