Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Bellevue, WA
VS
Nampa, ID
🏆 Nampa 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
Nampa
Idaho
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$67,346
Violent Crime Index
93
Population
102,598
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Bellevue, WA
Pros
Households earn $82,205 more per year on average
61% less violent crime than Nampa
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 93°F
Milder winters — January highs near 47°F vs 40°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,139,500
Higher rents — median is $2,422/mo
Cost of living runs 20% higher than Nampa
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 113.0)
Nampa, ID
Pros
Homes cost $850k less ($289,400 vs $1,139,500)
Rent averages $1221/mo less ($1,201 vs $2,422)
20% cheaper overall cost of living than Bellevue
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.0 pts lower (3.0%)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 93.4)
Cons
Median income trails Bellevue by $82,205/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Bellevue
Median Income
$82,205
$149,551 vs $67,346/yr
Bellevue
Violent Crime
61% lower
138.6 vs 353.1 per 100k
Nampa
Cost of Living
20% cheaper
COL index 93.4 vs 113.0 (100 = US avg)
Nampa
Median Home Value
$850k less
$289,400 vs $1,139,500
Nampa
Unemployment
1.0 pp lower
3.0% vs 4.0% unemployment
Nampa
Summer Heat
16.8°F warmer
July avg high 93.3°F vs 76.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Bellevue, WA | Nampa, ID |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 113.0⚠ High | 93.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,139,500⚠ High | $289,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,422⚠ High | $1,201 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $149,551 ✓ Higher | $67,346 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.0%⚠ High | 3.0% ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.6 min | 23.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 29.9% ✓ Higher | 9.0% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 85 | 70 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 36 ✓ Safer | 93 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 159⚠ High | 35 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (115) ✓ Better | C+ (84) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 17.8:1 | 17.5:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.0% ✓ Higher | 21.4% |
| High School or Higher | 95.9% ✓ Higher | 87.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Bellevue School District | NAMPA SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 47.4°F ✓ Warmer | 39.5°F |
| Avg High — July | 76.5°F | 93.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.9" | 11.0" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.8" ✓ Less | 9.7" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 150,606 ✓ Larger | 102,598 |
| Median Age | 38.3 ✓ Older | 33.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 51.7% | 70.9% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 20.0% | 25.1% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.6% ✓ More | 14.3% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Bellevue's cost of living index is 113.0 vs Nampa's 93.4 (US average = 100).
Nampa is 20% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Nampa leads 12 of 23 categories. Bellevue wins 11 and Nampa 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 Nampa or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,139,500 vs $289,400 median home), income ($149,551 vs $67,346), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Bellevue, WA and Nampa, ID are about 387 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.