Des Moines vs Federal Way
Des Moines, 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.
Des Moines and Federal Way score about the same overall (49 vs 50 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Des Moines | Federal Way |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $81k | $80k |
| Cost of Living | $56k | $56k |
| Home Value | $483k | $454k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.04% | 0.94% |
| Income Tax | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Sales Tax | 9.38% | 9.38% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 9.26% | 8.43% |
| Unemployment | 8.2% | 5.5% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 43°F | 42°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 67°F | 66°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 40.1 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 | 86.3 | 66.8 |
| Air Quality | 41 AQI | 40 AQI |
| School Quality | 86.0 | 84.6 |
| Violent Crime | 1103/100k | 1479/100k |
| Property Crime | 3494/100k | 5262/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 32,667 | 99,614 |
| Median Age | 38.2 | 37.4 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.67 | 0.74 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.93 | 1.03 |
| Political Leaning | D+12 | D+12 |
| White (%) | 49.9% | 38.3% |
| Black (%) | 9.6% | 16.2% |
| Hispanic (%) | 18.2% | 18.4% |
| Asian (%) | 12.1% | 14.9% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 10.3% | 12.3% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 30 min | 33 min |
| Walkability | 13.7/20 | 12.9/20 |
| Airport Distance | 5 mi | 10 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 93.7% | 92.0% |
| Amenities Nearby | 168.37 | 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 Des Moines or Federal Way more affordable?
- Federal Way has the lower cost of living: its index is $56k, compared with Des Moines's $56k and Federal Way's $56k. Median rent is $2k in Des Moines versus $2k in Federal Way.
- Is Des Moines or Federal Way safer?
- Des Moines has the lower violent crime rate. Des Moines reports 1103/100k and Federal Way reports 1479/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Des Moines or Federal Way?
- The median home value is $483k in Des Moines and $454k in Federal Way, so homes are more affordable in Federal Way.