Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Bellevue, WA
VS
Spokane, WA
🏆 Bellevue leads 12 of 23 categories
Bellevue
Washington
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
113.0⚠ High
Median Household Income
$149,551 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
36 ✓ Safer
Population
150,606
Spokane
Washington
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
101.0⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$63,316
Violent Crime Index
178⚠ High
Population
227,922 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Bellevue, WA
Pros
Households earn $86,235 more per year on average
79% less violent crime than Spokane
More college-educated — 70.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.2 pts lower (4.0%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (138.6 vs 380/100k)
Cooler summers — July highs near 77°F vs 87°F
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)
Cost of living runs 12% higher than Spokane
Spokane, WA
Pros
Homes cost $853k less ($286,900 vs $1,139,500)
Rent averages $1362/mo less ($1,060 vs $2,422)
12% cheaper overall cost of living than Bellevue
Smaller class sizes — 14.8:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Bellevue by $86,235/yr
Violent crime (674.9/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (4840.8/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (6.2% vs 4.0%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Bellevue
Median Income
$86,235
$149,551 vs $63,316/yr
Bellevue
Violent Crime
79% lower
138.6 vs 674.9 per 100k
Bellevue
Unemployment
2.2 pp lower
4.0% vs 6.2% unemployment
Spokane
Cost of Living
12% cheaper
COL index 101.0 vs 113.0 (100 = US avg)
Spokane
Median Home Value
$853k less
$286,900 vs $1,139,500
Spokane
Summer Heat
10.6°F warmer
July avg high 87.1°F vs 76.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Bellevue, WA | Spokane, WA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 113.0⚠ High | 101.0⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,139,500⚠ High | $286,900 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,422⚠ High | $1,060 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $149,551 ✓ Higher | $63,316 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.6 min | 20.7 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 29.9% ✓ Higher | 12.0% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 85 ✓ Safer | 199⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 36 ✓ Safer | 178⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 159⚠ High ✓ Safer | 231⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (115) ✓ Better | B (101) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 17.8:1 | 14.8:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.0% ✓ Higher | 32.7% |
| High School or Higher | 95.9% ✓ Higher | 93.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Bellevue School District | Spokane School District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 47.4°F ✓ Warmer | 37.8°F |
| Avg High — July | 76.5°F | 87.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.9" | 17.4" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.8" ✓ Less | 45.4" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 150,606 | 227,922 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 38.3 ✓ Older | 37.0 |
| Homeownership Rate | 51.7% | 57.5% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 20.0% | 20.3% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.6% | 16.2% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Bellevue's cost of living index is 113.0 vs Spokane's 101.0 (US average = 100).
Spokane is 12% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Bellevue leads 12 of 23 categories. Bellevue wins 12 and Spokane wins 11. 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 Spokane or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,139,500 vs $286,900 median home), income ($149,551 vs $63,316), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Bellevue, WA and Spokane, WA are about 220 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.