Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Bellevue, WA
VS
Kansas City, MO
🏆 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
Kansas City
Missouri
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.3 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$65,256
Violent Crime Index
407⚠ High
Population
505,958 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Bellevue, WA
Pros
Households earn $84,295 more per year on average
91% less violent crime than Kansas City
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 0.8 pts lower (4.0%)
Cooler summers — July highs near 77°F vs 90°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,139,500
Higher rents — median is $2,422/mo
Cost of living runs 20% higher than Kansas City
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 113.0)
Kansas City, MO
Pros
Homes cost $931k less ($208,900 vs $1,139,500)
Rent averages $1291/mo less ($1,131 vs $2,422)
20% cheaper overall cost of living than Bellevue
Living costs sit below the national average (index 93.3)
Smaller class sizes — 13.4:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Bellevue by $84,295/yr
Violent crime (1547.1/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (4676.1/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (4.8% vs 4.0%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Bellevue
Median Income
$84,295
$149,551 vs $65,256/yr
Bellevue
Violent Crime
91% lower
138.6 vs 1547.1 per 100k
Bellevue
Unemployment
0.8 pp lower
4.0% vs 4.8% unemployment
Kansas City
Cost of Living
20% cheaper
COL index 93.3 vs 113.0 (100 = US avg)
Kansas City
Median Home Value
$931k less
$208,900 vs $1,139,500
Kansas City
Summer Heat
13.7°F warmer
July avg high 90.2°F vs 76.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Bellevue, WA | Kansas City, MO |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 113.0⚠ High | 93.3 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,139,500⚠ High | $208,900 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,422⚠ High | $1,131 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $149,551 ✓ Higher | $65,256 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 4.8%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.6 min | 22.0 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 29.9% ✓ Higher | 12.2% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 85 ✓ Safer | 333⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 36 ✓ Safer | 407⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 159⚠ High ✓ Safer | 223⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (115) ✓ Better | B (101) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 17.8:1 | 13.4:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.0% ✓ Higher | 37.1% |
| High School or Higher | 95.9% ✓ Higher | 91.5% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Bellevue School District | KANSAS CITY 33 |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 47.4°F ✓ Warmer | 39.9°F |
| Avg High — July | 76.5°F | 90.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.9" | 38.1" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.8" ✓ Less | 11.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 150,606 | 505,958 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 38.3 ✓ Older | 35.4 |
| Homeownership Rate | 51.7% | 54.0% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 20.0% | 22.4% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.6% ✓ More | 13.9% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Bellevue's cost of living index is 113.0 vs Kansas City's 93.3 (US average = 100).
Kansas City is 20% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Bellevue leads 13 of 23 categories. Bellevue wins 13 and Kansas City 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 Kansas City or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,139,500 vs $208,900 median home), income ($149,551 vs $65,256), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Bellevue, WA and Kansas City, MO are about 1,495 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.