Federal Way

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Federal Way, WA Area Guide

From this great city, it truly is all within reach

Parks Outdoor Adventure Beach Mountains Commutes

Living in Federal Way places residents between Seattle and Tacoma in the scenic Puget Sound region. The city features several notable parks and outdoor spaces, including Dash Point State Park with its saltwater beach and forest trails, and the West Hylebos Wetlands Park, home to boardwalk paths through protected peat bogs. Steel Lake Park offers swimming and fishing opportunities, while Celebration Park provides sports facilities and hosts community events. The rental market shows one-bedroom apartments averaging $1,589, with rates decreasing 0.6% over the past year. Housing options range from apartments near Steel Lake to residences close to the city center.

Federal Way's downtown continues to develop around the Performing Arts & Event Center (PAEC) and The Commons at Federal Way mall. The city features distinctive attractions like the Pacific Bonsai Museum and the Rhododendron Species Botanical Garden, both located on the former Weyerhaeuser campus grounds. Town Square Park hosts community gatherings throughout the year, and Wild Waves Theme & Water Park draws visitors as the Pacific Northwest's largest water park. The city's sister city relationships with Donghae, South Korea, and Hachinohe, Japan, reflect its international connections. Current rental options include studio apartments averaging $1,272 and three-bedroom units at $2,287, spread throughout Federal Way's neighborhoods.

Rent Trends

As of March 2026, the average apartment rent in Federal Way, WA is $1,252 for a studio, $1,565 for one bedroom, $1,882 for two bedrooms, and $2,313 for three bedrooms. Apartment rent in Federal Way has decreased by -1.3% in the past year.

Property Type
Average Rent
Average Sq Ft
Apartment
$1,565/month
675 Sq Ft
House
$3,303/month
1,830 Sq Ft
See Rental Market Trends in Federal Way, WA

Getting Around

Explore how walkable, bikeable, drivable, and transit-friendly Federal Way, WA is for everyday living.

Somewhat Walkable

56 / 100

You might be able to get out and walk when living in this area. Some errands can be accomplished on foot, but for others you’ll need a car.

Some Transit

37 / 100

You'll likely want a car when living in this area since it has few transit options.

Somewhat Bikeable

45 / 100

You might be able to find places to ride your bike in this area, but you’ll most likely want your car for most errands.

Schools

Twin Lakes Elementary School

Public

Grades PK-5

Nautilus Elementary School

Public

Grades K-8

Brigadoon Elementary School

Public

Grades PK-5

Wildwood Elementary School

Public

Grades PK-5

Nautilus Elementary School

Public

Grades K-8

Sacajawea Middle School

Public

Grades 6-8

Illahee Middle School

Public

Grades K-8

Lakota Middle School

Public

Grades 6-8

Saghalie Middle School

Public

Grades 6-8

474 Students

Points of Interest

Parks and Recreation

  • Rhododendron Species Botanical Garden
  • Dash Point State Park
  • Saltwater State Park
  • Browns Point Lighthouse Park
  • Foss Waterway Seaport

Airports

  • Seattle-Tacoma International

Top Apartments in Federal Way

Houses for Rent in Federal Way

Property Management Companies in Federal Way, WA

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Methodology

† Our analysis of utilities, groceries, transportation, healthcare, home prices, and other goods and services is sourced from the Cost of Living Index, a respected benchmark published by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) that provides a thorough overview of living expenses across different regions.

Rent data is provided by CoStar Group’s Market Trend reports. As the industry leader in commercial real estate information, analytics, and news, CoStar conducts extensive research to produce and maintain a comprehensive database of commercial real estate information. We combine this data with public record to provide the most up-to-date rental information available.

Consumer goods, services, and home prices are sourced from the Cost of Living Index published by the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER). The data on this page is updated quarterly. It was last published in February 2026.