Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Bellevue, WA
VS
Metairie, LA
🏆 Metairie leads 12 of 23 categories
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 ✓ Larger
Metairie
Louisiana
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
91.1 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$72,070
Violent Crime Index
103⚠ High
Population
140,046
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Bellevue, WA
Pros
Households earn $77,481 more per year on average
64% less violent crime than Metairie
More college-educated — 70.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (138.6 vs 380/100k)
Cooler summers — July highs near 77°F vs 91°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,139,500
Higher rents — median is $2,422/mo
Cost of living runs 22% higher than Metairie
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 113.0)
Metairie, LA
Pros
Homes cost $850k less ($289,800 vs $1,139,500)
Rent averages $1302/mo less ($1,120 vs $2,422)
22% cheaper overall cost of living than Bellevue
Milder winters — January highs near 63°F vs 47°F
Living costs sit below the national average (index 91.1)
Smaller class sizes — 14.4:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Bellevue by $77,481/yr
Property crime (2629.4/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
Bellevue
Median Income
$77,481
$149,551 vs $72,070/yr
Bellevue
Violent Crime
64% lower
138.6 vs 390.1 per 100k
Metairie
Cost of Living
22% cheaper
COL index 91.1 vs 113.0 (100 = US avg)
Metairie
Median Home Value
$850k less
$289,800 vs $1,139,500
Metairie
Summer Heat
14.9°F warmer
July avg high 91.4°F vs 76.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Bellevue, WA | Metairie, LA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 113.0⚠ High | 91.1 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,139,500⚠ High | $289,800 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,422⚠ High | $1,120 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $149,551 ✓ Higher | $72,070 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 4.3%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.6 min | 21.1 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 29.9% ✓ Higher | 8.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 85 ✓ Safer | 112⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 36 ✓ Safer | 103⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 159⚠ High | 125⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (115) ✓ Better | B (102) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 17.8:1 | 14.4:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.0% ✓ Higher | 39.0% |
| High School or Higher | 95.9% ✓ Higher | 92.5% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Bellevue School District | Jefferson Parish |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 47.4°F | 62.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 76.5°F | 91.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.9" ✓ Drier | 68.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.8" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 150,606 ✓ Larger | 140,046 |
| Median Age | 38.3 | 42.4 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 51.7% | 62.8% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 20.0% ✓ More | 19.6% |
| Over 65 | 14.6% | 21.5% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Bellevue's cost of living index is 113.0 vs Metairie's 91.1 (US average = 100).
Metairie is 22% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Metairie leads 12 of 23 categories. Bellevue wins 11 and Metairie wins 12. 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 Metairie or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,139,500 vs $289,800 median home), income ($149,551 vs $72,070), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Bellevue, WA and Metairie, LA are about 2,084 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.