Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Bellevue, WA
VS
Trenton, NJ
🏆 Bellevue leads 16 of 23 categories
Bellevue
Washington
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
113.0⚠ High
Median Household Income
$149,551 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
36 ✓ Safer
Population
150,606 ✓ Larger
Trenton
New Jersey
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.1⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$44,444
Violent Crime Index
270⚠ High
Population
90,055
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Bellevue, WA
Pros
Households earn $105,107 more per year on average
86% less violent crime than Trenton
Stronger job market — unemployment is 6.2 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)
Cooler summers — July highs near 77°F vs 87°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,139,500
Higher rents — median is $2,422/mo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 113.0)
Property crime (3339.5/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Trenton, NJ
Pros
Homes cost $1028k less ($111,200 vs $1,139,500)
Rent averages $1245/mo less ($1,177 vs $2,422)
11% cheaper overall cost of living than Bellevue
Smaller class sizes — 16.1:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Bellevue by $105,107/yr
Violent crime (1025.9/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher unemployment (10.2% vs 4.0%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Bellevue
Median Income
$105,107
$149,551 vs $44,444/yr
Bellevue
Violent Crime
86% lower
138.6 vs 1025.9 per 100k
Bellevue
Unemployment
6.2 pp lower
4.0% vs 10.2% unemployment
Trenton
Cost of Living
11% cheaper
COL index 102.1 vs 113.0 (100 = US avg)
Trenton
Median Home Value
$1028k less
$111,200 vs $1,139,500
Trenton
Summer Heat
10.0°F warmer
July avg high 86.5°F vs 76.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Bellevue, WA | Trenton, NJ |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 113.0⚠ High | 102.1⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,139,500⚠ High | $111,200 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,422⚠ High | $1,177 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $149,551 ✓ Higher | $44,444 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 10.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.6 min ✓ Shorter | 26.2 min |
| Work From Home % | 29.9% ✓ Higher | 5.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 85 ✓ Safer | 206⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 36 ✓ Safer | 270⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 159⚠ High | 109⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (115) ✓ Better | C (75) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 17.8:1 | 16.1:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.0% ✓ Higher | 15.6% |
| High School or Higher | 95.9% ✓ Higher | 76.3% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Bellevue School District | Trenton Public School District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 47.4°F ✓ Warmer | 39.9°F |
| Avg High — July | 76.5°F | 86.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.9" ✓ Drier | 47.9" |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.8" ✓ Less | 26.6" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 150,606 ✓ Larger | 90,055 |
| Median Age | 38.3 ✓ Older | 35.8 |
| Homeownership Rate | 51.7% ✓ Higher | 38.3% |
| Under 18 | 20.0% | 25.9% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.6% ✓ More | 12.2% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Bellevue's cost of living index is 113.0 vs Trenton's 102.1 (US average = 100).
Trenton is 11% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Bellevue leads 16 of 23 categories. Bellevue wins 16 and Trenton wins 7. 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 Trenton or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,139,500 vs $111,200 median home), income ($149,551 vs $44,444), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Bellevue, WA and Trenton, NJ are about 2,375 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.