Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Bellevue, WA
VS
Paterson, NJ
🏆 Bellevue leads 14 of 23 categories
Bellevue
Washington
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
113.0⚠ High
Median Household Income
$149,551 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
36 ✓ Safer
Population
150,606
Paterson
New Jersey
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
112.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$52,092
Violent Crime Index
258⚠ High
Population
157,864 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Bellevue, WA
Pros
Households earn $97,459 more per year on average
86% less violent crime than Paterson
Stronger job market — unemployment is 6.5 pts lower (4.0%)
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 87°F
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
Paterson, NJ
Pros
Homes cost $825k less ($314,100 vs $1,139,500)
Rent averages $1030/mo less ($1,392 vs $2,422)
Smaller class sizes — 14.0:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Bellevue by $97,459/yr
Violent crime (978.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 112.5)
Higher unemployment (10.5% vs 4.0%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Bellevue
Median Income
$97,459
$149,551 vs $52,092/yr
Bellevue
Violent Crime
86% lower
138.6 vs 978.6 per 100k
Bellevue
Unemployment
6.5 pp lower
4.0% vs 10.5% unemployment
Paterson
Cost of Living
1% cheaper
COL index 112.5 vs 113.0 (100 = US avg)
Paterson
Median Home Value
$825k less
$314,100 vs $1,139,500
Paterson
Summer Heat
10.0°F warmer
July avg high 86.5°F vs 76.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Bellevue, WA | Paterson, NJ |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 113.0⚠ High | 112.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,139,500⚠ High | $314,100⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,422⚠ High | $1,392⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $149,551 ✓ Higher | $52,092 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 10.5%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.6 min | 23.4 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 29.9% ✓ Higher | 3.6% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 85 ✓ Safer | 199⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 36 ✓ Safer | 258⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 159⚠ High | 112⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (115) ✓ Better | C+ (87) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 17.8:1 | 14.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.0% ✓ Higher | 12.6% |
| High School or Higher | 95.9% ✓ Higher | 76.6% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Bellevue School District | Paterson Public School District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 47.4°F ✓ Warmer | 39.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 76.5°F | 86.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.9" ✓ Drier | 49.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.8" ✓ Less | 28.2" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 150,606 | 157,864 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 38.3 ✓ Older | 33.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 51.7% ✓ Higher | 26.3% |
| Under 18 | 20.0% | 27.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.6% ✓ More | 11.5% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Bellevue's cost of living index is 113.0 vs Paterson's 112.5 (US average = 100).
Paterson is 0% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Bellevue leads 14 of 23 categories. Bellevue wins 14 and Paterson wins 9. 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 Paterson or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,139,500 vs $314,100 median home), income ($149,551 vs $52,092), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Bellevue, WA and Paterson, NJ are about 2,380 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.