Federal Way, WA Cost Of Living
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 132, 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 #95 cheapest in Washington out of 192.
Federal Way ranks as the #5,080 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Federal Way is $585,410.
The median income in Federal Way is $82,144.
Table Of Contents
Federal Way's Overall Cost Of Living
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 132, 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 118.
The standard of living in Federal Way ranks as #95 most affordable out of the 192 places we measured in Washington. By definition, that implies Federal Way ranks as the #97 most expensive place in the Evergreen State.
For more reading on life in Federal Way, check out:
In Washington
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 119.
The Groceries index in Federal Way is 114.
The Health index in Federal Way is 127.
The Housing index in Federal Way is 181.
The Transportation index in Federal Way is 125.
The Utilities index in Federal Way is 93.
| Living Expense | Federal Way | Washington | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 132 | 118 | 100 | |
| Services | 119 | 111 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 114 | 112 | 100 | |
| Health | 127 | 122 | 100 | |
| Housing | 181 | 135 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 125 | 124 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 93 | 91 | 100 | |
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 2019-2023. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Federal Way is $585,410.
The Median Rent in Federal Way is $1,738.
The Median Income in Federal Way is $82,144.
The Home Value To Income in Federal Way is 7.1x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Federal Way is 0.25x.
| Statistic | Federal Way | Washington | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $585,410 | $595,737 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $1,738 | $1,682 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $82,144 | $94,952 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 7.1x | 6.3x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.25x | 0.21x | 0.21x |
Median Home Value
Median Rent
Median Income
Federal Way, WA Costs By Category
Detailed Federal Way Services Costs Vs. Washington
| Item | Federal Way | Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.38 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $11.92 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $21.09 | $18 |
| Haircut | $23.76 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $54.27 | $45.56 |
Detailed Federal Way Groceries Costs Vs. Washington
| Item | Federal Way | Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $5.71 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $2.55 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $5.14 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $3.87 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $15.13 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $11.74 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $4.15 | $3.7 |
Detailed Federal Way Health Costs Vs. Washington
| Item | Federal Way | Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $191.81 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $192.99 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $127.12 | $113.29 |
Detailed Federal Way Transportation Costs Vs. Washington
| Item | Federal Way | Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $4.2 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $78.74 | $59.92 |
Detailed Federal Way Utilities Costs Vs. Washington
| Item | Federal Way | Washington |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $169.3 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $204.78 | $192.25 |
Federal Way SnackAbility
/10
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 130, 1.0x Federal Way.
Lakewood, WA has a cost of living index of 127, 1.0x Federal Way.
Puyallup, WA has a cost of living index of 135, 1.0x Federal Way.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Federal Way |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tacoma, WA | 220,482 | 130 | 1.0x |
| Lakewood, WA | 63,034 | 127 | 1.0x |
| Puyallup, WA | 42,642 | 135 | 1.0x |
| Parkland, WA | 39,174 | 122 | 0.9x |
| Des Moines, WA | 32,545 | 137 | 1.0x |
| Lakeland North, WA | 14,664 | 136 | 1.0x |
| Lakeland South, WA | 12,869 | 137 | 1.0x |
| Gig Harbor, WA | 12,202 | 154 | 1.2x |
| Fife, WA | 10,902 | 133 | 1.0x |
| Sumner, WA | 10,674 | 134 | 1.0x |
