Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Cheney's standout: natural-hazard risk is low. Overall it grades C+, 149th among Washington's 285 graded towns. It is easier to get around on foot or by transit than 96% of U.S. towns and 5% of its land is conserved. Its weakest subject is cost of living: the typical home is worth about $416K, 5.4 years of the Spokane metro’s $77K median household income. 31% of residents live below the poverty line in Cheney, where Washington’s towns sit at 7.9% and U.S. towns at 9.6%. Cheney is home to Eastern Washington University. Cheney's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) is stronger than in 91% of U.S. towns.
Where Cheney beats most towns.
10,590 counted in 2010 and 13,255 in 2020; an estimated 12,650 in 2025.
Since 2020 the trend has turned: down 4.7%, after 25.2% growth in the decade before.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Washington), ordered by how far Cheney is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 647 in 1890, 13,255 in 2020. The archive holds 18 old photos and papers going back to 1884 and 2 maps from 1954 on.
6 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Cheney, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 30, 2026.
Ordered by what stands out in Cheney.
Cheney carries less natural-hazard risk than nearly all of Washington (mostly inland flooding), is shaped by its college students and fares better on crime within Washington than nationally.
33.7% of residents are enrolled in college, against 5.7% statewide, which pulls the median age down. The median household earns $54,503, against $98,141 across Washington, one input to its C for jobs and income.
Adults 18 to 34 are 55% of residents (24% statewide); adults 35 to 64 are 19% of residents (38% statewide). Cheney’s median age is 24.4 years. Cheney has lost 4.7% of its people since 2020, down to 12,650 in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate.
| Cheney | Washington towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 24.4 years | 38.6 years | 40.5 years |
| Under 18 | 14% | 22% | 22% |
| Aged 65 or older | 12% | 16% | 18% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 38% | 30% | 29% |
53% women, 47% men
About 87 men for every 100 women (the survey’s margin: ±3 points). Across Washington, 49.6% of residents are women. Median age: women 23.5, men 25.6.
| Cheney | WA | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 8.7% | 11.5% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 5.5% | 9.9% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 38.5% | 8.5% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 16.1% | 15.2% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 8.4% | 14.3% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 5.6% | 12% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 5.4% | 12% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 6.3% | 10.1% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 5.4% | 6.5% | 7% |
| No diploma | 4% | 7.7% | 10.4% |
| High school | 18.5% | 21.6% | 26% |
| Some college | 27.2% | 21% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 12.3% | 10% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 23.2% | 24% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 14.9% | 15.6% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
Its public schools are run by the Cheney School District. Two of its 6 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Cheney High School, with 1,491 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cheney Middle SchoolLargest public middle schoolGrades 6–8 | Grades 6–8 | 637 | – |
| Cheney High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 1,491 | – |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within WA on state tests and graduation
FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk lower than 99% of Washington towns, with expected losses of about $59 per resident a year; that rating is what its A+ for hazard risk is built on.
The FEMA risk score in Cheney is 1 of 100.
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
3.5 miles of trail in 13 parks and preserves. The biggest park or preserve is Columbia Plateau Trail State Park, at 49 acres.
| Cheney | Washington towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.8 miles per square mile | 0.8 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 4.9% | 4% | 4.3% |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Columbia Plateau Trail State Park | 0.5 mi | 49 |
| 2. Crunks Sports Complex | 0.3 mi | 18 |
| 3. Betz Park | 0.2 mi | 15 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
At 30.7 crimes per 1,000 residents a year, it reports more crime than 57% of Washington’s graded towns.
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
35% of households own their home in Cheney. The typical Cheney home is worth about $416,000, down 0.5% in a year, 29% below the Washington typical home.
| Cheney | Washington towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 35% | 71% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,156 a month | $1,740 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Against the 7,270 U.S. towns with household incomes like Cheney’s, it is healthier than 96%, so its B+ isn’t only a matter of income. Within Washington it is less healthy than 58% of the 285 graded towns: Washington sets a high bar.
21% of Cheney adults have high blood pressure. Cheney beats the Washington average on 7 of 31 CDC measures and trails it on 14. 6.7% of Cheney adults have diabetes.
| Cheney | Washington towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 24% | 17% | 17% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 31% | 35% |
| Yearly checkup (CDC PLACES) | 67% | 71% | 79% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 20% | 17% | 16% |
| What stands out | Cheney | WA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 4.1% | 7.9% |
| Fewer adults with arthritis | 15.8% | 24.4% |
| More adults without reliable transportation | 12.5% | 7.2% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
January nights average 24.2°: milder than most of the country, but colder than 84% of Washington places with climate records; July afternoons average 84.4°.
Cheney has chilly, snowy winters and warm summers, with very little rain. About 45 inches of snow falls in a winter.
| Cheney | Washington towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| July high | 84°F | 77°F | 85°F |
| January low | 24°F | 35°F | 22°F |
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Most working residents leave Cheney for work: only 17% work in town. Jobs based in Cheney grew to 3,682 in 2023, 335 more than in 2013. The top destinations are Spokane (31%), Spokane Valley (11%) and Airway Heights (5%).
| Cheney | Washington towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $55,000 | $98,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 17% | 4.8% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 21 minutes | 27 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Work from home | 8.3% | 15% | 11% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Cheney. Close and well known come first.
35 mi LakeCoeur D'Alene Lake
14 mi Stadium & arenaNumerica Veterans Arena
14 mi Theme parkRiverfront Park
13 mi GardenManito Park and Botanical Gardens37 mi Ski areaMt. Spokane61 runs · 1,974 ft vertical
13 mi MuseumNorthwest Museum of Arts and CultureCoeur D'Alene Lake: The original uploader was Jamidwyer at English Wikipedia., CC BY-SA 2.0 · Numerica Veterans Arena: Jdubman at English Wikipedia, Public domain · Riverfront Park: en:User:Sundodger, Public domain · Manito Park and Botanical Gardens: Jdubman at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture: Murderbike, Public domain
3 within 15 miles of the center of Cheney
College town 34 of every 100 Cheney residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Washington.
6 places in Cheney on the National Register of Historic Places.
4 notable people were born in Cheney.
City in Washington, United States
Cheney ( CHEE-nee) is a city in Spokane County, Washington, United States. The full-time resident population was 13,255 as of the 2020 census. Eastern Washington University is located in Cheney. When classes are in session at EWU, the city's population reaches approximately 17,600 people temporarily.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Cheney grades C+ overall, better than 43% of U.S. towns and #149 of 285 in Washington. It grades B+ for health, C for safety and B for schools. Cost of living is its weak spot, with a C−.
Yes. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C−.
4 notable people were born here, including Clarence D. Martin and Dallas Lynn Peck.
