Federal Way, WA

Federal Way, Washington

Introduction to Federal Way, Washington

Federal Way is situated between Seattle and Tacoma in King County and is known as a bedroom community. The city is bordered on the west by Puget Sound. It's the seventh largest city in the state of Washington. Retail and services companies are major employers.

Weyerhaeuser, a timber based corporation, and World Vision are two of the city's prominent companies. The region's technology corridor is about thirty minutes away. The city has a large Korean-American community.

History

The area was established during the late 1800's as a logging settlement. Near the end of the 1950's the city included numerous neighborhoods and a notable commercial district. The name Federal Way was first used by a local school district and in the 1950's was taken as the name for the city by the Chamber of Commerce. During the 1960's residential districts expanded and included the residences of Boeing employees and executives from Weyerhaeuser. During the 1970's and the 1980's the population and the retail industry experienced rapid growth.

Activities

Federal Way features numerous parks and trails. Celebration Park is one of the top soccer and softball venues located on the West Coast. Steel Lake Park is situated along a lakefront and incldudes a boat launch. Dumas Bay Center is a beautiful acreage located on the Puget Sound. The West Hylebos Wetlands Park provides scenic hiking trails.

The Weyerhaeuser/King County Aquatic Center hosts numerous national and international swimming and diving competitions. A vast trail system traverses through the city which is utilized for activities and enjoying the natural environment. Residents and visitors enjoy taking walks along waterfront parks. Redondo Beach is a popular location along the Puget Sound.

Attractions

• Knutzen Family Theatre features a variety of performances.
• Festival Days.
• Rhododendron Species Foundation and Botanical Garden features more than 10,000 rhododendrons and is located in a scenic wooded area.
• Wild Waves Theme Park is the biggest amusement park in the area.
• The Commons at Federal Way is a popular shopping mall.
• The Hanwoori Korean festival is a notable event which includes numerous activities for families.
• Numerous Korean Restaurants.

Nearby Attractions

There are numerous noteworthy attractions in the region including Vashon Island, Winter Bird Wonderland, Commencement Bay and Maury Island.

Transportation

Federal Way is served by the Sea-Tac Airport.

High Points

Federal Way strengths, compared to Peers (similar size places nationally) or State (other places in Washington):

Category	Trophy
Racial Diversity (vs. State)	Top 5%
Public Transportation Use (vs. State)	Top 8%
Well-Paid Single Women (vs. State)	Top 18%

Comparative Profile of Federal Way, WA

Comparing Federal Way to similar size places nationwide (Peers) and to other places in Washington (State):

Ratings range from (lowest) to (highest).

The People

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
Children Under 5 Years Old
Male Share of the Population
Well-Paid Single Men
Racial Diversity
Well-Paid Single Women
Female Share of the Population
Age of the Population
Senior Citizens

Families

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
Average Household Size
Portion of People Married

Wealth

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
Median Family Income
People in Middle Class or Better
College Educated Adults
People Above Poverty

Commute & Sprawl

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
Public Transportation Use
Working at Home
Walking and Biking to Work
Short Commute Times

Housing

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
Housing Recently Built
Studio & One-Bedroom Rentals
People Living Alone
Affordability of Rents
Affordability of Property Taxes
Seasonal and Vacation Housing

Crime

Characteristic	Compared to Peers	Compared to State
Low Violent Crime
Low Property Crime

Federal Way Almanac

Federal Way Climate

Nearest Weather Stations

• Temp ranges are avg daily min and max for the month
• Precipitation is rainfall (and rainfall equiv of snowfall)

Federal Way Population (2000)

(From 2000 Census, as reported by individuals)

Nearby Cities and Towns

Federal Way Hospitals

ST FRANCIS COMMUNITY HOSPITAL
(Voluntary non-profit - Church)
34515 9TH AVENUE SOUTH
(253) 944-8100
Emergency Service: Yes

Starbucks in Federal Way

Federal Way High Schools (2004)

DECATUR HIGH SCHOOL
2800 SW 320TH ST
253-945-5200
Serves 1,726 students.
Student/teacher ratio: 24

FEDERAL WAY SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
30611 16TH AV S
253-945-5400
Serves 1,686 students.
Student/teacher ratio: 23.4

TODD BEAMER HIGH SCHOOL
35999 16TH AV S
253-945-2570
Serves 1,156 students.
Student/teacher ratio: 22.2

INTERNET ACADEMY
32020 1ST AV S
253-945-2230
A Non-traditional School
Serves 270 students.

H. S. TRUMAN HIGH SCHOOL
31455 28TH AV S
253-945-5800
A Non-traditional School
Serves 201 students.
Student/teacher ratio: 14.4

EMPLOYMENT TRANSITION PROGRAM
30611 16TH AV S
253-945-2084
A Non-traditional School
Serves 28 students.

MERIT SCHOOL
36001 1ST AV S
253-945-5860
A Special Education School
Serves 7 students.
Student/teacher ratio: 3.5

Federal Way Colleges

Click school name for a detailed profile.

DeVry University

Gene Juarez Academy of Beauty

Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University

(List of All Washington Colleges)

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