What is this spider and is it dangerous?

Here's a concise way to begin to answer the questions.

1. Identify if your spider is a web hunter or non-web hunter).

2. If you spider is a web hunter, is the web the traditional round, flat orb? If so, the most common orb weavers found in residential areas are either writing spiders (argiope), spotted orb weavers (neoscona) or araneus.

3. If your spider is not a web hunter, the vast majority of non-web hunters found in residential areas are jumping spiders, wolf spiders, funnel weavers and crab spiders.

4. After making the initial estimates, use an identification guide such as Spider Species to whittle down the identification chore to the spider genera and possibly species.

5. With only four spider species in the United States having the label, "spider of medical importance", chances are your spider is not dangerous.

The Huntsman spider we found in our house might not have been of medical importance, but he was almost big enough to carry off small pets and children. The link says they don't grow as big as turnip trucks, but radish trucks are definitely a possibility. (Ours lurked in a corner for a while then found his way back outside--no children or pets were missing. We counted to be sure.)