Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Bellevue, WA
VS
Santa Clara, CA
🏆 Bellevue leads 14 of 22 categories
Bellevue
Washington
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
113.0⚠ High
Median Household Income
$149,551
Violent Crime Index
36 ✓ Safer
Population
150,606 ✓ Larger
Santa Clara
California
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
112.9⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$165,352 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
48
Population
128,058
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Bellevue, WA
Pros
24% less violent crime than Santa Clara
Homes cost $301k less ($1,139,500 vs $1,440,200)
Violent crime is well below the national average (138.6 vs 380/100k)
Rent averages $419/mo less ($2,422 vs $2,841)
More college-educated — 70.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 113.0)
Property crime (3339.5/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Median income trails Santa Clara by $15,801/yr
Santa Clara, CA
Pros
Violent crime is well below the national average (182.0 vs 380/100k)
Households earn $15,801 more per year on average
Milder winters — January highs near 60°F vs 47°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,440,200
Higher rents — median is $2,841/mo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 112.9)
Property crime (2501.9/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
Bellevue
Violent Crime
24% lower
138.6 vs 182.0 per 100k
Bellevue
Median Home Value
$301k less
$1,139,500 vs $1,440,200
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 113.0 on the COL index
Santa Clara
Median Income
$15,801
$165,352 vs $149,551/yr
Santa Clara
Summer Heat
4.3°F warmer
July avg high 80.8°F vs 76.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Bellevue, WA | Santa Clara, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 113.0⚠ High | 112.9⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,139,500⚠ High ✓ Lower | $1,440,200⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,422⚠ High ✓ Lower | $2,841⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $149,551 | $165,352 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 4.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.6 min | 23.6 min |
| Work From Home % | 29.9% ✓ Higher | 21.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 85 | 76 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 36 ✓ Safer | 48 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 159⚠ High | 119⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (115) ✓ Better | A- (110) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 17.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 19.0:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.0% ✓ Higher | 64.6% |
| High School or Higher | 95.9% ✓ Higher | 94.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Bellevue School District | Santa Clara Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 47.4°F | 59.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 76.5°F | 80.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.9" | 15.6" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.8" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 150,606 ✓ Larger | 128,058 |
| Median Age | 38.3 ✓ Older | 34.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 51.7% ✓ Higher | 41.9% |
| Under 18 | 20.0% ✓ More | 18.0% |
| Over 65 | 14.6% ✓ More | 11.3% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Bellevue's cost of living index is 113.0 vs Santa Clara's 112.9 (US average = 100).
Santa Clara is 0% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Bellevue leads 14 of 22 categories. Bellevue wins 14 and Santa Clara 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 Santa Clara or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,139,500 vs $1,440,200 median home), income ($149,551 vs $165,352), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Bellevue, WA and Santa Clara, CA are about 707 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.