City comparison
Federal Way, WA is about 100 miles (150 km) from Yakima, WA in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 125 miles, or about 2 h behind the wheel at highway speeds.
Driving distance is a rough estimate (great-circle × 1.25); driving time assumes a 60 mph blended average. Real trips run 10–20% longer with stops.
A direct flight from Federal Way, WA to Yakima, WA takes about 12 min, covering roughly 100 miles in a straight line. Connecting itineraries with a layover typically add 1–3 hours.
Block-to-block estimate at ~500 mph cruise, including taxi, climb, and descent — what an airline would publish, not pure airborne time.
Federal Way has a population of 99,614, vs 96,764 in Yakima — about the same size. By land area, Yakima covers about 28 sq mi vs 22 sq mi for Federal Way.
Population from US Census ACS. Land area from the Census Gazetteer (city proper, excluding inland water).
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Federal Way | Yakima | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,660/mo | $1,014/mo | 63.7% higher in Federal Way |
| Median home value | $454,300 | $243,300 | 86.7% higher in Federal Way |
| Median household income | $80,360 | $55,734 | 44.2% higher in Federal Way |
| Groceries index | 104.0 | 104.9 | 0.9% higher in Yakima |
| Utilities index | 95.7 | 94.9 | 0.9% higher in Federal Way |
| Transportation index | 106.6 | 99.9 | 6.7% higher in Federal Way |
| Healthcare index | 106.6 | 99.9 | 6.7% higher in Federal Way |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Federal Way, you'd need $72,191 in Yakima to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Yakima, WA is about 27.8% cheaper overall than Federal Way, WA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 104% higher in Federal Way than in Yakima. If you earn $80,000 in Federal Way, you'd need about $57,753 in Yakima to keep the same standard of living.