Federal Way vs South Hill
Federal Way, Washington versus South Hill, 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 South Hill score about the same overall (50 vs 51 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Federal Way | South Hill |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $80k | $104k |
| Cost of Living | $56k | $56k |
| Home Value | $454k | $442k |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.94% | 0.99% |
| Income Tax | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Sales Tax | 9.38% | 9.38% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 8.43% | 7.33% |
| Unemployment | 5.5% | 4.6% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 42°F | 42°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 66°F | 66°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 40.6 in | 45.1 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 6.3 in | 5.6 in |
| Sunny Days | 217 days | 217 days |
| Summer Humidity | 53°F | 53°F |
| Comfortable Days | 115 days | 114 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 66.8 | 36.9 |
| Air Quality | 40 AQI | 39 AQI |
| School Quality | 84.6 | 67.4 |
| Violent Crime | 1479/100k | 1331/100k |
| Property Crime | 5262/100k | 4481/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 99,614 | 67,835 |
| Median Age | 37.4 | 34.3 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.74 | 0.51 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.03 | 1.02 |
| Political Leaning | D+12 | D+12 |
| White (%) | 38.3% | 64.6% |
| Black (%) | 16.2% | 4.7% |
| Hispanic (%) | 18.4% | 12.4% |
| Asian (%) | 14.9% | 6.5% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 12.3% | 11.7% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 33 min | 36 min |
| Walkability | 12.9/20 | 9.3/20 |
| Airport Distance | 10 mi | 23 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 92.0% | 95.9% |
| Amenities Nearby | 44.57 | 67.37 |
| 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 South Hill more affordable?
- South Hill has the lower cost of living: its index is $56k, compared with Federal Way's $56k and South Hill's $56k. Median rent is $2k in Federal Way versus $2k in South Hill.
- Is Federal Way or South Hill safer?
- South Hill has the lower violent crime rate. Federal Way reports 1479/100k and South Hill reports 1331/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Federal Way or South Hill?
- The median home value is $454k in Federal Way and $442k in South Hill, so homes are more affordable in South Hill.