Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Bellevue, WA
VS
Seattle, WA
🏆 Bellevue leads 14 of 19 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
Seattle
Washington
5
wins
Cost of Living Index
113.0⚠ High
Median Household Income
$116,068
Violent Crime Index
204⚠ High
Population
734,603 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Bellevue, WA
Pros
82% less violent crime than Seattle
Households earn $33,483 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (138.6 vs 380/100k)
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
More college-educated — 70.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
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
Seattle, WA
Pros
Homes cost $260k less ($879,900 vs $1,139,500)
Rent averages $477/mo less ($1,945 vs $2,422)
Cons
Violent crime (775.1/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Bellevue by $33,483/yr
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 113.0)
Property crime (5007.6/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
Bellevue
Median Income
$33,483
$149,551 vs $116,068/yr
Bellevue
Violent Crime
82% lower
138.6 vs 775.1 per 100k
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 113.0 on the COL index
Seattle
Median Home Value
$260k less
$879,900 vs $1,139,500
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Bellevue, WA | Seattle, 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 | $879,900⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,422⚠ High | $1,945⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $149,551 ✓ Higher | $116,068 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 4.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.6 min ✓ Shorter | 27.2 min |
| Work From Home % | 29.9% ✓ Higher | 27.0% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 85 ✓ Safer | 218⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 36 ✓ Safer | 204⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 159⚠ High ✓ Safer | 238⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (115) ✓ Better | A- (112) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 17.8:1 | 16.5:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.0% ✓ Higher | 66.7% |
| High School or Higher | 95.9% ✓ Higher | 95.6% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Bellevue School District | Seattle School District No. 1 |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 47.4°F | 47.4°F |
| Avg High — July | 76.5°F | 76.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.9" | 38.5" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.8" | 3.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 150,606 | 734,603 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 38.3 ✓ Older | 35.4 |
| Homeownership Rate | 51.7% ✓ Higher | 44.5% |
| Under 18 | 20.0% ✓ More | 14.0% |
| Over 65 | 14.6% ✓ More | 12.8% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Bellevue's cost of living index is 113.0 vs Seattle's 113.0 (US average = 100).
Both have a similar overall cost of living.
Based on the 19 decided categories above, Bellevue leads 14 of 19 categories. Bellevue wins 14 and Seattle wins 5. 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 Seattle or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,139,500 vs $879,900 median home), income ($149,551 vs $116,068), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Bellevue, WA and Seattle, WA are about 9 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.