Aging & Long Term Care Demographics

Aging & Long Term Care of Eastern Washington (ALTCEW) serves several subregions:

1. Spokane County: Includes the City of Spokane, Spokane Valley, and smaller nearby communities.
2. Whitman County: Located at the northeastern part of the Palouse farming area.
3. Tri-County: Made up of Ferry, Pend Oreille, and Stevens counties, which are rural and mountainous.

Our service area covers about 8,900 square miles, making it the third-largest region in Washington. This area is called Public Service Area #11 (PSA#11).

Eastern Washington is a unique place with a rich history and diverse communities. The area has cities, suburbs, rural areas, Tribal lands, and remote rural regions.

• Urban areas: These are densely populated parts of the city.
• Suburban areas: The residential areas that surround cities.
• Rural areas: The areas outside of cities with a country like feeling and low population.
• Frontier rural areas: Very remote areas with even fewer people and limited services.
• American Indian Reservation and Tribal Land: Areas governed by Native American Tribes, with their own governments and cultures.

Rural and Tribal areas are often isolated from the larger population and have fewer services and resources available. Living in these areas can be challenging, but the people who live there have a desire to live and work in these communities that are rich in culture and history.

Each part of Eastern Washington is unique. From cities to the mountains, rolling hills, lakes, and rivers, every county has its own natural beauty and resources that people enjoy all year long. To learn more about each area, check out our demographics link.

The rural northern counties are expected to see the biggest growth in the aging population. The number of people aged 60 and older will increase from 27% in 2010 to 38% by 2030, and this trend is far from over. The number of people aged 75 and older will grow from 6.9% in 2010 to 18.3% by 2040.

Spokane County will also see its population of people aged 60 and older grow, from 18.64% in 2010 to 26.28% by 2030. Whitman County will also face a growth in the aging population, but it will be less than the other four counties. The number age 60 and over will grow from 13.26% in 2010 to 17.5% by 2030.

For more information and data, check out our trends and demographics links: