Federal Way is a city in King County, Washington, in the United States. It's part of the larger Seattle metropolitan area. Federal Way is one of the newest cities in King County. In 2020, about 101,030 people lived there. This makes Federal Way the 10th largest city in Washington state and the 5th largest in King County.

History of Federal Way
Geography of Federal Way
- Parks and Outdoor Spaces
- Climate in Federal Way
Economy and Fun Things to Do
- Major Employers in Federal Way
- Downtown Development Projects
People of Federal Way
- Population by Race and Ethnicity (2020)
Media in Federal Way
Transportation
Famous People from Federal Way
Sister Cities
See also

History of Federal Way

How Federal Way Got Its Name

Federal Way started as a place where people cut down trees for wood. In 1929, the area was first called "Federal Way" because of a school district. The name came from U.S. Route 99, which was a major highway. This highway was built by the federal government and connected the cities of Seattle and Tacoma.

In 1929, five schools joined together to form School District No. 210. They planned to build Federal Way High School, which opened in 1930. The school district then took the name "Federal Way." Later, in the early 1950s, the local business group also started using the name.

Becoming a City

People in Federal Way tried to make it an official city several times. They voted on it in 1971, 1981, and 1985, but each time the idea was turned down. Finally, on February 28, 1990, the voters said "yes"! Federal Way officially became a city. The special event to celebrate this happened at a bowling alley called Sportsworld Lanes.

City Growth and Changes

After becoming a city, Federal Way looked at nearby areas that were not yet part of any city. The goal was to add these areas to Federal Way. In 2004, the city added the Northlake, East Redondo, and Parkway neighborhoods. This brought in over 2,700 more people and almost 1 square mile (2.6 square kilometers) of land.

In 2007, the city wanted to add even more land to its east side. This area was called East Federal Way. If this had happened, Federal Way would have become the sixth largest city in Washington state. However, the people living in East Federal Way voted against joining Federal Way. They preferred to stay under the direct control of King County. They worried about more buildings and higher taxes, even though studies showed taxes would not change.

Geography of Federal Way

Federal Way is located in the southwest part of King County. The city covers about 23.72 square miles (61.43 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, about 22.32 square miles (57.79 square kilometers), and a smaller part is water, about 1.40 square miles (3.64 square kilometers).

The city has a few lakes, like Steel Lake and Lake Killarney.

Parks and Outdoor Spaces

Federal Way has many great parks and outdoor areas for everyone to enjoy:

Steel Lake Park is a large park next to Steel Lake. It has places for picnics, a playground, and a boat launch.
Celebration Park offers sports fields and trails through wooded areas. It's also a popular spot for Independence Day fireworks.
Dash Point State Park is the only park in the city right on the waterfront. It has hiking trails and a campground.

The beach at Dash Point State Park in western Federal Way

West Hylebos Wetlands Park has trails that go through wetlands. You can also see two old buildings here: the Barker Cabin, built in 1883 (the city's oldest known building), and the Denny Cabin, built in 1889.
Dumas Bay Centre Park has a beach, picnic spots, and a walking trail.
Lakota Park is a great place for sports with baseball, softball, and football fields, plus a running track.
Saghalie Park has a basketball court, a running track, a playground, soccer and football fields, sand volleyball, tennis courts, and baseball courts.
The BPA Trail is a 3-mile (4.8 km) paved path that follows an electricity line. It's great for walking or biking.

Climate in Federal Way

Federal Way has a climate where summers are warm and dry, but not too hot. The average monthly temperatures don't go above 71.6°F (22°C). This type of weather is called a "warm-summer Mediterranean climate."

Economy and Fun Things to Do

Federal Way has a mix of businesses and fun places to visit.

The former Weyerhaeuser headquarters

For a long time, Federal Way was home to Weyerhaeuser, a very large company that owns a lot of timberland. Weyerhaeuser used to let the public visit some of its land, including two beautiful gardens: the Rhododendron Species Foundation and Botanical Garden and the Pacific Bonsai Museum. In 2014, Weyerhaeuser moved its main office. Federal Way is also where the US headquarters for World Vision International, a global charity, is located.

Other popular spots in the city include the Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatic Center. This center has an Olympic-sized swimming pool. It has even hosted big events like the 1990 Goodwill Games and trials for the 2012 US Olympic Swim & Dive teams.

The 40-acre (16 ha) PowellsWood Garden is another beautiful place to visit. It's known for its amazing plants and flower beds. This land was bought in 1993 to protect a green space as the city grew.

Wild Waves Theme & Water Park is the biggest amusement park in the area. It opened in 1977 and is the only permanent amusement park near Seattle. It has lots of rides and water slides for a fun day out.

Federal Way is also known for its shopping centers. The Commons at Federal Way is the city's only indoor shopping mall. It's a popular place for shopping and dining.

Major Employers in Federal Way

Many people work in Federal Way. Here are some of the biggest employers:

Federal Way Public Schools (schools)
World Vision International (charity)
CHI Franciscan Health - St. Francis Hospital (hospital)
United States Postal Service (mail service)
Washington Conference of Seventh-Day Adventists (religious organization)
Walmart Supercenter #3794 (retail store)
Community Integrated Services (services)
Costco (warehouse store)
City of Federal Way (city government)
Virginia Mason Federal Way Medical Center (medical center)
Fred Meyer (retail store)
Korean Women's Association (community services)
Walmart Discount Store #2571 (retail store)
MAKSU Inc. (business)
The Home Depot (home improvement store)

Downtown Development Projects

The city of Federal Way has worked on plans to improve its downtown area. In 2007, the city bought land where an old movie theater used to be. They wanted to build new towers with shops, offices, and homes. This project was called "Symphony." However, due to money problems, the plans changed many times.

Later, different developers tried to build tall mixed-use towers, but they also faced financial challenges. Eventually, in 2014, the land was turned into a park called Town Square Park.

Another important project was the Performing Arts & Event Center (PAEC). This center opened in August 2017 and hosts shows and events for the community.

In 2014, a large 60-foot (18 m) flagpole was put up in downtown Federal Way. It flies a big 15 by 25-foot (4.6 by 7.6 m) flag. This flagpole and a part of South 320th Street, now called "Veterans Way," honor veterans.

People of Federal Way

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1990	67,554	—
2000	83,259	23.2%
2010	89,306	7.3%
2020	101,030	13.1%
2023 (est.)	97,701	9.4%
U.S. Decennial Census 2020 Census

Federal Way is a diverse city. In 2023, there were about 37,759 homes, with an average of 2.71 people living in each. The average household income was about $81,997. About 14% of the people in the city live below the poverty line. Many adults in Federal Way have a high school diploma (90.7%) and a good number have a college degree (34.7%).

People in Federal Way come from many different backgrounds. Some of the most common reported ancestries include German, Subsaharan African, English, Irish, and Asian. The average age of people in Federal Way is about 38.6 years old.

Population by Race and Ethnicity (2020)

In 2020, Federal Way had 101,030 people. Here's a look at the different groups:

White: 41.02%
African American: 14.42%
Native American: 1.16%
Asian: 15.46%
Pacific Islander: 4.06%
Other races: 11.54%
Two or more races: 12.35%
People of Hispanic or Latino background (who can be of any race) made up 20.06% of the population.

About 23% of residents were under 18 years old, and 14.2% were 65 or older.

Media in Federal Way

Federal Way has its own newspaper called the Federal Way Mirror. People in the city also get news from larger media sources in both Seattle and Tacoma.

Transportation

Federal Way Transit Center, pictured in 2017

Federal Way is connected by major roads. Interstate 5 (I-5) has exits that serve the city. State Route 99, also known as the Pacific Highway, also runs through Federal Way.

The Federal Way Transit Center opened in 2006. It's a hub for bus services. There's also a project underway to extend Sound Transit's Link light rail system to the Federal Way Transit Center. This will make it easier for people to travel to other cities like SeaTac and Seattle. The light rail line is expected to open in 2025 or 2026.

Famous People from Federal Way

Many talented people have come from Federal Way, including:

Tony Barnette, a professional baseball player
Mario Batali, a famous chef and TV personality
J. R. Celski, an Olympic medalist in speed skating
Hank Conger, a professional baseball player
Sylvia Day, a novelist
Michael Dickerson, a professional basketball player
Benson Henderson, a mixed martial artist
Travis Ishikawa, a professional baseball player
Sam Kim, a singer-songwriter
Floyd Little, a professional American football player
Sanjaya Malakar, a singer who was on American Idol
Jaden McDaniels, a professional basketball player
Jalen McDaniels, a professional basketball player
Apolo Ohno, an Olympic medalist in speed skating
Kelyn Rowe, a professional soccer player
Kyle Secor, an actor
DeAndre Yedlin, a professional soccer player
Iam Tongi, a singer

Sister Cities

Federal Way has special connections with cities in other countries. These are called "sister cities":

Donghae, Gangwon Province, South Korea
Hachinohe, Aomori Prefecture, Japan
Rivne, Rivne Oblast, Ukraine

Federal Way, Washington facts for kids

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