Airway Heights, Washington

Airway Heights, Washington
City

Location of Airway Heights, Washington
Coordinates: 47°38′37″N 117°35′11″W / 47.64361°N 117.58639°W / 47.64361; -117.58639Coordinates: 47°38′37″N 117°35′11″W / 47.64361°N 117.58639°W / 47.64361; -117.58639
Country United States
State Washington
County Spokane
Government
 • Mayor Kevin Richey
Area[1]
 • Total 5.63 sq mi (14.58 km2)
 • Land 5.63 sq mi (14.58 km2)
 • Water 0 sq mi (0 km2)
Elevation 2,398 ft (731 m)
Population (2010)[2]
 • Total 6,114
 • Estimate (2015)[3] 6,639
 • Density 1,086.0/sq mi (419.3/km2)
Time zone Pacific (PST) (UTC-8)
 • Summer (DST) PDT (UTC-7)
ZIP code 99001
Area code 509
FIPS code 53-00905
GNIS feature ID 1511953[4]
Website cawh.org

Airway Heights is a city in Spokane County, Washington, United States, just west of Spokane. The population was 6,114 at the 2010 census. The city's name was taken from its close proximity to the runways at Fairchild Air Force Base and Spokane International Airport.[5]

History

Airway Heights was officially incorporated on June 28, 1955.

Development

Growth in the City was spurred by the opening of the Airway Heights Corrections Center by the Washington State Department of Corrections in 1992 and the opening of the Northern Quest Resort & Casino by the Kalispel Indian Tribe in 2000. More recently, with the addition of a new Wal-Mart Supercenter, several new apartment buildings and housing developments, and the expansion of the Northern Quest Casino, Airway Heights is continuing to grow. Also, the Spokane County Raceway Park is located in Airway Heights, and features major automobile events, including drag racing, stock car racing, and occasional monster truck shows.

Geography

Airway Heights is located at 47°38′37″N 117°35′11″W / 47.64361°N 117.58639°W / 47.64361; -117.58639 (47.643648, -117.586491).[6]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 5.63 square miles (14.58 km2), all of it land.[1]

The community lies in the northeastern corner of the flat Columbia Plateau. While the plateau tends to be flat, the terrain locally is quite rugged as it is part of the Channeled Scablands. The "heights" in the city's name references its location at a higher elevation than the city center of Spokane. Traveling into Airway Heights along Highway 2, the main road into the city, from Downtown Spokane, one will climb over 500 feet.

Highway 2 is the main east-west thoroughfare in the city. It connects Airway Heights with Fairchild to the west and Spokane to the east. Interstate 90 runs just a few miles south of the city.

Climate

Climate data for Airway Heights, Washington (Spokane Int'l), 1981–2010 normals
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 62
(17)		 63
(17)		 74
(23)		 90
(32)		 97
(36)		 105
(41)		 108
(42)		 108
(42)		 98
(37)		 87
(31)		 70
(21)		 60
(16)		 108
(42)
Average high °F (°C) 34.4
(1.3)		 39.6
(4.2)		 48.9
(9.4)		 57.2
(14)		 66.4
(19.1)		 73.8
(23.2)		 83
(28.3)		 83
(28.3)		 72.9
(22.7)		 58.0
(14.4)		 41.6
(5.3)		 32.2
(0.1)		 57.6
(14.2)
Daily mean °F (°C) 29.55
(−1.36)		 33
(1)		 40.25
(4.58)		 47
(8)		 55.1
(12.8)		 62.1
(16.7)		 69.65
(20.92)		 69.4
(20.8)		 60.3
(15.7)		 47.6
(8.7)		 35.7
(2.1)		 27.35
(−2.58)		 48.083
(8.947)
Average low °F (°C) 24.7
(−4.1)		 26.4
(−3.1)		 31.6
(−0.2)		 36.8
(2.7)		 43.8
(6.6)		 50.4
(10.2)		 56.3
(13.5)		 55.8
(13.2)		 47.4
(8.6)		 37.2
(2.9)		 29.8
(−1.2)		 22.5
(−5.3)		 38.6
(3.7)
Record low °F (°C) −30
(−34)		 −24
(−31)		 −10
(−23)		 14
(−10)		 24
(−4)		 33
(1)		 37
(3)		 35
(2)		 22
(−6)		 7
(−14)		 −21
(−29)		 −25
(−32)		 −30
(−34)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 1.79
(45.5)		 1.33
(33.8)		 1.61
(40.9)		 1.28
(32.5)		 1.62
(41.1)		 1.25
(31.8)		 0.64
(16.3)		 0.59
(15)		 0.67
(17)		 1.18
(30)		 2.30
(58.4)		 2.29
(58.2)		 16.55
(420.5)
Average snowfall inches (cm) 12.0
(30.5)		 7.2
(18.3)		 3.7
(9.4)		 1.0
(2.5)		 0.1
(0.3)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0
(0)		 0.1
(0.3)		 7.2
(18.3)		 14.9
(37.8)		 46.2
(117.3)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) 13.4 10.4 11.6 10.1 10.2 7.9 5.0 3.8 5.1 7.8 13.7 13.2 112.2
Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) 8.9 5.1 4.1 1.1 0.3 0 0 0 0 0.2 4.7 9.8 34.2
Average relative humidity (%) 62.0 81.5 75.0 66.5 60.5 58.0 50.5 45.5 49.0 57.0 68.0 81.5 80.5
Percent possible sunshine 28 41 55 61 65 67 80 78 72 55 29 23 55
Source: NOAA (extremes 1881–present, percent sunshine through 2009)[7][8]

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
1960708—
19707445.1%
19801,730132.5%
19901,97113.9%
20004,500128.3%
20106,11435.9%
Est. 20156,639[9]8.6%
U.S. Decennial Census[10]
2015 Estimate[3]

2010 census

As of the census[2] of 2010, there were 6,114 people, 1,547 households, and 1,035 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,086.0 inhabitants per square mile (419.3/km2). There were 1,727 housing units at an average density of 306.7 per square mile (118.4/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 78.5% White, 7.2% African American, 3.7% Native American, 3.5% Asian, 0.9% Pacific Islander, 1.8% from other races, and 4.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 8.3% of the population.

There were 1,547 households of which 37.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.6% were married couples living together, 16.6% had a female householder with no husband present, 6.7% had a male householder with no wife present, and 33.1% were non-families. 25.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 3.01.

The median age in the city was 34.6 years. 17.3% of residents were under the age of 18; 11.1% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 40.9% were from 25 to 44; 25.2% were from 45 to 64; and 5.6% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 67.7% male and 32.3% female.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 4,500 people, 958 households, and 656 families residing in the city. The population density was 923.0 people per square mile (356.0/km²). There were 1,095 housing units at an average density of 224.6 per square mile (86.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 69.51% White, 10.47% African American, 3.20% Native American, 1.84% Asian, 0.38% Pacific Islander, 1.56% from other races, and 3.11% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 9.93% of the population.

There were 958 households out of which 40.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.7% were married couples living together, 18.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.5% were non-families. 25.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.02.

In the city the age distribution of the population shows 16.9% under the age of 18, 11.6% from 18 to 24, 46.8% from 25 to 44, 20.3% from 45 to 64, and 4.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 263.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 325.0 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $29,829, and the median income for a family was $31,344. Males had a median income of $26,117 versus $22,031 for females. The per capita income for the city was $11,069. About 14.8% of families and 22.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.0% of those under age 18 and 3.0% of those age 65 or over.

Education

The majority of the city is within the Cheney School District (No. 360).[11] The northeastern portion is in the Great Northern School District (No. 312), grades K-6.

Notable Local Businesses

Spokane County Raceway

Spokane County Raceway is one of the largest racetracks in the Inland Northwest. They have oval track racing, drag racing, and road course racing.

Controversies

In July 2015 Mayor Patrick Rushing was asked to resign by the city council because he called President Barack Obama a "monkey man" and First Lady Michelle Obama a "gorilla" on his Facebook page. Rushing initially refused, stating he was not a racist.[12] This follows an earlier incident in 2015 in which Rushing resigned his position as a school bus driver after he was charged with a misdemeanor for leaving the scene of an accident.[13]

In August 2015 Rushing submitted his resignation. He stated that "I find it difficult to continue due to my declining health issues." He was succeeded by then-Deputy Mayor Kevin Richey.[14]

References

  1. 1 2 "US Gazetteer files 2010". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 2012-01-24. Retrieved 2012-12-19.
  2. 1 2 "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2012-12-19.
  3. 1 2 "Population Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 19, 2016.
  4. ↑ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  5. ↑ Sullivan, Julie (March 16, 1989). "Architect builds historical interest with trivia". Spokane Chronicle. pp. S9. Retrieved 2 May 2015.
  6. ↑ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
  7. ↑ "NowData – NOAA Online Weather Data". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved February 15, 2012.
  8. ↑ "Average Percent Sunshine through 2009". National Climatic Data Center. Retrieved November 16, 2012.
  9. ↑ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2015". Retrieved July 2, 2016.
  10. ↑ United States Census Bureau. "Census of Population and Housing". Archived from the original on May 11, 2015. Retrieved August 3, 2013.
  11. ↑ "Boundary Map" (PDF). Cheney Public Schools. 2009. Retrieved October 2, 2012.
  12. ↑ "Mayor in Washington Refuses to Resign over Alleged Racist Post about Obamas". Q13Fox News. Retrieved 16 July 2016.
  13. ↑ "Airway Heights Mayor Says Bus Incident Tied to Politics". The Spokesman Review. Retrieved 16 April 2015.
  14. ↑ "Embattled Airway Heights Mayor Patrick Rushing resigns". The Spokesman Review. 18 August 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2015.

External links

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