Signals
Union Hill-Novelty Hill
Federal Way
Opportunity
52 · Bottom 41%
vs37 · Bottom 13%
Climate
74 · Top 35%
vs74 · Top 35%
Physical resilience
41 · Bottom 32%
vs41 · Bottom 31%
Housing affordability
69 · Bottom 32%
vs54 · Bottom 14%
Access
90 · Bottom 43%
vs95 · Top 40%
Economic stability
64 · Top 43%
vs59 · Bottom 48%
Measured values
| Metric | Union Hill-Novelty Hill | Federal Way | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 23,047 | 99,493 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $185,369 | $86,909 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $99,577 | $40,975 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 951/sq mi | 4,459/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $1,218,500 | $552,800 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,556 | $1,797 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 83.5% | 55.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.9% | 5.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.6% | -1.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 71.7% | 30.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 5.7% | 13.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Average July high | 77°F | 77°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 37°F | 38°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 37.8" | 39.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 17 mi | 10 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 30.7 min | 34.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 43.9 | 37.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 32 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 18.57 | 18.18 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 7.6% | 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
Union Hill-Novelty Hill
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.
Union Hill-Novelty Hill
65
Your Score
—
Area Score
Federal Way
55
Your Score
49
Area Score
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Full profiles: Union Hill-Novelty Hill, WA · Federal Way, WA · How this is calculated: methodology