Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Bellevue, WA
VS
Syracuse, NY
🏆 Bellevue leads 15 of 23 categories
Bellevue
Washington
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
113.0⚠ High
Median Household Income
$149,551 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
36 ✓ Safer
Population
150,606 ✓ Larger
Syracuse
New York
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
95.2 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$43,584
Violent Crime Index
201⚠ High
Population
146,134
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Bellevue, WA
Pros
Households earn $105,967 more per year on average
82% less violent crime than Syracuse
Stronger job market — unemployment is 4.6 pts lower (4.0%)
More college-educated — 70.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (138.6 vs 380/100k)
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 18% higher than Syracuse
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 113.0)
Syracuse, NY
Pros
Homes cost $1022k less ($117,900 vs $1,139,500)
Rent averages $1490/mo less ($932 vs $2,422)
18% cheaper overall cost of living than Bellevue
Commutes run 6 min shorter each way
Smaller class sizes — 10.9:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Bellevue by $105,967/yr
Violent crime (765.3/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (4234.2/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (8.6% vs 4.0%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Bellevue
Median Income
$105,967
$149,551 vs $43,584/yr
Bellevue
Violent Crime
82% lower
138.6 vs 765.3 per 100k
Bellevue
Unemployment
4.6 pp lower
4.0% vs 8.6% unemployment
Syracuse
Cost of Living
18% cheaper
COL index 95.2 vs 113.0 (100 = US avg)
Syracuse
Median Home Value
$1022k less
$117,900 vs $1,139,500
Syracuse
Summer Heat
5.2°F warmer
July avg high 81.7°F vs 76.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Bellevue, WA | Syracuse, NY |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 113.0⚠ High | 95.2 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,139,500⚠ High | $117,900 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,422⚠ High | $932 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $149,551 ✓ Higher | $43,584 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 8.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.6 min | 17.6 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 29.9% ✓ Higher | 9.3% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 85 ✓ Safer | 201⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 36 ✓ Safer | 201⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 159⚠ High ✓ Safer | 202⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (115) ✓ Better | B (98) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 17.8:1 | 10.9:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.0% ✓ Higher | 29.7% |
| High School or Higher | 95.9% ✓ Higher | 84.5% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Bellevue School District | SYRACUSE CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 47.4°F ✓ Warmer | 31.7°F |
| Avg High — July | 76.5°F | 81.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.9" | 43.4" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.8" ✓ Less | 127.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 150,606 ✓ Larger | 146,134 |
| Median Age | 38.3 ✓ Older | 31.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 51.7% ✓ Higher | 40.8% |
| Under 18 | 20.0% | 21.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.6% ✓ More | 13.3% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Bellevue's cost of living index is 113.0 vs Syracuse's 95.2 (US average = 100).
Syracuse is 18% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Bellevue leads 15 of 23 categories. Bellevue wins 15 and Syracuse wins 8. 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 Syracuse or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,139,500 vs $117,900 median home), income ($149,551 vs $43,584), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Bellevue, WA and Syracuse, NY are about 2,224 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.