Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Bellevue, WA
VS
Durham, NC
🏆 Bellevue leads 12 of 22 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
Durham
North Carolina
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
96.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$74,710
Violent Crime Index
163⚠ High
Population
284,094 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Bellevue, WA
Pros
Households earn $74,841 more per year on average
78% less violent crime than Durham
Violent crime is well below the national average (138.6 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 70.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
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 16% higher than Durham
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 113.0)
Durham, NC
Pros
Homes cost $823k less ($316,600 vs $1,139,500)
Rent averages $1126/mo less ($1,296 vs $2,422)
16% cheaper overall cost of living than Bellevue
Smaller class sizes — 15.0:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Bellevue by $74,841/yr
Violent crime (619.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3799.7/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
Bellevue
Median Income
$74,841
$149,551 vs $74,710/yr
Bellevue
Violent Crime
78% lower
138.6 vs 619.2 per 100k
Durham
Cost of Living
16% cheaper
COL index 96.6 vs 113.0 (100 = US avg)
Durham
Median Home Value
$823k less
$316,600 vs $1,139,500
Durham
Summer Heat
10.5°F warmer
July avg high 87.0°F vs 76.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Bellevue, WA | Durham, NC |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 113.0⚠ High | 96.6 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,139,500⚠ High | $316,600⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,422⚠ High | $1,296 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $149,551 ✓ Higher | $74,710 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 4.3%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.6 min | 22.3 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 29.9% ✓ Higher | 17.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 85 ✓ Safer | 170⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 36 ✓ Safer | 163⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 159⚠ High ✓ Safer | 181⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (115) | A- (115) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 17.8:1 | 15.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.0% ✓ Higher | 53.8% |
| High School or Higher | 95.9% ✓ Higher | 91.3% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Bellevue School District | Durham Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 47.4°F | 48.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 76.5°F | 87.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.9" ✓ Drier | 50.0" |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.8" ✓ Less | 5.2" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 150,606 | 284,094 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 38.3 ✓ Older | 34.7 |
| Homeownership Rate | 51.7% | 52.0% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 20.0% | 20.1% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.6% ✓ More | 12.7% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Bellevue's cost of living index is 113.0 vs Durham's 96.6 (US average = 100).
Durham is 16% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Bellevue leads 12 of 22 categories. Bellevue wins 12 and Durham wins 10. 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 Durham or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,139,500 vs $316,600 median home), income ($149,551 vs $74,710), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Bellevue, WA and Durham, NC are about 2,334 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.