Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Bellevue, WA
VS
Philadelphia, PA
🏆 Bellevue leads 15 of 23 categories
Bellevue
Washington
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
113.0⚠ High
Median Household Income
$149,551 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
36 ✓ Safer
Population
150,606
Philadelphia
Pennsylvania
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$57,537
Violent Crime Index
239⚠ High
Population
1,593,208 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Bellevue, WA
Pros
Households earn $92,014 more per year on average
85% less violent crime than Philadelphia
Stronger job market — unemployment is 4.6 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)
Commutes run 9 min shorter each way
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
Philadelphia, PA
Pros
Homes cost $924k less ($215,500 vs $1,139,500)
Rent averages $1172/mo less ($1,250 vs $2,422)
10% cheaper overall cost of living than Bellevue
Smaller class sizes — 15.0:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Bellevue by $92,014/yr
Violent crime (908.7/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (4548.2/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (8.6% vs 4.0%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Bellevue
Median Income
$92,014
$149,551 vs $57,537/yr
Bellevue
Violent Crime
85% lower
138.6 vs 908.7 per 100k
Bellevue
Unemployment
4.6 pp lower
4.0% vs 8.6% unemployment
Philadelphia
Cost of Living
10% cheaper
COL index 103.5 vs 113.0 (100 = US avg)
Philadelphia
Median Home Value
$924k less
$215,500 vs $1,139,500
Philadelphia
Summer Heat
12.8°F warmer
July avg high 89.3°F vs 76.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Bellevue, WA | Philadelphia, PA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 113.0⚠ High | 103.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,139,500⚠ High | $215,500 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,422⚠ High | $1,250 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $149,551 ✓ Higher | $57,537 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 8.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.6 min ✓ Shorter | 32.8 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 29.9% ✓ Higher | 13.8% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 85 ✓ Safer | 230⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 36 ✓ Safer | 239⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 159⚠ High ✓ Safer | 217⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (115) ✓ Better | B- (92) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 17.8:1 | 15.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.0% ✓ Higher | 33.6% |
| High School or Higher | 95.9% ✓ Higher | 86.9% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Bellevue School District | Philadelphia City SD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 47.4°F ✓ Warmer | 41.6°F |
| Avg High — July | 76.5°F | 89.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.9" ✓ Drier | 50.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.8" ✓ Less | 16.1" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 150,606 | 1,593,208 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 38.3 ✓ Older | 34.8 |
| Homeownership Rate | 51.7% | 52.2% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 20.0% | 21.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.6% ✓ More | 14.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Bellevue's cost of living index is 113.0 vs Philadelphia's 103.5 (US average = 100).
Philadelphia is 10% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Bellevue leads 15 of 23 categories. Bellevue wins 15 and Philadelphia 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 Philadelphia or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,139,500 vs $215,500 median home), income ($149,551 vs $57,537), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Bellevue, WA and Philadelphia, PA are about 2,365 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.