Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Bellevue, WA
VS
Thousand Oaks, CA
🏆 Thousand Oaks leads 12 of 23 categories
Bellevue
Washington
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
113.0⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$149,551 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
36
Population
150,606 ✓ Larger
Thousand Oaks
California
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
113.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$125,399
Violent Crime Index
27 ✓ Safer
Population
126,532
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Bellevue, WA
Pros
Violent crime is well below the national average (138.6 vs 380/100k)
Households earn $24,152 more per year on average
More college-educated — 70.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.8 pts lower (4.0%)
Smaller class sizes — 17.8:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,139,500
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 113.0)
Property crime (3339.5/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Thousand Oaks, CA
Pros
26% less violent crime than Bellevue
Homes cost $239k less ($900,600 vs $1,139,500)
Violent crime is well below the national average (102.2 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 68°F vs 47°F
Cons
Median income trails Bellevue by $24,152/yr
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 113.5)
Higher unemployment (4.8% vs 4.0%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Bellevue
Cost of Living
1% cheaper
COL index 113.0 vs 113.5 (100 = US avg)
Bellevue
Median Income
$24,152
$149,551 vs $125,399/yr
Bellevue
Unemployment
0.8 pp lower
4.0% vs 4.8% unemployment
Thousand Oaks
Violent Crime
26% lower
102.2 vs 138.6 per 100k
Thousand Oaks
Median Home Value
$239k less
$900,600 vs $1,139,500
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Bellevue, WA | Thousand Oaks, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 113.0⚠ High ✓ Cheaper | 113.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $1,139,500⚠ High | $900,600⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,422⚠ High ✓ Lower | $2,483⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $149,551 ✓ Higher | $125,399 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 4.8%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.6 min ✓ Shorter | 25.1 min |
| Work From Home % | 29.9% ✓ Higher | 18.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 85 | 36 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 36 | 27 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 159⚠ High | 49 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (115) ✓ Better | B+ (109) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 17.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 20.9:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.0% ✓ Higher | 49.6% |
| High School or Higher | 95.9% ✓ Higher | 94.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Bellevue School District | Conejo Valley Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 47.4°F | 68.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 76.5°F | 78.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.9" | 16.1" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.8" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 150,606 ✓ Larger | 126,532 |
| Median Age | 38.3 | 44.4 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 51.7% | 69.2% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 20.0% | 20.3% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.6% | 19.9% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Bellevue's cost of living index is 113.0 vs Thousand Oaks's 113.5 (US average = 100).
Bellevue is 0% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Thousand Oaks leads 12 of 23 categories. Bellevue wins 11 and Thousand Oaks wins 12. 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 Thousand Oaks or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,139,500 vs $900,600 median home), income ($149,551 vs $125,399), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Bellevue, WA and Thousand Oaks, CA are about 942 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.