Population 21,099 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Cheney
Household size in Cheney
| Period | Cheney | Spokane area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.47 | 2.46 | 2.56 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.49 | 2.49 | 2.62 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.36 | 2.46 | 2.62 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.47 | 2.52 | 2.61 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.01 | +0.05 | +0.05 | −0.03 |
Households in Cheney run small, averaging 2.47 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. The picture is much the same across the Spokane area. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the northeast.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Cheney
| Period | Cheney | Spokane area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 30.0 | 38.1 | 38.0 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 30.0 | 39.1 | 38.7 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 30.8 | 39.8 | 39.3 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 32.6 | 40.4 | 39.6 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.7 | +2.2 | +1.6 | +2.3 |
Cheney is young: half of its residents are under 32.6, compared with a national median of 40.1. The population tilts toward young adults, many of them living alone or as couples. The median age has climbed from 30.0 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Of the 219 Washington cities with 5,000+ people, only 14 are younger.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Cheney
| Period | Cheney | Spokane area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.0% | 10.7% | 10.9% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 8.6% | 10.4% | 10.6% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 7.2% | 10.5% | 10.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 9.8% | 10.2% | 10.1% | 11.6% |
| Change | +1.8 pts | −0.4 pts | −0.8 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in ten households in Cheney (9.8%), a little below the national share of 11.6%. The Spokane area as a whole looks much the same. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has risen 1.8 points, even as the national share fell.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Cheney
Renters in Cheney
| Period | Cheney | Spokane area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 41.7% | 33.6% | 35.2% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 48.3% | 35.4% | 37.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 47.7% | 36.4% | 37.0% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 45.0% | 34.3% | 36.2% | 34.8% |
| Change | +3.3 pts | +0.6 pts | +1.0 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is far more common in Cheney than nationally: 45.0% of households rent their homes, against 34.8%. Among homeowners, 31.3% have no mortgage at all, below the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the center; owners are most common in the northeast. The renter share has risen 3.3 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Cheney
| Period | Cheney | Spokane area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.2% | 8.1% | 9.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 8.6% | 9.1% | 9.2% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 10.8% | 8.1% | 8.2% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 6.8% | 7.3% | 7.6% | 9.6% |
| Change | −3.4 pts | −0.8 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Fewer homes sit empty in Cheney than nationally: 6.8%, against 9.6% for the U.S. The picture is much the same across the Spokane area. Vacancy has fallen 3.4 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Cheney
| Period | Cheney | Spokane area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1982 | 1973 | 1977 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1985 | 1974 | 1979 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1987 | 1976 | 1980 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1992 | 1979 | 1984 | 1980 |
| Change | +10 | +6 | +6 | +6 |
Cheney has newer housing than the country as a whole: the median home was built in 1992, versus 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1982 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the northeast, the oldest in the center.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Cheney
| Period | Cheney | Spokane area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $690 | $795 | $1,018 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $818 | $881 | $1,127 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $913 | $1,006 | $1,390 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,279 | $1,413 | $1,875 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$589 | +$617 | +$858 | +$606 |
The median renter in Cheney pays $1,279 a month for rent and utilities, below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $589 a month from 2006–10, an 85% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 33.6% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the center; the highest are in the northeast.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Cheney
Bachelor's degrees in Cheney
| Period | Cheney | Spokane area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.5% | 27.7% | 31.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 39.1% | 28.3% | 32.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 42.3% | 30.1% | 35.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 36.0% | 32.2% | 38.8% | 35.6% |
| Change | −2.5 pts | +4.5 pts | +7.8 pts | +7.2 pts |
More than a third of adults 25 and older in Cheney (36.0%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, close to the national share of 35.6%. The share is higher than in the wider Spokane area (32.2%). Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has fallen 2.5 points, even as the national share rose.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Cheney
| Period | Cheney | Spokane area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 94.2% | 92.0% | 89.5% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 96.2% | 92.6% | 90.0% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 95.3% | 93.4% | 91.0% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 95.3% | 94.5% | 91.9% | 89.3% |
| Change | +1.1 pts | +2.5 pts | +2.4 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion is high in Cheney: 95.3% of adults 25 and older have a diploma or equivalent, well above the national rate of 89.3%. That is in line with the rest of the Spokane area. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has edged up 1.1 points, a smaller shift than nationally.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Cheney
| Period | Cheney | Spokane area | Washington | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.4% | 8.3% | 7.6% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 10.1% | 9.2% | 8.9% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.8% | 5.8% | 5.1% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 11.3% | 5.4% | 5.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | +1.9 pts | −2.9 pts | −2.5 pts | −2.7 pts |
Finding work has been harder in Cheney: 11.3% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well above the national rate of 5.4%. Of the 219 Washington cities with 5,000+ people, only four have higher unemployment. Unemployment has risen 1.9 points since 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Cheney compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cheney | 2.47 | 32.6 | 9.8% | 45.0% | 6.8% | 1992 | $1,279 | 36.0% | 95.3% | 11.3% |
| Four Lakes | 2.58 | 49.1 | 4.7% | 7.4% | 3.2% | 1993 | $1,660 | 31.5% | 91.2% | 2.2% |
| Lakeland Village | 2.64 | 47.3 | 3.3% | 4.5% | 7.2% | 1996 | $1,069 | 32.8% | 91.5% | 4.6% |
| Marshall | 2.61 | 51.4 | 6.9% | 5.9% | 3.8% | 1988 | $1,184 | 32.7% | 96.0% | 2.3% |
| Medical Lake | 2.41 | 43.1 | 6.5% | 26.0% | 8.7% | 1991 | $958 | 32.8% | 95.8% | 3.1% |
| Fairchild AFB | 3.14 | 23.4 | 5.4% | 97.6% | 9.3% | 1965 | $1,801 | 38.3% | 99.9% | 13.0% |
| Spangle | 2.51 | 41.8 | 3.9% | 18.2% | 4.4% | 1976 | $1,282 | 26.6% | 94.0% | 6.8% |
| Tyler | 2.69 | 44.1 | 9.0% | 19.1% | 9.6% | 1988 | $1,313 | 40.7% | 97.3% | 5.6% |
| Airway Heights | 2.64 | 33.9 | 21.7% | 60.2% | 6.8% | 2008 | $1,339 | 18.4% | 90.1% | 11.8% |
| Espanola | 3.02 | 41.4 | 10.2% | 13.3% | 1.6% | 1985 | $1,502 | 49.7% | 99.4% | 8.8% |
| Fairchild Air Force Base | 2.87 | 41.6 | 7.7% | 20.0% | 5.5% | 1991 | $1,070 | 29.9% | 95.8% | 7.0% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Deming, NM · San Jose, PR · La Canada Flintridge, CA · East Peoria, IL · East Liverpool, OH · East Hemet, CA · East Greenwich, RI · Dripping Springs, TX · Dover, FL · Dixon, CA
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Cheney. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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