Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Bellevue, WA
VS
Torrance, CA
🏆 Bellevue leads 13 of 23 categories
Bellevue
Washington
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
113.0⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$149,551 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
36 ✓ Safer
Population
150,606 ✓ Larger
Torrance
California
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$109,554
Violent Crime Index
82
Population
145,454
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Bellevue, WA
Pros
55% less violent crime than Torrance
Households earn $39,997 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (138.6 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.3 pts lower (4.0%)
More college-educated — 70.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
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
Higher rents — median is $2,422/mo
Torrance, CA
Pros
Homes cost $177k less ($962,300 vs $1,139,500)
Rent averages $290/mo less ($2,132 vs $2,422)
Milder winters — January highs near 67°F vs 47°F
Cons
Median income trails Bellevue by $39,997/yr
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
Property crime (2775.8/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (5.3% vs 4.0%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Bellevue
Cost of Living
3% cheaper
COL index 113.0 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
Bellevue
Median Income
$39,997
$149,551 vs $109,554/yr
Bellevue
Violent Crime
55% lower
138.6 vs 311.2 per 100k
Bellevue
Unemployment
1.3 pp lower
4.0% vs 5.3% unemployment
Torrance
Median Home Value
$177k less
$962,300 vs $1,139,500
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Bellevue, WA | Torrance, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 113.0⚠ High ✓ Cheaper | 115.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $1,139,500⚠ High | $962,300⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,422⚠ High | $2,132⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $149,551 ✓ Higher | $109,554 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.3%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.6 min ✓ Shorter | 27.8 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 29.9% ✓ Higher | 15.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 85 ✓ Safer | 102⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 36 ✓ Safer | 82 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 159⚠ High | 132⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (115) ✓ Better | B+ (107) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 17.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 25.1:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.0% ✓ Higher | 52.7% |
| High School or Higher | 95.9% ✓ Higher | 95.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Bellevue School District | Torrance Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 47.4°F | 66.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 76.5°F ✓ Warmer | 75.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.9" | 13.8" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.8" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 150,606 ✓ Larger | 145,454 |
| Median Age | 38.3 | 42.9 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 51.7% | 54.8% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 20.0% | 20.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.6% | 17.5% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Bellevue's cost of living index is 113.0 vs Torrance's 115.5 (US average = 100).
Bellevue is 2% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Bellevue leads 13 of 23 categories. Bellevue wins 13 and Torrance wins 10. 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 Torrance or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,139,500 vs $962,300 median home), income ($149,551 vs $109,554), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Bellevue, WA and Torrance, CA are about 972 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.