Kent, WA vs Federal Way, WA
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Kent, WA spends 35% more per resident than Federal Way, WA: $10,491 against $7,749. That gap is large enough to show up across most functional budget categories below.
Federal Way, WA holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 67/100 (grade B) against 57/100 (grade C) for Kent, WA — a 10-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
Federal Way, WA reports no outstanding debt per resident in its Census filing, while Kent, WA carries $905 per resident. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: parks and recreation leads in Kent, WA at $1,448 per resident and in Federal Way, WA at $840.
They also fund themselves differently: other revenue is the largest single revenue source in Kent, WA at 49% of total revenue, whereas Federal Way, WA relies most on intergovernmental transfers at 43%.
Summary
Kent spends 35.4% more per capita than Federal Way ($2,742/person difference). Federal Way, WA has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (B, 67/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $0 | $122 |
| Sales Tax | $272 | $220 |
| Income Tax | $89 | $59 |
| Intergovernmental | $1,884 | $1,441 |
| Charges & Fees | $1,797 | $0 |
| Other | $4,935 | $1,369 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Police | $413 | $288 |
| Fire Protection | $292 | $205 |
| Highways & Roads | -$10 | $0 |
| Public Welfare | $850 | $1,037 |
| Health | $0 | $0 |
| Hospitals | $207 | $214 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,448 | $840 |
| Housing | $3,476 | $2,945 |
| Sewerage | $36 | $0 |
| Utilities | $1,474 | $117 |
| Interest on Debt | $1 | $0 |
| Other | $2,306 | $2,103 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.