What percentage of people rent in Federal Way, WA?

Name: Renters and owners in Federal Way, WA, 2020–2024
Creator: US Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

44.7% (±2.1 points) of the occupied homes in Federal Way, WA are rented (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

That is 15,960 renting households against 19,757 that own their home.

In Federal Way, the share of households that rent went from 44.2% in 2015–2019 to 44.7% in 2020–2024 (+0.5 percentage points), not a measurable change.

Figures last updated on November 12, 2026.

Households that rent: 44.7% (±2.1 points)
Renting households: 15,960 (±893)
Median renter income: $61,305 (±$5,153)

Who rents and who owns in Federal Way

Tenure, estimate (90% margin of error)
	Federal Way	King County	Washington	United States
Renter-occupied share	44.7% (±2.1 points)	44.6% (±0.4 points)	36.2% (±0.3 points)	34.8%
Renting households	15,960 (±893)	419,249 (±3,837)	1,110,043 (±7,257)	45,017,354
Owning households	19,757 (±773)	521,805 (±3,926)	1,954,777 (±10,007)	84,210,142
Average renter household size	2.7 (±0.1)	2.1 (±0.0)	2.2 (±0.0)	2.3
Average owner household size	2.8 (±0.1)	2.7 (±0.0)	2.7 (±0.0)	2.6
Median renter household income	$61,305 (±$5,153)	$85,547 (±$1,255)	$66,868 (±$600)	$52,966
Median owner household income	$113,436 (±$5,037)	$166,370 (±$1,692)	$119,764 (±$583)	$100,009

In Federal Way, the renter share is not measurably different from King County (44.6%).

It is also higher than in Washington (36.2%).

It is higher than the national figure (34.8%).

In King County, Federal Way ranks 8 of 59 places with a published estimate, from highest to lowest renter share.

Statewide, it ranks 65 of 472.

Rankings use the estimates alone; where margins of error overlap, neighboring ranks may not truly differ.

How renting in Federal Way has changed since 2015–2019

2015–2019 and 2020–2024 American Community Survey 5-year estimates
	2015–2019	2020–2024	Amount of change	Verdict
Households that rent	44.2% (±1.6 points)	44.7% (±2.1 points)	+0.5 percentage points	Not a measurable change
Median gross rent	$1,334 (±$31)	$1,797 (±$41)	+34.7%	Up after inflation
Median household income	$67,347 (±$2,039)	$86,909 (±$3,723)	+29.0%	No measurable change after inflation

The Census Bureau publishes 2015–2019 dollars in 2019 dollars and 2020–2024 dollars in 2024 dollars.

Prices (the CPI-U, US Bureau of Labor Statistics) rose 22.7% between 2019 and 2024, so a dollar figure’s verdict compares the two after raising the earlier one by that much, using the Census Bureau’s test for a difference.

The two periods do not overlap, as the Census Bureau recommends for 5-year estimates.

Households that rent in places near Federal Way

Nearest places with a published estimate, compared with Federal Way
Place	Distance	Households that rent	Compared with this place
Federal Way	—	44.7% (±2.1 points)	—
Lakeland North	3.1 mi	28.3% (±7.2 points)	Lower
Lakeland South	3.5 mi	24.1% (±5.4 points)	Lower
Fife Heights	3.5 mi	4.0% (±2.9 points)	Lower
Milton	4.2 mi	45.0% (±6.2 points)	Not measurably different
Algona	4.6 mi	16.9% (±8.5 points)	Lower
Pacific	5.3 mi	41.8% (±9.8 points)	Not measurably different
Des Moines	5.4 mi	39.4% (±3.1 points)	Lower
Fife	5.5 mi	53.7% (±4.4 points)	Higher

Nearby places with a measurably lower figure: Lakeland North, WA (28.3%), Lakeland South, WA (24.1%), Fife Heights, WA (4.0%).

Nearby places with a measurably higher figure: Fife, WA (53.7%).

Distance is measured in a straight line between the Census Bureau’s internal points for each place.

Households that rent across King County, place by place

Rank	Place	Households that rent
2	Redmond	56.8% (±1.9 points)
3	Seattle	56.3% (±0.6 points)
4	SeaTac	53.5% (±4.7 points)
5	Boulevard Park	50.4% (±11.7 points)
6	Bellevue	48.0% (±1.4 points)
7	Renton	45.6% (±2.0 points)
8	Federal Way	44.7% (±2.1 points)
9	White Center	44.5% (±5.2 points)
10	Burien	43.4% (±3.1 points)
11	Kent	42.8% (±1.8 points)
12	Woodinville	42.7% (±4.4 points)
13	Issaquah	42.6% (±3.4 points)
14	Pacific	41.8% (±9.8 points)

Showing 13 of 59 places in King County, ranked from highest to lowest.

Survey years: 2020–2024 (American Community Survey 5-year estimates), compared with 2015–2019.

Margins of error are at the 90% confidence level.

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Questions about Federal Way

How many renters are there in Federal Way?

Federal Way has an estimated 15,960 (±893) renting households, 44.7% of its occupied homes (2020–2024 American Community Survey).

Is renting growing in Federal Way?

In Federal Way, the share of households that rent went from 44.2% in 2015–2019 to 44.7% in 2020–2024 (+0.5 percentage points), not a measurable change.

How big are renting households in Federal Way?

A renting household in Federal Way has 2.7 people on average, against 2.8 in an owned home.

How much do renters earn in Federal Way?

The median renting household in Federal Way, WA has an income of $61,305 (±$5,153) a year, against $113,436 for households that own their home.

Sources

To check these figures in the Census Bureau’s own API, request the variables below from the 2024 ACS 5-year data profile (acs/acs5/profile) and detailed tables (acs/acs5) for Federal Way city, Washington (place:23515, in state:53).

Each estimate (E or PE) has a margin of error beside it (M or PM).

The 2015–2019 figures are DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, B25064_001E, B25064_001M, B19013_001E, B19013_001M from the 2019 release.

The API needs a free key.

Request a Census API key.

DP04_0047PE, DP04_0047PM, DP04_0047E, DP04_0047M, DP04_0046E, DP04_0046M, DP04_0049E, DP04_0049M, DP04_0048E, DP04_0048M, B25119_003E, B25119_003M, B25119_002E, B25119_002M

This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.

Figures are published by the US Census Bureau, HUD, the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the FBI; Seayora reproduces them and does not adjust them, except where a sentence says it compares dollar figures after inflation. They describe the whole place, not any one building or street, and are not an appraisal, a rent determination, a tax bill, a safety rating or legal advice.