Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Bellevue, WA
VS
Columbus, GA
🏆 Bellevue leads 12 of 23 categories
Bellevue
Washington
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
113.0⚠ High
Median Household Income
$149,551 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
36 ✓ Safer
Population
150,606
Columbus
Georgia
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
88.8 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$54,561
Violent Crime Index
159⚠ High
Population
204,572 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Bellevue, WA
Pros
Households earn $94,990 more per year on average
77% less violent crime than Columbus
More college-educated — 70.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.3 pts lower (4.0%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (138.6 vs 380/100k)
Cooler summers — July highs near 77°F vs 92°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,139,500
Higher rents — median is $2,422/mo
Cost of living runs 24% higher than Columbus
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 113.0)
Columbus, GA
Pros
Homes cost $971k less ($168,400 vs $1,139,500)
Rent averages $1384/mo less ($1,038 vs $2,422)
24% cheaper overall cost of living than Bellevue
Commutes run 3 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 88.8)
Milder winters — January highs near 58°F vs 47°F
Cons
Median income trails Bellevue by $94,990/yr
Violent crime (603.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher unemployment (7.3% vs 4.0%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Bellevue
Median Income
$94,990
$149,551 vs $54,561/yr
Bellevue
Violent Crime
77% lower
138.6 vs 603.8 per 100k
Bellevue
Unemployment
3.3 pp lower
4.0% vs 7.3% unemployment
Columbus
Cost of Living
24% cheaper
COL index 88.8 vs 113.0 (100 = US avg)
Columbus
Median Home Value
$971k less
$168,400 vs $1,139,500
Columbus
Summer Heat
15.3°F warmer
July avg high 91.8°F vs 76.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Bellevue, WA | Columbus, GA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 113.0⚠ High | 88.8 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,139,500⚠ High | $168,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,422⚠ High | $1,038 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $149,551 ✓ Higher | $54,561 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 7.3%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.6 min | 20.2 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 29.9% ✓ Higher | 7.0% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 85 ✓ Safer | 138⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 36 ✓ Safer | 159⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 159⚠ High | 106⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (115) ✓ Better | B (101) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 17.8:1 | 14.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.0% ✓ Higher | 28.4% |
| High School or Higher | 95.9% ✓ Higher | 88.5% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Bellevue School District | Muscogee County |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 47.4°F | 57.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 76.5°F | 91.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.9" ✓ Drier | 51.8" |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.8" | 0.5" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 150,606 | 204,572 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 38.3 ✓ Older | 34.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 51.7% ✓ Higher | 49.5% |
| Under 18 | 20.0% | 24.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.6% ✓ More | 14.1% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Bellevue's cost of living index is 113.0 vs Columbus's 88.8 (US average = 100).
Columbus is 24% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Bellevue leads 12 of 23 categories. Bellevue wins 12 and Columbus wins 11. 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 Columbus or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,139,500 vs $168,400 median home), income ($149,551 vs $54,561), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Bellevue, WA and Columbus, GA are about 2,201 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.