Whitman, Spokane

The Spokane people have lived in what is now Whitman for hundreds of years.[3] The area was annexed into the city of Spokane in 1907.[4]

Whitman is a rectangular neighborhood bordered by Francis Avenue on the north, Crestline Street on the east, Wellesley Avenue on the south and Perry Street on the west. It borders the Hillyard neighborhood to the east, the Bemiss neighborhood to the south, Nevada Heights in the west and Shiloh Hills in the north. It is six city blocks across east–west but shown as four blocks in the north and six in the south. There is little separating Whitman from Nevada Heights and Hillyard. Major arterials in Francis and Wellesley Avenues separate the neighborhood from Shiloh Hills to the north and Bemiss to the south, but lesser streets form the eastern and western boundaries. Whitman's boundaries outside of those two streets are not obvious on the ground.[2] Whitman's connection to surrounding neighborhoods is strengthened by its presence in the Greater Hillyard-Northeast Planning Alliance, together with the Bemiss and Hillyard neighborhoods.[5]

As of 2017, there were 3,741 residents in the neighborhood across 1,397 households, of which 33.3% had children. 38.7% of households were rented, compared to 45.3% citywide. 28.9% of the residents were aged 19 or younger, compared to 21.9% citywide. Those over 65 made up 11.1% of the population, compared to 14.5% citywide. The median household income was $41,156, compared to $44,768 citywide. 9.9% of the population has a bachelor's degree or higher while 40.6% have at most a high school diploma. The unemployment rate was 8.8% compared to 6.5% citywide. 79.6% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch, compared to 54.5% citywide. 93.7% of residents were born in the United States or one of its territories. Of those born elsewhere, 30.2% were from Vietnam, 24.7% from Ukraine, 19.4% from the Philippines and 9.6% from the Uzbekistan.[1]

Whitman Elementary is located in the neighborhood and also serves the Whitman Neighborhood. After Whitman Elementary, students attend Garry Middle School in the adjacent Nevada Heights neighborhood.[6] John R. Rogers High School, located across the street to the south of the Whitman neighborhood, serves the area's high school students.[7]