Living in Cheney, Washington

Where it is

Cheney sits on the West Plains, reached from Spokane by SR-904 or Cheney-Spokane Road, with I-90 close by. Fairchild Air Force Base and Airway Heights are a short drive north. Eastern Washington University is in the middle of town, and Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge starts just to the south.

What the homes are like

You will find a real mix here:

• Older homes near downtown and the EWU campus, some of them now rentals.
• Subdivisions built from the 1990s through the 2010s, including Maple Terrace, Sugar Street and Big Sky.
• Duplexes and small multifamily buildings.
• Acreage on the edges of town, out toward Four Mound Prairie and Turnbull.

Schools

Cheney is served by the Cheney School District. Elementary schools include Betz, Salnave and Sunset, with Westwood Middle School and Cheney High School. The district is growing: a new elementary school is under construction in Airway Heights and elementary boundaries are being redrawn, so confirm with the district which schools a specific address feeds into before you make an offer.

Getting around

Downtown Spokane is about 20 to 25 minutes away. Fairchild’s main gate is roughly 25 to 30 minutes; ask me and I will time it from the street you are considering. Spokane Transit runs buses between Cheney and Spokane.

Day to day

Cheney has a small, walkable downtown on 1st Street, EWU game days and events, and a lot of open sky.

• Outdoors: Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge for easy trails and wildlife, and the Fish Lake and Columbia Plateau trails for riding.
• Local spots: Bene’s, Farmhouse Cafe, El Rodeo, West Plain Roasters, The Mason Jar and Barrelhouse Pub & Pizza.

What to check before you buy

• What is next door. Some blocks near campus have many rentals. Look at parking and street activity, and remember the academic year: move-ins in September, move-outs in June.
• Pricing. Homes here often take longer to sell than in central Spokane. That can mean room to negotiate as a buyer, and it means sellers need sharp pricing.
• School assignment. Boundaries are changing, so verify by address.
• Acreage. Outside city limits, inspect the well and septic and ask your insurance agent about wind and wildfire coverage early.