Signals
Spanaway
Federal Way
Climate
74 · Top 35%
vs74 · Top 35%
Physical resilience
33 · Bottom 25%
vs41 · Bottom 31%
Housing affordability
73 · Bottom 38%
vs54 · Bottom 14%
Access
85 · Bottom 29%
vs95 · Top 40%
Economic stability
69 · Top 32%
vs59 · Bottom 48%
Measured values
| Metric | Spanaway | Federal Way | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 34,019 | 99,493 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $98,251 | $86,909 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $39,332 | $40,975 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,890/sq mi | 4,459/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $445,700 | $552,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,813 | $1,797 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 73.7% | 55.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.6% | 30.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.8% | 13.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 76°F | 77°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 36°F | 38°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 42.0" | 39.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 25 mi | 10 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 39.3 min | 34.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 33.7 | 37.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 14 | 32 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 19.82 | 18.18 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 59.5% | 73.4% | 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
Spanaway
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.
Spanaway
67
Your Score
—
Area Score
Federal Way
55
Your Score
49
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Spanaway, WA · Federal Way, WA · How this is calculated: methodology