Federal Way, WA Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2023-11-15

Cost Of Living In Federal Way, WA Summary

Cost of living in Federal Way research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Federal Way is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in Washington, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Federal Way is 131, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Federal Way is 1.3x higher than the national average.

  • Federal Way ranks as the #126 cheapest in Washington out of 192.

  • Federal Way ranks as the #5,294 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.

  • The median home value in Federal Way is $384,200.

  • The median income in Federal Way is $72,969.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
131
Federal Way's Overall Cost Of Living
1.3x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Federal Way, WA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Federal Way has an overall cost of living index of 131, which is 1.3x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Washington, Federal Way has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than Washington's index of 115.

The standard of living in Federal Way ranks as #126 most affordable out of the 192 places we measured in Washington. By definition, that implies Federal Way ranks as the #66 most expensive place in the Evergreen State.

For more reading on life in Federal Way, check out:

126 out of 192
In Washington
5,294 out of 6,412
In America

Federal Way Cost Of Living Vs. Washington

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Federal Way. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Federal Way is 130.

  • The Groceries index in Federal Way is 129.

  • The Health index in Federal Way is 130.

  • The Housing index in Federal Way is 131.

  • The Transportation index in Federal Way is 142.

  • The Utilities index in Federal Way is 110.

Living Expense Federal Way Washington National Average
Overall 131 115 100
Services 130 112 100
Groceries 129 109 100
Health 130 119 100
Housing 131 129 100
Transportation 142 116 100
Utilities 110 90 100
For more reading on cost of living around Washington, check out:
Federal Way Cost of Living Vs. WA

Federal Way, WA Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Washington, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2017-2021. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Federal Way is $384,200.

  • The Median Rent in Federal Way is $1,487.

  • The Median Income in Federal Way is $72,969.

  • The Home Value To Income in Federal Way is 5.3x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Federal Way is 0.24x.

Statistic Federal Way Washington United States
Median Home Value $384,200 $397,600 $244,900
Median Rent $1,487 $1,439 $1,163
Median Income $72,969 $82,400 $69,021
Home Value To Income 5.3x 4.8x 3.5x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.24x 0.21x 0.2x
Search Homes For Sale In Federal Way, WA
$384,200
Median Home Value
$1,487
Median Rent
$72,969
Median Income

Federal Way, WA Costs By Category

Detailed Federal Way Services Costs Vs. Washington

Item Federal Way Washington
Shampoo $1.13 $1.06
Movie $14.7 $10.68
Bowling $21.8 $14.67
Haircut $39.33 $18.62
Beauty Salon $50.33 $39.05

Detailed Federal Way Groceries Costs Vs. Washington

Item Federal Way Washington
Ground Beef $5.74 $4.22
Fried Chicken $2.15 $1.39
Milk $2.5 $2.05
Potatoes $3.5 $3.29
Pizza $13.12 $10.62
Beer $10.49 $9.38
Toothpaste $3.44 $2.34

Detailed Federal Way Health Costs Vs. Washington

Item Federal Way Washington
Optometrist $158.73 $108.57
Doctor $136.39 $116.17
Dentist $143.77 $99.13

Detailed Federal Way Transportation Costs Vs. Washington

Item Federal Way Washington
Gasoline $3.19 $2.22
Tire Balancing $66.49 $50.07

Detailed Federal Way Utilities Costs Vs. Washington

Item Federal Way Washington
All Electricity $186.95 $167.67
Phone $194.23 $175.64

Federal Way SnackAbility

8
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8/10
Housing
9
Affordability
4
Diversity
10
Safety
5
Amenities
9.5
Education
8
Commute
3

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Federal Way

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Federal Way. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Tacoma, WA has a cost of living index of 111, 0.8x Federal Way.

  • Lakewood, WA has a cost of living index of 115, 0.9x Federal Way.

  • Puyallup, WA has a cost of living index of 120, 0.9x Federal Way.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Federal Way
Tacoma, WA 217,332 111 0.8x
Lakewood, WA 62,972 115 0.9x
Puyallup, WA 42,366 120 0.9x
Parkland, WA 38,092 109 0.8x
Des Moines, WA 32,631 131 1.0x
Lakeland North, WA 14,161 132 1.0x
Lakeland South, WA 12,696 132 1.0x
Gig Harbor, WA 11,505 141 1.1x
Fife, WA 10,869 126 1.0x
Sumner, WA 10,545 127 1.0x

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