Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Bellevue, WA
VS
Kirkland, WA
🏆 Bellevue leads 9 of 17 categories
Bellevue
Washington
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
113.0⚠ High
Median Household Income
$149,551 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
36
Population
150,606 ✓ Larger
Kirkland
Washington
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
113.0⚠ High
Median Household Income
$135,608
Violent Crime Index
16 ✓ Safer
Population
92,015
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Bellevue, WA
Pros
Violent crime is well below the national average (138.6 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.7 pts lower (4.0%)
Households earn $13,943 more per year on average
More college-educated — 70.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,139,500
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 113.0)
Property crime (3339.5/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher rents — median is $2,422/mo
Kirkland, WA
Pros
56% less violent crime than Bellevue
Violent crime is well below the national average (60.6 vs 380/100k)
Homes cost $202k less ($937,700 vs $1,139,500)
Rent averages $172/mo less ($2,250 vs $2,422)
Cons
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 113.0)
Higher unemployment (4.7% vs 4.0%)
Median income trails Bellevue by $13,943/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Bellevue
Median Income
$13,943
$149,551 vs $135,608/yr
Bellevue
Unemployment
0.7 pp lower
4.0% vs 4.7% unemployment
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 113.0 on the COL index
Kirkland
Violent Crime
56% lower
60.6 vs 138.6 per 100k
Kirkland
Median Home Value
$202k less
$937,700 vs $1,139,500
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Bellevue, WA | Kirkland, WA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 113.0⚠ High | 113.0⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $1,139,500⚠ High | $937,700⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,422⚠ High | $2,250⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $149,551 ✓ Higher | $135,608 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 4.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.6 min ✓ Shorter | 25.5 min |
| Work From Home % | 29.9% ✓ Higher | 24.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 85 | 48 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 36 | 16 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 159⚠ High | 96 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (115) ✓ Better | C+ (89) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 17.8:1 | — |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.0% ✓ Higher | 62.9% |
| High School or Higher | 95.9% | 96.6% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Bellevue School District | Lake Washington Institute of Technology |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 47.4°F | 47.4°F |
| Avg High — July | 76.5°F | 76.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.9" | 37.8" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.8" | 3.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 150,606 ✓ Larger | 92,015 |
| Median Age | 38.3 ✓ Older | 38.0 |
| Homeownership Rate | 51.7% | 62.1% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 20.0% | 20.0% |
| Over 65 | 14.6% ✓ More | 14.1% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Bellevue's cost of living index is 113.0 vs Kirkland's 113.0 (US average = 100).
Both have a similar overall cost of living.
Based on the 17 decided categories above, Bellevue leads 9 of 17 categories. Bellevue wins 9 and Kirkland wins 8. 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 Kirkland or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,139,500 vs $937,700 median home), income ($149,551 vs $135,608), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Bellevue, WA and Kirkland, WA are about 7 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.