Tacoma receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Federal Way
Tacoma
Opportunity
37 · Bottom 13%
vs47 · Bottom 31%
Growth
28 · Bottom 14%
vs71 · Top 15%
Climate
74 · Top 35%
vs74 · Top 35%
Physical resilience
41 · Bottom 31%
vs33 · Bottom 26%
Housing affordability
54 · Bottom 14%
vs62 · Bottom 23%
Access
95 · Top 40%
vs91 · Bottom 47%
Economic stability
59 · Bottom 48%
vs61 · Top 49%
Measured values
| Metric | Federal Way | Tacoma | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 99,493 | 222,758 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $86,909 | $85,884 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $40,975 | $45,650 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 4,459/sq mi | 4,480/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $552,800 | $479,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,797 | $1,676 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 55.3% | 55.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.6% | 5.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.6% | -1.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 30.8% | 34.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 13.0% | 12.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 93 | 1,267 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.9 | 5.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -8.8% | 155.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 77°F | 76°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 38°F | 36°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 39.3" | 42.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 10 mi | 15 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 34.7 min | 30.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.4 | 37.2 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 32 | 62 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 18.18 | 19.10 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 73.4% | 56.9% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Federal Way
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Tacoma
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Federal Way
55
Your Score
49
Area Score
Tacoma
63
Your Score
57
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Federal Way, WA · Tacoma, WA · How this is calculated: methodology