Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Bellevue, WA
VS
Renton, WA
🏆 Bellevue leads 15 of 22 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 ✓ Larger
Renton
Washington
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
113.0⚠ High
Median Household Income
$92,292
Violent Crime Index
89
Population
105,355
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Bellevue, WA
Pros
Households earn $57,259 more per year on average
59% less violent crime than Renton
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 7 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
Renton, WA
Pros
Homes cost $563k less ($576,800 vs $1,139,500)
Rent averages $558/mo less ($1,864 vs $2,422)
Cons
Median income trails Bellevue by $57,259/yr
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 113.0)
Property crime (3313.4/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Longer commutes — 30.8 min average each way
Key Differences at a Glance
Bellevue
Median Income
$57,259
$149,551 vs $92,292/yr
Bellevue
Violent Crime
59% lower
138.6 vs 339.2 per 100k
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 113.0 on the COL index
Renton
Median Home Value
$563k less
$576,800 vs $1,139,500
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Bellevue, WA | Renton, 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 | $576,800⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,422⚠ High | $1,864⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $149,551 ✓ Higher | $92,292 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 4.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.6 min ✓ Shorter | 30.8 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 29.9% ✓ Higher | 16.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 85 ✓ Safer | 117⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 36 ✓ Safer | 89 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 159⚠ High | 158⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (115) ✓ Better | B- (93) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 17.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 18.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.0% ✓ Higher | 36.9% |
| High School or Higher | 95.9% ✓ Higher | 89.9% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Bellevue School District | Renton School District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 47.4°F | 48.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 76.5°F | 77.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.9" ✓ Drier | 44.0" |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.8" ✓ Less | 6.3" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 150,606 ✓ Larger | 105,355 |
| Median Age | 38.3 ✓ Older | 36.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 51.7% | 53.6% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 20.0% | 20.6% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.6% ✓ More | 12.4% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Bellevue's cost of living index is 113.0 vs Renton's 113.0 (US average = 100).
Both have a similar overall cost of living.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Bellevue leads 15 of 22 categories. Bellevue wins 15 and Renton wins 7. 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 Renton or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,139,500 vs $576,800 median home), income ($149,551 vs $92,292), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Bellevue, WA and Renton, WA are about 8 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.