($1,570) Movers From Des Moines, IA to Spokane, WA

What to know before moving from Des Moines to Spokane

Moving from Des Moines to Spokane comes with exciting new opportunities — but also higher living costs. Since Spokane is generally more expensive than Des Moines, it’s important to plan ahead and budget carefully for the change.

Check out how the two cities compare so you know what to expect before you relocate:

• Rent prices in Spokane are 26% higher than in Des Moines, which means you’ll have less money in your pocket each month.
• In terms of homeownership, you’ll be able to get more for your money in Des Moines.
  Home prices in Spokane are 95.3% higher than in Des Moines.
• Income in Spokane is 3.9% higher than in Des Moines, so you could earn more for doing the same job. The top employers in Spokane include Key Tronic, URM Stores, and Empire Health Centers Group.
• Be sure to budget for higher bills in Spokane, since the cost of living for a single person in Spokane is 35.2% higher than in Des Moines. This includes routine expenses like utilities, groceries, clothing, and transportation.
• If you’re moving your family to Spokane, keep in mind that your living expenses could increase. The cost of living for a family in Spokane is 43.2% higher than in Des Moines.
• The unemployment rate in Spokane is 11.86% higher than in Des Moines.
• You’ll spend more on retail and restaurants in Spokane, since the city’s sales taxes in Spokane are 28.57% higher than in Des Moines.
• One perk of moving to Spokane is paying less in state income taxes, which are 100.00% lower than in Des Moines.

To put this in perspective, you would need around $4,055.00 in Spokane to maintain the same standard of life that you can have with $3,000.00 in Des Moines.

How life is different in Des Moines vs. Spokane

• Spokane might offer you a slower pace of life, since the population is about 15% less than Des Moines.
• Spokane offers better access to buses and trains than Des Moines, based on public transportation ratings. Spokane has a transit score of 6 out of 10 compared to 5 in Des Moines. The higher the score, the more public transportation pickup and dropoff locations a city provides.
• Living in Spokane means you’ll likely be within closer walking distance to restaurants, shops, parks, and entertainment than you are in Des Moines. Spokane is considered more walkable than Des Moines, with a score of 49 out of 100 versus 45 out of 100 in Des Moines. A city’s walkability score indicates how pedestrian-friendly it is in terms of proximity of neighborhoods to amenities.
• If cycling is your thing, Spokane is considered more bike-friendly than Des Moines in terms of designated lanes and connectivity and how many residents opt to commute on two wheels rather than by car. Spokane has a bike-friendliness score of 52 out of 100, while Des Moines is rated as 39 out of 100.
• You can anticipate the same crime rate in Spokane as Des Moines. With the crime index, lower scores are better because they indicate less crime. Cities with scores of 20 or below, for example, have much fewer instances of crime than those with scores of 80–100.
• You may want to exercise more caution as you’re getting used to your new surroundings in Spokane. With a crime index of 44.94, Spokane ranks lower in overall safety than Des Moines, whose index is Des Moines's 57.8. The safety index measures how safe people in a city feel about walking alone, both during the day and at night, as well as data on muggings, theft, vandalism, and other instances of petty crime.
• The air quality in Spokane and Des Moines is generally the same (Good). Cities with good to moderate ratings have clean or acceptable air quality, with the possibility of small pollutants affecting people with certain health conditions like asthma. Anything beyond the moderate rate means increased impact on residents.

Other things to consider for your Des Moines vs. Spokane move

• Weather: it is advisable to plan your trips to Spokane, WA between the months of August, July and September as these months have more favorable weather.
• HOA rules: Check ahead with any neighborhood or community rules on moving to ensure a smooth move.
• Elevator reservation: If your building has an elevator you'll want to check on how to reserve it for move day.
• Truck parking permits: Some cities require parking permits for large vehicles and moving trucks. Find out if you need any parking permits ahead of time.
• State licensing: Movers operating within Washington DC city limits are subject to regulation by the Utilities and Transportation Commission, which issues operating permits to household goods moving companies. Make sure the moving company you use has a license before hiring.
• State regulator: You can verify a Washington moving license and its status through the state's public utilities commission.
• Moving permits: Washington does not require any moving permits, but it is helpful to check local parking restrictions before moving into the state.
• Change of address: We recommend submitting your change of address form with USPS at least a week prior to your move. You can set an official move date on the form and this way all of your mail will get properly forwarded to Spokane. Get started here.
• Moving company insurance: Every state requires moving companies to carry different levels of insurance.When planning a move in Washington state, explore movers' insurance options for added peace of mind. Many moving companies offer Released Value Protection at no extra cost, covering items at 60 cents per pound. Enhance your protection by discussing Full Value Protection with the moving company or exploring personalized plans with third-party insurance providers. Understand coverage limits, potential extra costs, and read reviews to make an informed decision on your Washington state moving insurance.
• Moving checklist: Our moving checklist will help you have the peace of mind that you've got everything covered.

Where to live in Spokane

Now that you've decided to make the move to "Hooptown USA", these are the best neighborhoods to move to in Spokane.

Helpful moving resources