Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Bellevue, WA
VS
Fort Collins, CO
🏆 It's a dead heat — 11 categories each
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
Fort Collins
Colorado
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
96.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$78,977
Violent Crime Index
72
Population
168,758 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Bellevue, WA
Pros
Households earn $70,574 more per year on average
49% less violent crime than Fort Collins
Violent crime is well below the national average (138.6 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.3 pts lower (4.0%)
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 Fort Collins
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 113.0)
Fort Collins, CO
Pros
Homes cost $642k less ($497,400 vs $1,139,500)
Rent averages $846/mo less ($1,576 vs $2,422)
16% cheaper overall cost of living than Bellevue
Commutes run 3 min shorter each way
Smaller class sizes — 15.7:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Bellevue by $70,574/yr
Higher unemployment (5.3% vs 4.0%)
Snowy winters — about 49" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
Bellevue
Median Income
$70,574
$149,551 vs $78,977/yr
Bellevue
Violent Crime
49% lower
138.6 vs 272.7 per 100k
Bellevue
Unemployment
1.3 pp lower
4.0% vs 5.3% unemployment
Fort Collins
Cost of Living
16% cheaper
COL index 96.6 vs 113.0 (100 = US avg)
Fort Collins
Median Home Value
$642k less
$497,400 vs $1,139,500
Fort Collins
Summer Heat
10.9°F warmer
July avg high 87.4°F vs 76.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Bellevue, WA | Fort Collins, CO |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 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 | $497,400⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,422⚠ High | $1,576⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $149,551 ✓ Higher | $78,977 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.3%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.6 min | 20.3 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 29.9% ✓ Higher | 17.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 85 | 84 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 36 ✓ Safer | 72 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 159⚠ High | 103⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (115) ✓ Better | A- (113) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 17.8:1 | 15.7:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.0% ✓ Higher | 58.3% |
| High School or Higher | 95.9% | 97.1% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Bellevue School District | Poudre School District R-1 |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 47.4°F ✓ Warmer | 45.0°F |
| Avg High — July | 76.5°F | 87.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.9" | 16.4" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.8" ✓ Less | 49.3" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 150,606 | 168,758 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 38.3 ✓ Older | 30.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 51.7% | 51.7% |
| Under 18 | 20.0% ✓ More | 16.9% |
| Over 65 | 14.6% ✓ More | 11.6% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Bellevue's cost of living index is 113.0 vs Fort Collins's 96.6 (US average = 100).
Fort Collins is 16% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, It's a dead heat — 11 categories each. Bellevue wins 11 and Fort Collins 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 Fort Collins or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,139,500 vs $497,400 median home), income ($149,551 vs $78,977), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Bellevue, WA and Fort Collins, CO are about 975 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.