Population estimate shows city leading Tacoma by slim margin

OLYMPIA – Spokane remains the Avis of Washington cities.

Population figures released from the state Office of Financial Management keep Spokane in second place, with an estimated count of 205,673 people. It’s sandwiched between Seattle, which has nearly three times the population at 602,000, and Tacoma, nipping at Spokane’s heels as usual with 203,400.

All these numbers are estimates, and changed from 2009 figures mainly by annexation. Spokane had a small annexation early this year and added 173 people.

Spokane Valley dropped from seventh to eighth, at a population of 89,440, but not because of anything the county’s second-largest city did. The city of Kent annexed territory with almost 25,500 residents, catapulting it from ninth to sixth.

Other municipalities in Spokane County had no estimated growth on the state list. Cheney is the county’s third-largest city – and the state’s 73rd largest – with 10,550 people. Waverly is the county’s smallest – and fourth from the bottom statewide – with 119. But that’s nearly twice the size of Grant County’s Krupp, whose 60 people put it at No. 281.

The list, which is used to allocate tax money, focuses on municipalities – incorporated cities and towns – so it accounts for about 4.2 million of the state’s nearly 6.7 million people.

These are just estimates. Better numbers from the U.S. Census Bureau, which just finished its count this summer, are not due out until early next year.