Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Bellevue, WA
VS
Vacaville, CA
🏆 It's a dead heat — 11 categories each
Bellevue
Washington
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
113.0⚠ High
Median Household Income
$149,551 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
36 ✓ Safer
Population
150,606 ✓ Larger
Vacaville
California
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
109.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$106,764
Violent Crime Index
77
Population
101,631
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Bellevue, WA
Pros
53% less violent crime than Vacaville
Households earn $42,787 more per year on average
More college-educated — 70.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (138.6 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.4 pts lower (4.0%)
Commutes run 5 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
Vacaville, CA
Pros
Homes cost $579k less ($560,400 vs $1,139,500)
Rent averages $281/mo less ($2,141 vs $2,422)
Milder winters — January highs near 58°F vs 47°F
4% cheaper overall cost of living than Bellevue
Cons
Median income trails Bellevue by $42,787/yr
Higher unemployment (5.4% vs 4.0%)
Longer commutes — 28.9 min average each way
Key Differences at a Glance
Bellevue
Median Income
$42,787
$149,551 vs $106,764/yr
Bellevue
Violent Crime
53% lower
138.6 vs 293.2 per 100k
Bellevue
Unemployment
1.4 pp lower
4.0% vs 5.4% unemployment
Vacaville
Cost of Living
4% cheaper
COL index 109.2 vs 113.0 (100 = US avg)
Vacaville
Median Home Value
$579k less
$560,400 vs $1,139,500
Vacaville
Summer Heat
18.5°F warmer
July avg high 95.0°F vs 76.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Bellevue, WA | Vacaville, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 113.0⚠ High | 109.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,139,500⚠ High | $560,400⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,422⚠ High | $2,141⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $149,551 ✓ Higher | $106,764 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.4%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.6 min ✓ Shorter | 28.9 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 29.9% ✓ Higher | 9.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 85 | 79 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 36 ✓ Safer | 77 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 159⚠ High | 83 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (115) ✓ Better | C+ (89) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 17.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 21.9:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.0% ✓ Higher | 26.3% |
| High School or Higher | 95.9% ✓ Higher | 91.4% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Bellevue School District | Vacaville Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 47.4°F | 57.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 76.5°F | 95.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.9" | 24.8" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.8" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 150,606 ✓ Larger | 101,631 |
| Median Age | 38.3 ✓ Older | 37.3 |
| Homeownership Rate | 51.7% | 66.2% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 20.0% | 22.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.6% | 14.6% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Bellevue's cost of living index is 113.0 vs Vacaville's 109.2 (US average = 100).
Vacaville is 4% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, It's a dead heat — 11 categories each. Bellevue wins 11 and Vacaville wins 11. 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 Vacaville or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,139,500 vs $560,400 median home), income ($149,551 vs $106,764), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Bellevue, WA and Vacaville, CA are about 638 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.