Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Bellevue, WA
VS
Stamford, CT
🏆 Bellevue leads 14 of 23 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 ✓ Larger
Stamford
Connecticut
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
106.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$100,718
Violent Crime Index
41
Population
135,413
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Bellevue, WA
Pros
Households earn $48,833 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (138.6 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.5 pts lower (4.0%)
More college-educated — 70.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
Milder winters — January highs near 47°F vs 38°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,139,500
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 113.0)
Higher rents — median is $2,422/mo
Property crime (3339.5/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Stamford, CT
Pros
Homes cost $555k less ($584,700 vs $1,139,500)
Violent crime is well below the national average (157.5 vs 380/100k)
Rent averages $293/mo less ($2,129 vs $2,422)
7% cheaper overall cost of living than Bellevue
Smaller class sizes — 12.2:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Bellevue by $48,833/yr
Higher unemployment (5.5% vs 4.0%)
Longer commutes — 27.8 min average each way
Key Differences at a Glance
Bellevue
Median Income
$48,833
$149,551 vs $100,718/yr
Bellevue
Violent Crime
12% lower
138.6 vs 157.5 per 100k
Bellevue
Unemployment
1.5 pp lower
4.0% vs 5.5% unemployment
Stamford
Cost of Living
7% cheaper
COL index 106.5 vs 113.0 (100 = US avg)
Stamford
Median Home Value
$555k less
$584,700 vs $1,139,500
Stamford
Summer Heat
8.3°F warmer
July avg high 84.8°F vs 76.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Bellevue, WA | Stamford, CT |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 113.0⚠ High | 106.5⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,139,500⚠ High | $584,700⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,422⚠ High | $2,129⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $149,551 ✓ Higher | $100,718 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.5%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.6 min ✓ Shorter | 27.8 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 29.9% ✓ Higher | 14.1% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 85 | 48 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 36 ✓ Safer | 41 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 159⚠ High | 58 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (115) | A (120) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 17.8:1 | 12.2:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.0% ✓ Higher | 50.4% |
| High School or Higher | 95.9% ✓ Higher | 88.1% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Bellevue School District | Stamford School District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 47.4°F ✓ Warmer | 38.0°F |
| Avg High — July | 76.5°F | 84.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.9" ✓ Drier | 50.9" |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.8" ✓ Less | 34.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 150,606 ✓ Larger | 135,413 |
| Median Age | 38.3 ✓ Older | 37.6 |
| Homeownership Rate | 51.7% ✓ Higher | 46.0% |
| Under 18 | 20.0% ✓ More | 19.2% |
| Over 65 | 14.6% | 15.3% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Bellevue's cost of living index is 113.0 vs Stamford's 106.5 (US average = 100).
Stamford is 6% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Bellevue leads 14 of 23 categories. Bellevue wins 14 and Stamford wins 9. 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 Stamford or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,139,500 vs $584,700 median home), income ($149,551 vs $100,718), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Bellevue, WA and Stamford, CT are about 2,403 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.