The Town FilesFife Heights, Washington
Community in Pierce County · population 1,882 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $712,400
- Household income
- $157,292
- Jan low / Jul high
- 37° / 77°
- Snow a year
- 5 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 5
- Median age
- 39.2
Fife Heights is a community of 1,882 people in Pierce County, Washington. The median home is worth $712,400, above the typical Washington town ($475,000). It ranks more vibrant than 99% of Washington towns, better transit than 97% of Washington towns, better for cycling than 73% of Washington towns.
How Fife Heights ranks
Percentile among Washington towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Washington towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Fife Heights is worth $712,400, above the typical Washington town ($475,000). Homes cost about 4.5 times the median household income of $157,292, which is more affordable than 74% of Washington towns. Median rent is $2,542 a month. 96.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Fife Heights | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $712,400 | $475,000 |
| Median rent | $2,542 | $1,597 |
| Median household income | $157,292 | $90,625 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.5× | 5.3× |
| Homeownership | 96.0% | 74.4% |
| Median year built | 1987 | 1985 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Fife Heights
| People | Fife Heights | Typical Washington town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.2 | 40.1 |
| Age 65 and over | 11.1% | 17.9% |
| Under 18 | 25.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 35.1% | 27.6% |
| Below the poverty line | 2.4% | 8.5% |
| Veterans | 8.7% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 16.1% | — |
| Work from home | 15.5% | 13.4% |
| Average commute | 25.2 min | 27.1 min |
| Homes with broadband | 99.2% | 93.9% |
Weather in Fife Heights
July highs average 76.8°F and January lows 37.4°F. About 40.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 4.9 inches of snow (typical Washington town: 4.0 in). Expect about 1 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 27 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Fife Heights since 1950, compared with 1 for the typical Washington town. The strongest, an F1, struck on June 27, 2001 about 9.3 miles from the town center. The most recent was on June 27, 2001.
Severe weather in Pierce County since 1996
Pierce County has been included in 26 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, biological.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| April 7, 2026 | Flood | DR-4906: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| December 12, 2025 | Flood | EM-3629: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| September 9, 2020 | Fire | FM-5360: Sumner Grade Fire |
| March 22, 2020 | Biological | DR-4481: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3427: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Pierce County
Pierce County had 333,492 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $70,395 a year. Unemployment was 4.7% in 2023; in Fife Heights itself the ACS puts it at 4.5%.
Towns near Fife Heights
- Milton, WA1.5 mi · 8,697 people · home $539,700
- Fife, WA2.0 mi · 10,999 people · home $543,100
- Lakeland South, WA3.1 mi · 13,169 people · home $589,300
- Edgewood, WA3.4 mi · 12,327 people · home $712,000
- Federal Way, WA3.5 mi · 101,030 people · home $552,800
- Waller, WA4.0 mi · 8,189 people · home $512,200
- Pacific, WA4.4 mi · 7,235 people · home $489,100
- Algona, WA4.7 mi · 3,290 people · home $441,500
Fife Heights questions
Is Fife Heights, Washington a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Fife Heights scores better for retirees than 7% of Washington towns and quieter than 35%. 11.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.2).
How much does a house cost in Fife Heights?
The median owner-occupied home in Fife Heights is valued at $712,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $157,292, so homes cost about 4.5 times income. Median rent is $2,542 a month.
What is the weather like in Fife Heights?
July highs average 76.8°F and January lows 37.4°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 40.8 inches of precipitation a year and 4.9 inches of snow.
Does Fife Heights get tornadoes?
5 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Fife Heights since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F1 on June 27, 2001. The typical Washington town has had 1.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)