EWU researchers report steady retail sales, rising incomes and mixed labor signals for Spokane Valley

Researchers from Eastern Washington University briefed council on the city’s latest economic indicators, highlighting a mix of positive and cautionary signals.

Dr. Jones and colleagues said county median household income jumped year‑over‑year from about $73,000 to $86,000. That rise coincided with modest retail sales growth: EWU reported year‑to‑date retail taxable‑sales growth of roughly 2–4 percent in recent quarters. At the same time the civilian labor force and job totals have edged down by roughly 2,000 workers from recent peaks, and the city’s unemployment rate settled near 4.3 percent in the latest reported period.

Panelists noted sectoral differences: health care and social assistance and government have been sources of jobs and higher wages, while retail and hospitality employment have been flat or weak. Residential building permits for single‑family units averaged about 42 units per quarter; multifamily permitting showed a quarter with zero permits after a prior surge. EWU researchers cautioned that several federal data sets were delayed and that their city‑level numbers may be supplemented in later updates.

Council members asked about AI’s impact on employment, substitution in retail (self‑checkout), and the local elasticity of motor‑vehicle sales; presenters said these are open research questions and pointed to pilot results and third‑party studies they are tracking. The presentation closed with a recommendation that council plan conservatively for 2026 revenue growth in the 3–5 percent range while monitoring labor and retail trends.