Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Bellevue, WA
VS
Cincinnati, OH
🏆 Bellevue leads 14 of 23 categories
Bellevue
Washington
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
113.0⚠ High
Median Household Income
$149,551 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
36 ✓ Safer
Population
150,606
Cincinnati
Ohio
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
94.1 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$49,191
Violent Crime Index
223⚠ High
Population
308,870 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Bellevue, WA
Pros
Households earn $100,360 more per year on average
84% less violent crime than Cincinnati
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.9 pts lower (4.0%)
More college-educated — 70.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (138.6 vs 380/100k)
Cooler summers — July highs near 77°F vs 87°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,139,500
Higher rents — median is $2,422/mo
Cost of living runs 19% higher than Cincinnati
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 113.0)
Cincinnati, OH
Pros
Homes cost $948k less ($192,000 vs $1,139,500)
Rent averages $1529/mo less ($893 vs $2,422)
19% cheaper overall cost of living than Bellevue
Living costs sit below the national average (index 94.1)
Smaller class sizes — 15.9:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Bellevue by $100,360/yr
Violent crime (845.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3829.3/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (6.9% vs 4.0%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Bellevue
Median Income
$100,360
$149,551 vs $49,191/yr
Bellevue
Violent Crime
84% lower
138.6 vs 845.6 per 100k
Bellevue
Unemployment
2.9 pp lower
4.0% vs 6.9% unemployment
Cincinnati
Cost of Living
19% cheaper
COL index 94.1 vs 113.0 (100 = US avg)
Cincinnati
Median Home Value
$948k less
$192,000 vs $1,139,500
Cincinnati
Summer Heat
10.1°F warmer
July avg high 86.6°F vs 76.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Bellevue, WA | Cincinnati, OH |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 113.0⚠ High | 94.1 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,139,500⚠ High | $192,000 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,422⚠ High | $893 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $149,551 ✓ Higher | $49,191 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.9%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.6 min | 23.4 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 29.9% ✓ Higher | 11.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 85 ✓ Safer | 206⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 36 ✓ Safer | 223⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 159⚠ High ✓ Safer | 182⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (115) ✓ Better | B (100) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 17.8:1 | 15.9:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.0% ✓ Higher | 40.5% |
| High School or Higher | 95.9% ✓ Higher | 89.1% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Bellevue School District | Cincinnati Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 47.4°F ✓ Warmer | 40.6°F |
| Avg High — July | 76.5°F | 86.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.9" | 43.4" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.8" ✓ Less | 16.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 150,606 | 308,870 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 38.3 ✓ Older | 32.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 51.7% ✓ Higher | 39.3% |
| Under 18 | 20.0% | 21.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.6% ✓ More | 12.9% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Bellevue's cost of living index is 113.0 vs Cincinnati's 94.1 (US average = 100).
Cincinnati is 19% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Bellevue leads 14 of 23 categories. Bellevue wins 14 and Cincinnati wins 9. 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 Cincinnati or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,139,500 vs $192,000 median home), income ($149,551 vs $49,191), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Bellevue, WA and Cincinnati, OH are about 1,958 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.