The Town Files

Fairchild AFB, Washington

Community in Spokane County · population 2,695 (2020 Census)

Map: where Fairchild AFB is in WashingtonFairchild AFB
Household income
$69,917
Jan low / Jul high
23° / 83°
Snow a year
48 in
Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
5
Median age
22.6

Fairchild AFB is a community of 2,695 people in Spokane County, Washington. It ranks more of a college town than 99% of Washington towns, better for young professionals than 97% of Washington towns, better for first-time buyers than 70% of Washington towns.

How Fairchild AFB ranks

Percentile among Washington towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Washington towns.

Fairchild AFB lifestyle rankings vs other Washington townsRetirement3rd pctFamilies52nd pctQuiet1st pctWalkability28th pctFirst-time buyers70th pctYoung professionals97th pctVibrancy47th pctHip & trendy31st pctCollege town99th pctUpscale40th pctVacation homesbottomSeaside characterbottomCycling69th pctTransitbottomDriving44th pcttypical
The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025).

Homes and cost of living

Median rent is $1,808 a month. 0.0% of households own their home.

Fairchild AFB vs Spokane County vs typical Washington townFairchild AFBSpokane CountyTypical Washington townHousehold income$69,917$78,582$90,625Monthly rent$1,808$1,283$1,597
Census ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024. "Typical town" = median of Washington towns with 500+ people.
HousingFairchild AFBTypical Washington town
Median home value—$475,000
Median rent$1,808$1,597
Median household income$69,917$90,625
Home value ÷ income—×5.3×
Homeownership0.0%74.4%
Median year built19651985
Seasonal / vacation homes0.0%—

Who lives in Fairchild AFB

PeopleFairchild AFBTypical Washington town
Median age22.640.1
Age 65 and over0.0%17.9%
Under 1831.9%—
Bachelor's degree or higher39.8%27.6%
Below the poverty line3.3%8.5%
Veterans12.9%—
Born outside the U.S.3.8%—
Work from home8.3%13.4%
Average commute9.7 min27.1 min
Homes with broadband91.2%93.9%

Weather in Fairchild AFB

July highs average 83.4°F and January lows 22.6°F. About 17.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 48.2 inches of snow (typical Washington town: 4.0 in). Expect about 20 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 157 nights at or below freezing.

Fairchild AFB monthly temperatures and precipitation20°30°40°50°60°70°80°90°32° freezing33°23°Jan39°24°Feb48°29°Mar57°34°Apr66°41°May72°47°Jun83°52°Jul83°51°Aug73°43°Sep57°34°Oct41°27°Nov32°22°DecPrecipitation (in) · snow (in) in blue2.013.01.46.81.84.61.51.31.60.31.40.50.40.60.11.50.52.26.12.415.5
NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals: average daily high and low by month; precipitation and snowfall in inches. Temperatures from the Spokane Wfo station (4.4 mi away).

Tornadoes, storms and disasters

5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Fairchild AFB since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Washington town. The strongest, an EF0, struck on April 18, 2024 about 5.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on April 18, 2024.

Tornadoes within 10 miles of Fairchild AFB by decade01950s01960s01970s01980s01990s12000s22010s22020s
NOAA Storm Events Database, tornado tracks (start to end point) passing within 10 miles of the town center, 1950–2026.

Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 3 times; the largest was 1.00 inches on May 17, 2005.

Severe weather in Spokane County since 1996

Storm events in Spokane County since 1996 by typeHail39Flood36Wildfire80High Wind111Dust Storm14Heavy Rain11Heavy Snow781Flash Flood15
NOAA Storm Events Database, Spokane County, 1996–2026 (all event types recorded since 1996). 28 deaths recorded.

Spokane County has been included in 33 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, drought.

DeclaredIncidentDeclaration
August 3, 2026FireEM-3650: Wildfires
August 2, 2026FireFM-5658: Fairview Fire
August 2, 2026FireFM-5659: Autumn Lane Fire
August 1, 2026FireFM-5656: Old Trails Fire
June 16, 2026FireFM-5638: Upriver Fire

Jobs and pay in Spokane County

Spokane County had 243,161 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $65,488 a year. Unemployment was 4.2% in 2023; in Fairchild AFB itself the ACS puts it at 11%.

Largest industries in Spokane CountyHealth care & social assistan…47,926 jobs · $66,422Retail26,288 jobs · $43,844Hotels & restaurants20,040 jobs · $29,661Manufacturing16,191 jobs · $74,378Construction13,803 jobs · $70,972Administrative & support13,348 jobs · $54,970
BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024, private-sector jobs and average annual pay.
Unemployment rate in Spokane County, 2000–20230%2%4%6%8%10%2000200420082012201620202023Spokane 4.2%
Annual average unemployment rate (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics via USDA ERS).

Public schools in Fairchild AFB

1 public school with 498 students, about 16.1 students per teacher.

SchoolGradesStudentsPer teacher
Michael Anderson Elementary SchoolPK-549816.1

Towns near Fairchild AFB

Fairchild AFB questions

Is Fairchild AFB, Washington a good place to retire?

On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Fairchild AFB scores better for retirees than 3% of Washington towns and quieter than 1%. 0.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 22.6).

What is the weather like in Fairchild AFB?

July highs average 83.4°F and January lows 22.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 17.4 inches of precipitation a year and 48.2 inches of snow.

Does Fairchild AFB get tornadoes?

5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Fairchild AFB since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF0 on April 18, 2024. The typical Washington town has had 1.

How this page is made. Every number comes from public data, matched to Fairchild AFB's Census boundary (GEOID 5322955). Comparisons use the median of Washington towns with at least 500 people. Weather comes from the nearest NOAA normals station; storm counts use NOAA tornado tracks within 10 miles of the town center. Data snapshot 2026-11-13.