Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Bellevue, WA
VS
Joliet, IL
🏆 Bellevue leads 13 of 23 categories
Bellevue
Washington
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
113.0⚠ High
Median Household Income
$149,551 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
36 ✓ Safer
Population
150,606 ✓ Larger
Joliet
Illinois
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$84,971
Violent Crime Index
92
Population
150,221
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Bellevue, WA
Pros
Households earn $64,580 more per year on average
60% less violent crime than Joliet
More college-educated — 70.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.2 pts lower (4.0%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (138.6 vs 380/100k)
Commutes run 6 min shorter each way
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,139,500
Higher rents — median is $2,422/mo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 113.0)
Property crime (3339.5/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Joliet, IL
Pros
Homes cost $906k less ($233,800 vs $1,139,500)
Rent averages $1248/mo less ($1,174 vs $2,422)
10% cheaper overall cost of living than Bellevue
Smaller class sizes — 14.2:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Bellevue by $64,580/yr
Higher unemployment (6.2% vs 4.0%)
Longer commutes — 29.6 min average each way
Key Differences at a Glance
Bellevue
Median Income
$64,580
$149,551 vs $84,971/yr
Bellevue
Violent Crime
60% lower
138.6 vs 350.0 per 100k
Bellevue
Unemployment
2.2 pp lower
4.0% vs 6.2% unemployment
Joliet
Cost of Living
10% cheaper
COL index 102.6 vs 113.0 (100 = US avg)
Joliet
Median Home Value
$906k less
$233,800 vs $1,139,500
Joliet
Summer Heat
7.1°F warmer
July avg high 83.6°F vs 76.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Bellevue, WA | Joliet, IL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 113.0⚠ High | 102.6⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,139,500⚠ High | $233,800 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,422⚠ High | $1,174 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $149,551 ✓ Higher | $84,971 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.6 min ✓ Shorter | 29.6 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 29.9% ✓ Higher | 6.6% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 85 | 79 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 36 ✓ Safer | 92 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 159⚠ High | 59 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (115) ✓ Better | B- (93) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 17.8:1 | 14.2:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.0% ✓ Higher | 24.9% |
| High School or Higher | 95.9% ✓ Higher | 84.8% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Bellevue School District | Joliet PSD 86 |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 47.4°F ✓ Warmer | 31.1°F |
| Avg High — July | 76.5°F | 83.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.9" | 40.2" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.8" ✓ Less | 16.9" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 150,606 ✓ Larger | 150,221 |
| Median Age | 38.3 ✓ Older | 34.3 |
| Homeownership Rate | 51.7% | 72.4% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 20.0% | 26.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.6% ✓ More | 10.2% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Bellevue's cost of living index is 113.0 vs Joliet's 102.6 (US average = 100).
Joliet is 10% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Bellevue leads 13 of 23 categories. Bellevue wins 13 and Joliet 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 Joliet or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,139,500 vs $233,800 median home), income ($149,551 vs $84,971), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Bellevue, WA and Joliet, IL are about 1,711 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.