Job growth, affordable housing lures people to Spokane area

Is Spokane starting to feel a bit crowded to you?

About 740,000 people live in the greater Spokane-Coeur d’Alene metro area, and that figure could swell by nearly 15,000 next year if the projected growth pans out.

Moves, not births, are fueling most of the population gains. The surge of new residents means more traffic, more construction and more conversion of open space into urban areas. For longtime local residents, the change can feel jarring, said Grant Forsyth, Avista Corp.’s chief economist.

"For those of us who are 50-plus, the region looks completely different, and it feels different because so many people are moving here," Forsyth said.

Job growth, affordable housing lures people to Spokane area