Monroe receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Monroe
Federal Way
Opportunity
49 · Bottom 36%
vs37 · Bottom 13%
Growth
49 · Bottom 47%
vs28 · Bottom 14%
Climate
74 · Top 35%
vs74 · Top 35%
Physical resilience
45 · Bottom 35%
vs41 · Bottom 31%
Housing affordability
64 · Bottom 26%
vs54 · Bottom 14%
Access
84 · Bottom 27%
vs95 · Top 40%
Economic stability
65 · Top 40%
vs59 · Bottom 48%
Measured values
| Metric | Monroe | Federal Way | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 19,755 | 99,493 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $110,461 | $86,909 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $43,626 | $40,975 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,099/sq mi | 4,459/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $668,400 | $552,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,950 | $1,797 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 71.5% | 55.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.0% | 5.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.5% | -1.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 30.0% | 30.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 7.3% | 13.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 79 | 93 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.0 | 0.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -11.2% | -8.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 72°F | 77°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 37°F | 38°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 33.4" | 39.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 27 mi | 10 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 34.7 min | 34.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.7 | 37.4 | 2024 ACS 5-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
Monroe
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Federal Way
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.
Monroe
61
Your Score
57
Area Score
Federal Way
55
Your Score
49
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Monroe, WA · Federal Way, WA · How this is calculated: methodology