Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Bellevue, WA
VS
Dayton, OH
🏆 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
Dayton
Ohio
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
92.3 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$41,443
Violent Crime Index
352⚠ High
Population
137,305
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Bellevue, WA
Pros
Households earn $108,108 more per year on average
90% less violent crime than Dayton
Stronger job market — unemployment is 6.0 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)
Milder winters — January highs near 47°F vs 36°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,139,500
Higher rents — median is $2,422/mo
Cost of living runs 21% higher than Dayton
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 113.0)
Dayton, OH
Pros
Homes cost $1053k less ($86,200 vs $1,139,500)
Rent averages $1592/mo less ($830 vs $2,422)
21% cheaper overall cost of living than Bellevue
Living costs sit below the national average (index 92.3)
Cons
Median income trails Bellevue by $108,108/yr
Violent crime (1339.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (4334.2/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (10.0% vs 4.0%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Bellevue
Median Income
$108,108
$149,551 vs $41,443/yr
Bellevue
Violent Crime
90% lower
138.6 vs 1339.2 per 100k
Bellevue
Unemployment
6.0 pp lower
4.0% vs 10.0% unemployment
Dayton
Cost of Living
21% cheaper
COL index 92.3 vs 113.0 (100 = US avg)
Dayton
Median Home Value
$1053k less
$86,200 vs $1,139,500
Dayton
Summer Heat
10.2°F warmer
July avg high 86.7°F vs 76.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Bellevue, WA | Dayton, OH |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 113.0⚠ High | 92.3 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,139,500⚠ High | $86,200 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,422⚠ High | $830 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $149,551 ✓ Higher | $41,443 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 10.0%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.6 min | 21.1 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 29.9% ✓ Higher | 7.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 85 ✓ Safer | 294⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 36 ✓ Safer | 352⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 159⚠ High ✓ Safer | 206⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (115) ✓ Better | C (77) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 17.8:1 | 17.1:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.0% ✓ Higher | 19.6% |
| High School or Higher | 95.9% ✓ Higher | 86.4% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Bellevue School District | Dayton City |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 47.4°F ✓ Warmer | 36.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 76.5°F | 86.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.9" | 41.6" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.8" ✓ Less | 12.3" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 150,606 ✓ Larger | 137,305 |
| Median Age | 38.3 ✓ Older | 34.0 |
| Homeownership Rate | 51.7% ✓ Higher | 48.4% |
| Under 18 | 20.0% | 20.9% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.6% ✓ More | 13.4% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Bellevue's cost of living index is 113.0 vs Dayton's 92.3 (US average = 100).
Dayton is 21% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Bellevue leads 15 of 23 categories. Bellevue wins 15 and Dayton 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 Dayton or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,139,500 vs $86,200 median home), income ($149,551 vs $41,443), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Bellevue, WA and Dayton, OH are about 1,950 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.