Spokane’s Low Cost of Living

The official release from Greater Spokane, Inc:

Spokane Metropolitan Statistical Area’s composite index for 2010 is 93.8, 6.2% lower than the national average. Spokane’s health care costs were 9.8% higher than the national average, but housing and utility costs were considerably below average. Housing costs were 14.5% below the national average, and utilities 10.3% less. Transportation ranked 9.1% over the national average, however, grocery items and miscellaneous goods and services were 7.6% and 3.5% below the national average, respectively.

via Spokane Still Has a Low Cost of Living.

And previous post on why this is not something to brag about.

And left out of the GSI report is that Spokane’s per capita income is 20% less than the rest of Washington, and 15% less than the United States, and falling further behind over the past 30 years.

GSI is effectively promoting low wages and a high poverty rate as a comparative advantage. This makes no sense what so ever.