Federal Way, Washington
Among the top 8% of US places for weather.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade D, better than 14% of US places
WeatherWeather: grade A, better than 92% of US places
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade C, better than 36% of US places
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade B+, better than 80% of US places
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade C, better than 36% of US places
- top 4% for airport distance
- top 6% for walkability
- bottom 1% for property crime
Federal Way is a mid-size city in Washington with about 100,000 residents. It grades A for weather and D for affordability. Standout strengths include airport distance, walkability, and comfortable days. It rates lower on sales tax and property crime.
Official websitefederalwaywa.gov (opens in new tab)
Climate
Mild summers · Cool winters · Moderate rain · Light snow
cold
cool
comfortable
warm
comf.
cool
cold
70%29%clearovercast
Precipitation 5.1 in1.0 in
dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$80k72nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$56kbetter than 18% of US places
Home Value$454k89th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$2kbetter than 12% of US places
Monthly Owner Costs$2kbetter than 16% of US places
Property Tax Rate0.94%better than 54% of US places
Income Tax0.00%better than 92% of US places
Sales Tax9.38%better than 6% of US places
Estimated total tax burden8.43%better than 73% of US places
Unemployment5.5%better than 35% of US places
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)42°F76th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)66°F5th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation40.6 in46th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall6.3 inbetter than 66% of US places
Sunny Days217 daysbetter than 33% of US places
Summer Humidity53°Fbetter than 87% of US places
Comfortable Days115 daysbetter than 92% of US places
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk66.8better than 48% of US places
Air Quality40 AQIbetter than 77% of US places
School Quality84.6better than 78% of US places
Violent Crime1479/100kbetter than 17% of US places
Property Crime5262/100kbetter than 1% of US places
Community
Population99,61499th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age37.433rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.74100th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio1.0361st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningD+1220th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)38.3%13th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)16.2%88th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)18.4%84th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)14.9%97th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)12.3%91st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time33 minbetter than 12% of US places
Walkability12.9/20better than 94% of US places
Airport Distance10 mibetter than 96% of US places
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access92.0%better than 72% of US places
Amenities Nearby44.57better than 37% of US places
Park & Nature AccessModeratebetter than 24% of US places
Similar places
Frequently asked questions
- Is Federal Way an affordable place to live?
- Federal Way is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $56k, better than 18% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Federal Way?
- The median home value in Federal Way is $454k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Federal Way?
- Median household income in Federal Way is $80k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Federal Way?
- Median gross rent in Federal Way is $2k a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Federal Way safe?
- Federal Way is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 1479/100k (better than 17%). Property crime is 5262/100k.
- What is the weather like in Federal Way?
- Federal Way averages 66°F in July and 42°F in January, with 40.6 in of annual precipitation and about 217 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Federal Way?
- Public-school quality in Federal Way is above average, scoring better than 78% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Federal Way?
- The average one-way commute in Federal Way is 33 min.
Other places in Pierce County
Places near Federal Way
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Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)