Burien vs Federal Way
Burien, Washington versus Federal Way, Washington: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Burien and Federal Way score about the same overall (50 vs 50 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Burien | Federal Way |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $85k | $80k |
| Cost of Living | $56k | $56k |
| Home Value | $567k | $454k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $3k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.94% | 0.94% |
| Income Tax | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Sales Tax | 9.38% | 9.38% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 9.41% | 8.43% |
| Unemployment | 4.8% | 5.5% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 43°F | 42°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 67°F | 66°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 39.3 in | 40.6 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 6.3 in | 6.3 in |
| Sunny Days | 217 days | 217 days |
| Summer Humidity | 53°F | 53°F |
| Comfortable Days | 119 days | 115 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 83.1 | 66.8 |
| Air Quality | 42 AQI | 40 AQI |
| School Quality | 86.0 | 84.6 |
| Violent Crime | 1431/100k | 1479/100k |
| Property Crime | 4117/100k | 5262/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 51,505 | 99,614 |
| Median Age | 39.5 | 37.4 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.67 | 0.74 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.07 | 1.03 |
| Political Leaning | D+12 | D+12 |
| White (%) | 49.0% | 38.3% |
| Black (%) | 7.9% | 16.2% |
| Hispanic (%) | 21.9% | 18.4% |
| Asian (%) | 14.0% | 14.9% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 7.2% | 12.3% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 28 min | 33 min |
| Walkability | 12.9/20 | 12.9/20 |
| Airport Distance | 2 mi | 10 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 92.4% | 92.0% |
| Amenities Nearby | 119.60 | 44.57 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Moderate |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Burien or Federal Way more affordable?
- Federal Way has the lower cost of living: its index is $56k, compared with Burien's $56k and Federal Way's $56k. Median rent is $2k in Burien versus $2k in Federal Way.
- Is Burien or Federal Way safer?
- Burien has the lower violent crime rate. Burien reports 1431/100k and Federal Way reports 1479/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Burien or Federal Way?
- The median home value is $567k in Burien and $454k in Federal Way, so homes are more affordable in Federal Way.