Locals only rated quality of life in Spokane area as 3.3 out of 10. Here’s what else they said in new poll

Public safety and homelessness remain the top issues facing the Spokane region, and residents show an overwhelming dissatisfaction with the local response to their concerns, according to the latest survey from Greater Spokane Incorporated.

“The Pulse” poll shows in the latest results released Thursday:

• About 62% of the poll’s 600 respondents feel safe downtown. But 75% say they do not feel safe visiting the core of the city at night.
• About 70% of survey takers said they lacked confidence in their local government to effectively address their concerns, still better than 80% in the last survey in April.
• And respondents rated their quality of life in the greater Spokane area only a 3.3 on a scale of 10. That’s lower than the 3.7 ranking a year ago.
• The survey, however, also showed a willingness to pay more for infrastructure, including streets, parks, schools and public transit.

The region’s chamber of commerce and economic development advocacy group released the results of the survey conducted by California-based firm EMC Research. It was the third of what is intended to be a recurring nonpartisan resource for public and private leaders to gauge the region. Prior results were released in October 2024 and last April.

“Constituents and voters have been clear through the Pulse surveys from last year to now, over the three editions, that their priorities are not changing,” said Mary Miller, director of public policy for Greater Spokane Inc. “… And I think that until we can make some progress and collaborate on those issues, then we’ll continue to see the trends go the same way.”

The survey shows 92% of respondents say they would pay more to fix the infrastructure like potholes, parks and public safety.

And 72% support spending more money on community infrastructure including schools, parks and transit.

Miller said the coalition hopes the poll will provide local officials with clear data on their constituents’ views, thoughts and fear as a basis for policy change.

The latest results should help view trends over the past year, but as successive surveys come out, broader, longer-term trends should become more clear, she said.

Miller said she was most struck by the consistency in the October survey, across both the various municipalities and the prior survey results. With some wiggle room depending on where they lived, age or political leaning, respondents stressed the importance of addressing homelessness, increasing public safety and good governance.

Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown said she did not have the opportunity to review the details of the survey when reached for comment shortly after its release. It’s not the city’s typical source for feedback, she said, noting that the survey is conducted countywide and that the outreach City Hall already does includes working with the 29 neighborhood councils.

While criticisms around the response to homelessness, drug use and mental health have tended to fall squarely on the city, other regional entities like Spokane County also share responsibility, she said.

“The city of Spokane is just one piece of this region, and one piece of the resources to solve the problems in the region,” Brown said.

Brown said she was encouraged to see more support for the region’s elected leaders and their ability to address constituent concerns, which she credits to the many different efforts already underway.

The worries about public safety and the downtown core have plagued the city since before Brown took office. It was part of the motivating factor behind running the tax proposal last fall that provided funding for the return of neighborhood resource officers, firefighting equipment and other community safety investments, she said.

Brown also pointed to the city’s investments in co-responder teams that partner mental health and social service experts with first responders and broader treatment services using funding from settlements with opioid distributors.

Investments in better treatment services for mental health and addiction, as well as law enforcement, continue to receive strong support among Inland Northwest residents, Miller said.

Brown said she supports and is actively engaged with the Safe and Healthy Spokane task force, a regional collaboration between municipalities, elected officials and local business leaders to bring forward a 2026 public safety tax measure to improve regional homeless, addiction, mental health and detention facilities.

“The focus on a broader definition of community safety, I think, really resonates with people,” Brown said.

The data does not tease out what some of the respondents were mulling as they responded. Miller said it can be hard to tie the change to specific policies because of the federal, state and local overlap.

For example, more than 75% of those surveyed cited concerns about their personal finances, given the economic climate. That could be tied to a number of factors, including the policies laid out by the nation’s highest branches of government, like the Trump administration’s tariffs.

“It’s hard to gauge that, because there are so many things playing into folks’ perception,” Miller said.

The complete survey results, including the prior two surveys, can be found on Greater Spokane Inc.’s website. While the numbers can be helpful to peruse, Miller said they should be used to drive policy discussions and changes.

Downtown remains an attractive destination to live, work and recreate, Brown said. Since the pandemic, there have been more businesses opening in downtown than those closing each year except 2024. And this year is on track to also to see business growth downtown, according to the Downtown Spokane Partnership. 

As the city’s efforts continue, she encouraged Spokane residents to report any criminal behavior or concerning situations to the region’s first responders. Spokane police receive more than 700 calls for service a day, encompassing a geographic area of 69 square miles, she said.

“So our police force is very active,” Brown said. “And they generally are activated by calls that people make.”

Brown said she looks forward to seeing downtown Spokane rebound.

“I believe that we’re moving in the right direction,” she said, “and people are going to be very happy with some announcements over the next year about things that are going to be happening downtown, both events and new projects.”

Editor’s note: This story was changed on Oct. 24, 2025. An earlier version of this article inaccurately characterized downtown business trends. New businesses have outpaced closures every year since the pandemic except 2024.