Welcome to the first edition of the blog for Northeast Washington Trends! The blog captures the most recent updates to the indicators on the Northeast Washington Trends website, and will be sent out on a quarterly basis. Northeast Washington Trends would like to thank the Tri-county Economic Development District, Providence Medical, and other contributors for their support of the project.
Recent Updates
In ECONOMIC VITALITY:
Median household income (MHI) is one of the key measures of economic progress of an economy. Given the distribution of income in the U.S., the median offers a better view of the “middle” value, or of the “typical” household, than average income. Household also brings the advantage of covering more than one income producer/wage earner under one roof.
For the 5-year period between 2019 and 2023, estimated 3-county median household income was slightly more than $65,000. Differences exist between the counties, and their graphs can be found via the radio buttons in the upper right corner of the graphs. This estimate is far below the U.S. MHI ($78,500) and the state (nearly $95,000) for the same period.
Quarterly Taxable Retail Sales
Taxable retail sales on a quarterly basis give one of the few “real time” or more frequently updated, looks at a local economy. They are obviously important for local governments as well.
For the first half of 2024, total taxable retail sales were about $535,000 for the three counties combined. This amount was slightly below the same period in 2023. The experience here was not different from statewide, which showed a positive but very small increase.
To simplify the graph, simply click on the component in the legend you would like to remove.
Value of Taxable Total Property & Annual Growth Rate
The total value of taxable properties in the three counties has been on a tear since the pandemic. For 2023, it reached $9.5 billion. In 2019, it was $6.4 billion. For the past four years, the average growth rate in two of the counties has been slightly over 10%; for Ferry County, just a bit less.
Overall since 2019, Tri-County growth has matched the state rate.
In EDUCATION:
11th & 12th Grade Dropouts as a Share of Their 4-Year Cohort
Finishing high school is fundamental to the long-term economic success of an individual. It signifies that the student has attained core competencies in math and verbal skills, as well as signaling that he or she has the drive to stick to a goal.
Unfortunately, the average dropout rates for public school students in the three counties are elevated. In school year 2023-2024, the rate for 11th graders stood at 4% while the rate for 12th graders was 7%.
Some consolation might be found that these rates represent improvement. In school year 2018-2019, the average combined rate for both grades was nearly 17%. And it is true that students dropping out of high school can still receive a GED or even recover their degree in community college. As the graph shows, however, the 3-county rates for these two grades are considerably higher than the Washington state average.
To simplify the graph, simply click on the component in the legend you would like to remove.
Share of Population Ages 25+ with At Least Some College or an associate’s degree
To enhance lifetime earnings, students cannot stop with a high school diploma. Some post-secondary training or education is vital. This matters for the community, since the key asset now for most local economies is the quality of its workforce.
By this measure, the three counties shine. For the interval 2019-2023, Census estimates that nearly 12% of residents had an associate’s degree while 27% claimed some post-secondary education or training but no degree. These rates are far higher than the U.S. and state averages. And the Tri County has held this ranking for at least the past 15 years.
To simplify the graph, simply click on the component in the legend you would like to remove.
In EDUCATION CONT.:
Share of Population Ages 25+ with At Least a bachelor’s degree
Those with a four-year (or higher) degree typically represent the knowledge worker in a local economy. They can hold many occupations: teachers, accountants, engineers, nurses, dentists, physicians, lawyers and many others. And they typically realize salaries higher than the local average.
This level of educational attainment is, however, relatively scarce in the three counties. For the period 2019- 2023, Census estimates that 13% held a bachelor’s degree while those with graduate or professional degrees represented 8% of all adults. These shares are far below those of the U.S. and especially the state average. However, they represent growth from the 5-year period of 2014-2018.
To simplify the graph, simply click on the component in the legend you would like to remove.
In HEALTH:
Share of Adults Reporting Poor Mental Health (14+ Days Over the Last Month)
Good mental health is now recognized as one of the essential elements of a fulfilling, happy life. Yet too many Americans cannot claim this.
This indicator, from the Centers for Disease Control, is self-reported and asks whether half of the days of the prior month have brought poor mental health. In 2022, the most recent year for which data are available, about 18% of adults in the three counties answered yes. This share is up substantially from a decade ago (2013), when the share was 8%. The current Northeast Washington rate is slightly above the state rate.
Without good access to providers, residents cannot expect good health. Yet, without healthcare insurance, access becomes very challenged.
This measure tracks the estimated total number of residents without health insurance – private or public. For the five years of 2019 through 2023, Census estimated the number to be nearly 4,500 for the three counties. This has been the approximate level for nearly a decade, As a rate, the uninsured population in the three counties is about equal to the state share.
In HOUSING:
Housing Affordability Index for First-Time Homebuyers
The desirability of home ownership needs little motivation. The ability of residents to become homeowners can be tracked via a housing affordability index (HAI). The index is essentially a ratio of household income divided by mortgage costs.
This measure of housing affordability looks at buyers whose household income is 70% of the local median while their mortgage (housing) costs are 85% of the local median. A value of 100 implies that this buyer type can just afford a home, assuming no more than 25% of household income is spent on annual mortgage costs. A value less than 100 implies an absence of affordability.
For the most recent available quarter, Q3 of 2024, the HAI for these buyers was about 62. Since early 2022, the index has been around 60. The only extended period with values greater than 100 took place a decade ago.
Total and Share of Renting Households Paying 50% or More of Household Income for Shelter Costs
A household paying 30% or more of its income on shelter costs is deemed “cost-burdened.” One paying 50% or more of its income on shelter costs falls into the “extremely cost-burdened” category. With that much income going to housing, the household typically doesn’t have enough funds for food, transportation and clothing.
Thankfully, the number of Tri-County residents in this category has fallen over the past decade. For the current 5-year period, the total was estimated at 776, or about 13% of all renting households. In the 2014-2018 period, the number was 1,237, or nearly 21% of all renting households. For the past 18 years, extremely cost-burdened renters have been proportionally fewer in the three counties than in the U.S. or the state.
list updated 02.10.25
New Intern Features
Alanna Mesecher
Hometown: Valley, WA
Major: Accounting
Expected Graduation Date: Spring 2025
Post-graduation plans: Start looking for a career with a CPA firm, or a non-profit organization.
After a few months of working on the Trends project, my favorite thing so far:
I enjoy collecting data and learning new information. Collecting and providing data that helps community leaders make important decisions is very rewarding, and I’m thankful to be a part of it.
Jimena Ramos
Hometown: Royal City, Washington
Major: Data Analytics
Expected Graduation Date: Spring 2025
Post-graduation plans: Find a job in Spokane or Tri-Cities
After a few months of working on the Trends project, my favorite thing so far:
My favorite thing is the opportunity to see the impact of our work and how it influences strategic decisions. It’s been interesting diving deep into data analysis and learning new skills. I’ve enjoyed collaborating with Dr. Jones, Dr. Cullen, and the other interns as they’re a great team!