The Town FilesFairwood, Washington
Community in King County · population 19,396 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $733,200
- Household income
- $122,134
- Jan low / Jul high
- 37° / 77°
- Snow a year
- 6 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 3
- Median age
- 38.5
Fairwood is a community of 19,396 people in King County, Washington. The median home is worth $733,200, above the typical Washington town ($475,000). It ranks better transit than 87% of Washington towns, better for first-time buyers than 86% of Washington towns, better for young professionals than 85% of Washington towns.
How Fairwood ranks
Percentile among Washington towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Washington towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Fairwood is worth $733,200, above the typical Washington town ($475,000). Homes cost about 6.0 times the median household income of $122,134, which is more affordable than 30% of Washington towns. Median rent is $2,233 a month. 73.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Fairwood | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $733,200 | $475,000 |
| Median rent | $2,233 | $1,597 |
| Median household income | $122,134 | $90,625 |
| Home value ÷ income | 6.0× | 5.3× |
| Homeownership | 73.9% | 74.4% |
| Median year built | 1982 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Fairwood
| People | Fairwood | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.5 | 40.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.7% | 17.9% |
| Under 18 | 21.5% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 50.3% | 27.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 8.4% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 5.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 23.1% | — |
| Work from home | 26.5% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 33.6 min | 27.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 97.1% | 93.9% |
Weather in Fairwood
July highs average 77.2°F and January lows 37.1°F. About 34.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 6.3 inches of snow (typical Washington town: 4.0 in). Expect about 4 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 30 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Fairwood since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Washington town. The strongest, an F1, struck on September 28, 1962 about 7.1 miles from the town center. The most recent was on December 22, 1971.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 1 times; the largest was 1.50 inches on June 8, 1972.
Severe weather in King County since 1996
King County has been included in 35 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 7, 2026 | Flood | DR-4906: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| December 12, 2025 | Flood | EM-3629: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| April 28, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4775: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| September 10, 2022 | Fire | FM-5455: Bolt Creek Fire |
| April 23, 2020 | Flood | DR-4539: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
Jobs and pay in King County
King County had 1,449,785 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $132,279 a year. Unemployment was 3.4% in 2023; in Fairwood itself the ACS puts it at 5.3%.
Towns near Fairwood
- Maple Heights-Lake Desire, WA2.4 mi · 3,873 people · home $876,200
- East Renton Highlands, WA3.2 mi · 11,937 people · home $778,700
- Renton, WA3.3 mi · 106,785 people · home $672,600
- Kent, WA5.1 mi · 136,588 people · home $587,800
- Bryn Mawr-Skyway, WA5.6 mi · 17,397 people · home $655,200
- Covington, WA5.9 mi · 20,777 people · home $637,300
- Newcastle, WA5.9 mi · 13,017 people · home $1,205,600
- Tukwila, WA6.5 mi · 21,798 people · home $489,000
Fairwood questions
Is Fairwood, Washington a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Fairwood scores better for retirees than 39% of Washington towns and quieter than 20%. 16.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 38.5).
How much does a house cost in Fairwood?
The median owner-occupied home in Fairwood is valued at $733,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $122,134, so homes cost about 6.0 times income. Median rent is $2,233 a month.
What is the weather like in Fairwood?
July highs average 77.2°F and January lows 37.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 34.7 inches of precipitation a year and 6.3 inches of snow.
Does Fairwood get tornadoes?
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Fairwood since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on September 28, 1962. The typical Washington town has had 1.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)