The Town FilesFederal Way, Washington
City in King County · population 101,030 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $552,800
- Household income
- $86,909
- Jan low / Jul high
- 37° / 77°
- Snow a year
- 6 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 3
- Median age
- 37.4
Federal Way is a city of 101,030 people in King County, Washington. The median home is worth $552,800, above the typical Washington town ($475,000). It ranks more vibrant than 94% of Washington towns, better transit than 89% of Washington towns, more walkable than 87% of Washington towns.
How Federal Way 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 Federal Way is worth $552,800, above the typical Washington town ($475,000). Homes cost about 6.4 times the median household income of $86,909, which is more affordable than 21% of Washington towns. Median rent is $1,797 a month. 55.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Federal Way | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $552,800 | $475,000 |
| Median rent | $1,797 | $1,597 |
| Median household income | $86,909 | $90,625 |
| Home value ÷ income | 6.4× | 5.3× |
| Homeownership | 55.3% | 74.4% |
| Median year built | 1984 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.2% | — |
Who lives in Federal Way
| People | Federal Way | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.4 | 40.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 15.0% | 17.9% |
| Under 18 | 22.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 30.8% | 27.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 13.0% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 6.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 31.9% | — |
| Work from home | 13.7% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 32.1 min | 27.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 94.0% | 93.9% |
Weather in Federal Way
July highs average 76.8°F and January lows 37.4°F. About 40.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 6.3 inches of snow (typical Washington town: 4.0 in). Expect about 1 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 27 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Federal Way since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Washington town. The strongest, an F1, struck on May 31, 1997 about 7.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 31, 1997.
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 Federal Way itself the ACS puts it at 5.4%.
Public schools in Federal Way
33 public schools with 14,596 students, about 18.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Federal Way High School | 9-12 | 1,645 | 20.6 |
| Todd Beamer High School | 9-12 | 1,413 | 21.1 |
| Decatur High School | 9-12 | 1,354 | 21.2 |
| Sacajawea Middle School | 6-8 | 652 | 17.6 |
| Illahee Middle School | 5-8 | 622 | 16.4 |
| Lakota Middle School | 6-8 | 618 | 19.3 |
| Wildwood Elementary School | PK-5 | 566 | 15.3 |
| Technology Access Foundation Academy at Saghalie | 6-12 | 537 | 15.8 |
| Mark Twain Elementary School | PK-5 | 537 | 16.8 |
| Rainier View Elementary School | PK-5 | 523 | 16.9 |
| Mirror Lake Elementary School | PK-5 | 487 | 15.7 |
| Olympic View Elementary School | PK-6 | 474 | 15.8 |
Towns near Federal Way
- Lakeland North, WA3.1 mi · 13,663 people · home $557,000
- Lakeland South, WA3.5 mi · 13,169 people · home $589,300
- Milton, WA4.2 mi · 8,697 people · home $539,700
- Algona, WA4.6 mi · 3,290 people · home $441,500
- Pacific, WA5.3 mi · 7,235 people · home $489,100
- Des Moines, WA5.4 mi · 32,888 people · home $597,000
- Fife, WA5.5 mi · 10,999 people · home $543,100
- Auburn, WA6.0 mi · 87,256 people · home $547,900
Federal Way questions
Is Federal Way, Washington a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Federal Way scores better for retirees than 11% of Washington towns and quieter than 4%. 15.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.4).
How much does a house cost in Federal Way?
The median owner-occupied home in Federal Way is valued at $552,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $86,909, so homes cost about 6.4 times income. Median rent is $1,797 a month.
What is the weather like in Federal Way?
July highs average 76.8°F and January lows 37.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 40.8 inches of precipitation a year and 6.3 inches of snow.
Does Federal Way get tornadoes?
3 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Federal Way since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on May 31, 1997. 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)