Federal Way vs SeaTac
Federal Way, Washington versus SeaTac, Washington: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Federal Way and SeaTac score about the same overall (50 vs 50 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Federal Way | SeaTac |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $80k | $79k |
| Cost of Living | $56k | $56k |
| Home Value | $454k | $448k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.94% | 0.98% |
| Income Tax | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Sales Tax | 9.38% | 9.38% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 8.43% | 8.60% |
| Unemployment | 5.5% | 7.4% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 42°F | 43°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 66°F | 67°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 40.6 in | 39.3 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 6.3 in | 6.3 in |
| Sunny Days | 217 days | 217 days |
| Summer Humidity | 53°F | 53°F |
| Comfortable Days | 115 days | 118 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 66.8 | 95.4 |
| Air Quality | 40 AQI | 42 AQI |
| School Quality | 84.6 | 86.0 |
| Violent Crime | 1479/100k | 1503/100k |
| Property Crime | 5262/100k | 5215/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 99,614 | 30,927 |
| Median Age | 37.4 | 36.1 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.74 | 0.77 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.03 | 1.18 |
| Political Leaning | D+12 | D+12 |
| White (%) | 38.3% | 29.8% |
| Black (%) | 16.2% | 23.9% |
| Hispanic (%) | 18.4% | 21.1% |
| Asian (%) | 14.9% | 16.2% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 12.3% | 9.0% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 33 min | 27 min |
| Walkability | 12.9/20 | 12.1/20 |
| Airport Distance | 10 mi | 1 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 92.0% | 91.2% |
| Amenities Nearby | 44.57 | 268.05 |
| 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 Federal Way or SeaTac more affordable?
- SeaTac has the lower cost of living: its index is $56k, compared with Federal Way's $56k and SeaTac's $56k. Median rent is $2k in Federal Way versus $2k in SeaTac.
- Is Federal Way or SeaTac safer?
- Federal Way has the lower violent crime rate. Federal Way reports 1479/100k and SeaTac reports 1503/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Federal Way or SeaTac?
- The median home value is $454k in Federal Way and $448k in SeaTac, so homes are more affordable in SeaTac.