Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Bellevue, WA
VS
South Bend, IN
🏆 Bellevue leads 13 of 23 categories
Bellevue
Washington
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
113.0⚠ High
Median Household Income
$149,551 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
36 ✓ Safer
Population
150,606 ✓ Larger
South Bend
Indiana
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
91.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$49,056
Violent Crime Index
254⚠ High
Population
103,084
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Bellevue, WA
Pros
Households earn $100,495 more per year on average
86% less violent crime than South Bend
More college-educated — 70.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (138.6 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.5 pts lower (4.0%)
Milder winters — January highs near 47°F vs 32°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,139,500
Higher rents — median is $2,422/mo
Cost of living runs 22% higher than South Bend
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 113.0)
South Bend, IN
Pros
Homes cost $1026k less ($113,800 vs $1,139,500)
Rent averages $1487/mo less ($935 vs $2,422)
22% cheaper overall cost of living than Bellevue
Commutes run 3 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 91.4)
Smaller class sizes — 12.6:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Bellevue by $100,495/yr
Violent crime (965.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher unemployment (5.5% vs 4.0%)
Snowy winters — about 65" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
Bellevue
Median Income
$100,495
$149,551 vs $49,056/yr
Bellevue
Violent Crime
86% lower
138.6 vs 965.0 per 100k
Bellevue
Unemployment
1.5 pp lower
4.0% vs 5.5% unemployment
South Bend
Cost of Living
22% cheaper
COL index 91.4 vs 113.0 (100 = US avg)
South Bend
Median Home Value
$1026k less
$113,800 vs $1,139,500
South Bend
Summer Heat
6.5°F warmer
July avg high 83.0°F vs 76.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Bellevue, WA | South Bend, IN |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 113.0⚠ High | 91.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,139,500⚠ High | $113,800 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,422⚠ High | $935 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $149,551 ✓ Higher | $49,056 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.5%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.6 min | 20.4 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 29.9% ✓ Higher | 8.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 85 ✓ Safer | 191⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 36 ✓ Safer | 254⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 159⚠ High | 97 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (115) ✓ Better | B (99) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 17.8:1 | 12.6:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.0% ✓ Higher | 28.8% |
| High School or Higher | 95.9% ✓ Higher | 87.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Bellevue School District | South Bend Community School Corp |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 47.4°F ✓ Warmer | 31.8°F |
| Avg High — July | 76.5°F | 83.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.9" | 40.9" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.8" ✓ Less | 64.5" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 150,606 ✓ Larger | 103,084 |
| Median Age | 38.3 ✓ Older | 33.4 |
| Homeownership Rate | 51.7% | 58.5% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 20.0% | 26.9% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.6% ✓ More | 13.7% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Bellevue's cost of living index is 113.0 vs South Bend's 91.4 (US average = 100).
South Bend is 22% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Bellevue leads 13 of 23 categories. Bellevue wins 13 and South Bend wins 10. 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 South Bend or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,139,500 vs $113,800 median home), income ($149,551 vs $49,056), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Bellevue, WA and South Bend, IN are about 1,794 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.