Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Bellevue, WA
VS
Grand Rapids, MI
🏆 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
Grand Rapids
Michigan
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
95.2 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$61,634
Violent Crime Index
240⚠ High
Population
198,096 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Bellevue, WA
Pros
Households earn $87,917 more per year on average
85% less violent crime than Grand Rapids
More college-educated — 70.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (138.6 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.6 pts lower (4.0%)
Milder winters — January highs near 47°F vs 31°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,139,500
Higher rents — median is $2,422/mo
Cost of living runs 18% higher than Grand Rapids
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 113.0)
Grand Rapids, MI
Pros
Homes cost $936k less ($203,900 vs $1,139,500)
Rent averages $1284/mo less ($1,138 vs $2,422)
18% cheaper overall cost of living than Bellevue
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
Smaller class sizes — 16.3:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Bellevue by $87,917/yr
Violent crime (910.1/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2480.7/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (5.6% vs 4.0%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Bellevue
Median Income
$87,917
$149,551 vs $61,634/yr
Bellevue
Violent Crime
85% lower
138.6 vs 910.1 per 100k
Bellevue
Unemployment
1.6 pp lower
4.0% vs 5.6% unemployment
Grand Rapids
Cost of Living
18% cheaper
COL index 95.2 vs 113.0 (100 = US avg)
Grand Rapids
Median Home Value
$936k less
$203,900 vs $1,139,500
Grand Rapids
Summer Heat
5.9°F warmer
July avg high 82.4°F vs 76.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Bellevue, WA | Grand Rapids, MI |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 113.0⚠ High | 95.2 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,139,500⚠ High | $203,900 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,422⚠ High | $1,138 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $149,551 ✓ Higher | $61,634 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.6 min | 19.2 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 29.9% ✓ Higher | 10.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 85 ✓ Safer | 191⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 36 ✓ Safer | 240⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 159⚠ High | 118⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (115) ✓ Better | B (100) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 17.8:1 | 16.3:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.0% ✓ Higher | 39.3% |
| High School or Higher | 95.9% ✓ Higher | 89.3% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Bellevue School District | Grand Rapids Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 47.4°F ✓ Warmer | 30.5°F |
| Avg High — July | 76.5°F | 82.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.9" | 39.6" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.8" ✓ Less | 74.9" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 150,606 | 198,096 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 38.3 ✓ Older | 31.8 |
| Homeownership Rate | 51.7% | 54.5% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 20.0% | 21.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.6% ✓ More | 12.8% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Bellevue's cost of living index is 113.0 vs Grand Rapids's 95.2 (US average = 100).
Grand Rapids is 18% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Bellevue leads 12 of 23 categories. Bellevue wins 12 and Grand Rapids 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 Grand Rapids or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,139,500 vs $203,900 median home), income ($149,551 vs $61,634), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Bellevue, WA and Grand Rapids, MI are about 1,786 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.