Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Bellevue, WA
VS
Cambridge, MA
🏆 Bellevue leads 15 of 23 categories
Bellevue
Washington
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
113.0⚠ High
Median Household Income
$149,551 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
36 ✓ Safer
Population
150,606 ✓ Larger
Cambridge
Massachusetts
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$121,539
Violent Crime Index
115⚠ High
Population
117,962
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Bellevue, WA
Pros
68% less violent crime than Cambridge
Households earn $28,012 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (138.6 vs 380/100k)
Rent averages $206/mo less ($2,422 vs $2,628)
Milder winters — January highs near 47°F vs 37°F
Cooler summers — July highs near 77°F vs 85°F
Cons
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 113.0)
Pricier housing — median home is $1,139,500
Property crime (3339.5/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (4.0% vs 3.3%)
Cambridge, MA
Pros
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.7 pts lower (3.3%)
Homes cost $142k less ($997,600 vs $1,139,500)
More college-educated — 79.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 9.4:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Bellevue by $28,012/yr
Property crime (2644.3/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 111.6)
Higher rents — median is $2,628/mo
Key Differences at a Glance
Bellevue
Median Income
$28,012
$149,551 vs $121,539/yr
Bellevue
Violent Crime
68% lower
138.6 vs 436.7 per 100k
Cambridge
Cost of Living
1% cheaper
COL index 111.6 vs 113.0 (100 = US avg)
Cambridge
Median Home Value
$142k less
$997,600 vs $1,139,500
Cambridge
Unemployment
0.7 pp lower
3.3% vs 4.0% unemployment
Cambridge
Summer Heat
8.2°F warmer
July avg high 84.7°F vs 76.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Bellevue, WA | Cambridge, MA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 113.0⚠ High | 111.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,139,500⚠ High | $997,600⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,422⚠ High ✓ Lower | $2,628⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $149,551 ✓ Higher | $121,539 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.0%⚠ High | 3.3% ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.6 min ✓ Shorter | 26.2 min |
| Work From Home % | 29.9% ✓ Higher | 25.1% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 85 ✓ Safer | 119⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 36 ✓ Safer | 115⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 159⚠ High | 126⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (115) | A+ (135) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 17.8:1 | 9.4:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.0% | 79.9% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 95.9% ✓ Higher | 95.6% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Bellevue School District | Cambridge |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 47.4°F ✓ Warmer | 37.0°F |
| Avg High — July | 76.5°F | 84.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.9" ✓ Drier | 49.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.8" ✓ Less | 49.2" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 150,606 ✓ Larger | 117,962 |
| Median Age | 38.3 ✓ Older | 30.6 |
| Homeownership Rate | 51.7% ✓ Higher | 33.6% |
| Under 18 | 20.0% ✓ More | 12.2% |
| Over 65 | 14.6% ✓ More | 11.9% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Bellevue's cost of living index is 113.0 vs Cambridge's 111.6 (US average = 100).
Cambridge is 1% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Bellevue leads 15 of 23 categories. Bellevue wins 15 and Cambridge wins 8. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Bellevue to Cambridge or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,139,500 vs $997,600 median home), income ($149,551 vs $121,539), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Bellevue, WA and Cambridge, MA are about 2,474 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.