Residential comparison · 13 facts
Des Moines, WA vs Federal Way, WA
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in Des Moines needs about $82,500 in Federal Way to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Federal Way, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $87,500 in Des Moines.
A few differences
- Des Moines is higher on median household income ($92,483 vs $86,909).
- Federal Way is lower on cost of living index (122 vs 124).
- Des Moines is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($1,830/mo vs $1,837/mo).
Des Moines vs Federal Way · facet by facet
| Facet | Des Moines, WA | Federal Way, WA |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $597,000 | $552,800 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $1,830/mo | $1,837/mo |
| Property tax rate | 0.87% | 0.87% |
| State & local income tax | 0% | 0% |
| Sales tax | 9.4% | 9.4% |
| Cost of living index | 124 | 122 |
| Groceries index | 106 | 106 |
| Utilities | $155/mo | $155/mo |
| Median household income | $92,483 | $86,909 |
| Unemployment rate | 4.3% | 4.3% |
| Crime index | 50/100 | 50/100 |
| School rating | 6.5/10 | 6.5/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 155 days | 155 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: Des Moines, WA · Federal Way, WA
Questions & answers
- Is Des Moines cheaper than Federal Way?
- Federal Way has the lower day-to-day cost index (122 vs 124 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Federal Way equals $85,000 in Des Moines?
- A household earning $85,000 in Des Moines needs about $82,500 in Federal Way to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Federal Way lifestyle costs about $87,500 in Des Moines.