What it's like to live in Fife
Fife is a small city in Washington with household incomes running above the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Fife deals with rent well above the national average, home prices well above the national average, crime rates above the national average, and larger class sizes than the national average.
The good
- Higher-than-average incomes
The not so good
- Rent well above the national average
- High home prices
- Crime above national average
- High student-teacher ratio
- High rent burden for renters
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Fife compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Fife
Based on Fife's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$3,778
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $75,560 a year
- 52% of Fife renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$108,620
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $54,310
- Homes cost 6.0× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▲ 34% above US
$1,889/mo median rent
Rent runs on the higher side, at $1,889 a month median. Whether that premium makes sense usually comes down to the local job market and what it pays. Home prices are steep, with a median around $543,100. Renting first to get a feel for the city before buying is often the more practical route.
Median home value $543,100 · 52% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
5.0% county unemployment
Unemployment in Pierce County is 5.0%, somewhat above the national average of 4.3%. Lining up work before the move is the safer route. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Pierce County (county-wide)
Safety▲ 193% above US
966 violent crimes per 100k
Crime is a real factor here, with violent rates significantly above the national average. That doesn't make the whole city a write-off, but it does mean specific neighborhoods deserve real research before signing a lease.
Property crime 3745/100k · Fife Police Department · 2025 data
Getting aroundNear US average
27 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 26.9 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 11% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are comfortable, with highs around 75°F, and winters are chilly but manageable, with lows around 37°F. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Education & workforce▼ 23% below US
28% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 28%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
4 public schools inside the boundary
There are 4 public schools inside the boundary and 2 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 19:1, slightly above the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Klondike Gold Rush - Seattle Unit National Historical Park (25 miles away). There are 6 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Fife's strongest point is household incomes running above the national average; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and home prices well above the national average. A year of median rent ($1,889/mo) equals 25% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It may be a harder fit for renters on a tight budget and anyone who doesn't drive.
Other places near Fife
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