Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Bellevue, WA
VS
Visalia, CA
🏆 Bellevue leads 12 of 23 categories
Bellevue
Washington
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
113.0⚠ High
Median Household Income
$149,551 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
36 ✓ Safer
Population
150,606 ✓ Larger
Visalia
California
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
101.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$75,658
Violent Crime Index
115⚠ High
Population
141,466
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Bellevue, WA
Pros
Households earn $73,893 more per year on average
68% less violent crime than Visalia
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 1.6 pts lower (4.0%)
Cooler summers — July highs near 77°F vs 94°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
Visalia, CA
Pros
Homes cost $823k less ($316,600 vs $1,139,500)
Rent averages $1133/mo less ($1,289 vs $2,422)
12% cheaper overall cost of living than Bellevue
Milder winters — January highs near 55°F vs 47°F
Cons
Median income trails Bellevue by $73,893/yr
Higher unemployment (5.6% vs 4.0%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Bellevue
Median Income
$73,893
$149,551 vs $75,658/yr
Bellevue
Violent Crime
68% lower
138.6 vs 435.3 per 100k
Bellevue
Unemployment
1.6 pp lower
4.0% vs 5.6% unemployment
Visalia
Cost of Living
12% cheaper
COL index 101.3 vs 113.0 (100 = US avg)
Visalia
Median Home Value
$823k less
$316,600 vs $1,139,500
Visalia
Summer Heat
17.3°F warmer
July avg high 93.8°F vs 76.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Bellevue, WA | Visalia, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 113.0⚠ High | 101.3⚠ High ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,139,500⚠ High | $316,600⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,422⚠ High | $1,289 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $149,551 ✓ Higher | $75,658 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.6 min | 21.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 29.9% ✓ Higher | 6.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 85 ✓ Safer | 109⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 36 ✓ Safer | 115⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 159⚠ High | 101⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (115) ✓ Better | C+ (88) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 17.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 21.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.0% ✓ Higher | 23.3% |
| High School or Higher | 95.9% ✓ Higher | 86.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Bellevue School District | Visalia Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 47.4°F | 55.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 76.5°F | 93.8°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.9" | 10.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.8" | 0.1" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 150,606 ✓ Larger | 141,466 |
| Median Age | 38.3 ✓ Older | 33.0 |
| Homeownership Rate | 51.7% | 60.0% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 20.0% | 28.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.6% ✓ More | 13.2% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Bellevue's cost of living index is 113.0 vs Visalia's 101.3 (US average = 100).
Visalia is 12% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Bellevue leads 12 of 23 categories. Bellevue wins 12 and Visalia 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 Visalia or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,139,500 vs $316,600 median home), income ($149,551 vs $75,658), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Bellevue, WA and Visalia, CA are about 792 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.