Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Bellevue, WA
VS
Cedar Rapids, IA
🏆 Cedar Rapids leads 12 of 23 categories
Bellevue
Washington
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
113.0⚠ High
Median Household Income
$149,551 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
36 ✓ Safer
Population
150,606 ✓ Larger
Cedar Rapids
Iowa
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$66,895
Violent Crime Index
69
Population
136,929
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Bellevue, WA
Pros
Households earn $82,656 more per year on average
47% less violent crime than Cedar Rapids
More college-educated — 70.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (138.6 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 47°F vs 28°F
Cooler summers — July highs near 77°F vs 83°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,139,500
Higher rents — median is $2,422/mo
Cost of living runs 23% higher than Cedar Rapids
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 113.0)
Cedar Rapids, IA
Pros
Homes cost $972k less ($167,900 vs $1,139,500)
Rent averages $1536/mo less ($886 vs $2,422)
23% cheaper overall cost of living than Bellevue
Violent crime is well below the national average (261.5 vs 380/100k)
Commutes run 6 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.0)
Cons
Median income trails Bellevue by $82,656/yr
Property crime (2689.1/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
Bellevue
Median Income
$82,656
$149,551 vs $66,895/yr
Bellevue
Violent Crime
47% lower
138.6 vs 261.5 per 100k
Cedar Rapids
Cost of Living
23% cheaper
COL index 90.0 vs 113.0 (100 = US avg)
Cedar Rapids
Median Home Value
$972k less
$167,900 vs $1,139,500
Cedar Rapids
Summer Heat
6.3°F warmer
July avg high 82.8°F vs 76.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Bellevue, WA | Cedar Rapids, IA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 113.0⚠ High | 90.0 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,139,500⚠ High | $167,900 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,422⚠ High | $886 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $149,551 ✓ Higher | $66,895 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.0%⚠ High | 3.9%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.6 min | 17.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 29.9% ✓ Higher | 10.6% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 85 ✓ Safer | 93 |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 36 ✓ Safer | 69 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 159⚠ High | 128⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (115) ✓ Better | B+ (104) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 17.8:1 | 14.4:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.0% ✓ Higher | 32.9% |
| High School or Higher | 95.9% ✓ Higher | 94.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Bellevue School District | Cedar Rapids Comm School District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 47.4°F ✓ Warmer | 27.9°F |
| Avg High — July | 76.5°F | 82.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.9" | 35.9" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.8" ✓ Less | 34.3" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 150,606 ✓ Larger | 136,929 |
| Median Age | 38.3 ✓ Older | 37.0 |
| Homeownership Rate | 51.7% | 69.6% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 20.0% | 21.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.6% | 16.2% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Bellevue's cost of living index is 113.0 vs Cedar Rapids's 90.0 (US average = 100).
Cedar Rapids is 23% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Cedar Rapids leads 12 of 23 categories. Bellevue wins 11 and Cedar Rapids wins 12. 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 Cedar Rapids or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,139,500 vs $167,900 median home), income ($149,551 vs $66,895), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Bellevue, WA and Cedar Rapids, IA are about 1,534 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.