Cindy Hval, photo

Population: 209,525
Median Household Income: $41,466
Median Home Price: $165,500
Unemployment: 8.8 percent
Votes: 1,668

Mochaccino-sipping Seattleites may call it Spokompton for its perceived crime, but the city is about as dangerous as Bend and safer than Colorado Springs.

Set on the eastern edge of Washington, where the desert meets the Rockies, Spokane lives up to its motto: “Near nature and near perfect.” Within minutes of downtown, you can paddle past moose on the Little Spokane River, climb 5.13 sport routes in Deep Creek Canyon, or hike the Spokane River Gorge.

“You can be in the river three minutes from your office,” says Jeanna Hofmeister, who works at the visitors bureau, “and have no idea that you’re just outside downtown.”

There are also five ski resorts within a two-hour drive. Read more. Outside Magazine

Apparently, they haven't heard Spokane is "just a drive-through to the airport! "Shhh!

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