Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Bellevue, WA
VS
Springfield, IL
🏆 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 ✓ Larger
Springfield
Illinois
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.5 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$62,419
Violent Crime Index
237⚠ High
Population
114,214
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Bellevue, WA
Pros
Households earn $87,132 more per year on average
85% less violent crime than Springfield
More college-educated — 70.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.6 pts lower (4.0%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (138.6 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 47°F vs 36°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,139,500
Higher rents — median is $2,422/mo
Cost of living runs 23% higher than Springfield
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 113.0)
Springfield, IL
Pros
Homes cost $992k less ($147,700 vs $1,139,500)
Rent averages $1509/mo less ($913 vs $2,422)
23% cheaper overall cost of living than Bellevue
Commutes run 6 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.5)
Smaller class sizes — 13.0:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Bellevue by $87,132/yr
Violent crime (901.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (4911.4/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (6.6% vs 4.0%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Bellevue
Median Income
$87,132
$149,551 vs $62,419/yr
Bellevue
Violent Crime
85% lower
138.6 vs 901.2 per 100k
Bellevue
Unemployment
2.6 pp lower
4.0% vs 6.6% unemployment
Springfield
Cost of Living
23% cheaper
COL index 90.5 vs 113.0 (100 = US avg)
Springfield
Median Home Value
$992k less
$147,700 vs $1,139,500
Springfield
Summer Heat
9.0°F warmer
July avg high 85.5°F vs 76.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Bellevue, WA | Springfield, IL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 113.0⚠ High | 90.5 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,139,500⚠ High | $147,700 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,422⚠ High | $913 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $149,551 ✓ Higher | $62,419 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.6 min | 17.6 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 29.9% ✓ Higher | 10.2% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 85 ✓ Safer | 236⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 36 ✓ Safer | 237⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 159⚠ High ✓ Safer | 234⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (115) ✓ Better | A- (111) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 17.8:1 | 13.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.0% ✓ Higher | 34.7% |
| High School or Higher | 95.9% ✓ Higher | 92.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Bellevue School District | Springfield SD 186 |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 47.4°F ✓ Warmer | 35.8°F |
| Avg High — July | 76.5°F | 85.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.9" | 40.4" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.8" ✓ Less | 21.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 150,606 ✓ Larger | 114,214 |
| Median Age | 38.3 | 40.1 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 51.7% | 62.4% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 20.0% | 21.6% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.6% | 18.7% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Bellevue's cost of living index is 113.0 vs Springfield's 90.5 (US average = 100).
Springfield is 22% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Bellevue leads 12 of 23 categories. Bellevue wins 12 and Springfield 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 Springfield or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,139,500 vs $147,700 median home), income ($149,551 vs $62,419), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Bellevue, WA and Springfield, IL are about 1,697 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.