154,647
Population
Sunny Days: 155
62100 Affordability
100100 Schools
63100 Diversity
84100 Safety
Bellevue, Washington
The City in a Park
Best Part About Bellevue
Outdoor paradise
The Pacific Northwest is known for its breathtaking views and natural beauty and Bellevue is no exception. A suburb of Seattle on Lake Washington, you can go kayaking, boating, and swimming all within city limits. Bellevue is also known for having some of western Washington’s best parks, perfect for hiking, biking, camping, and for having festivals! Don’t miss out on the huge holiday ice rink that goes up every winter.
Here's a local on what's wonderful about Bellevue: Bellevue is like many of the cities outside of San Francisco, e.g.; Walnut Creek or La Mesa outside of San Diego. It's expensive, nice, a place you'd want to raise a family. And, yes, the sky is grey and rainy months on end, but when the sun shines, there is no place more beautiful than the Northwest. Forget the grey and grab your shades -- it won't last long. :)
Worst Part About Bellevue
$$$
You don’t get beautiful nature, great schools, and close proximity to a major city without a major price tag. Due to both close proximity to Seattle and an increase in population due to the tech boom, housing prices in Bellevue have gotten higher and higher in recent years. The current median home price is just under $1M. That being said, if you’re moving to Bellevue to get away from the big city life in Seattle, you might not balk at home prices like people who are moving from smaller cities.
Here's a local about costs of living in Bellevue: It is extremely expensive to live here. We don’t have income tax, but taxes are expensive on everything else…we are already over $4/gallon for gasoline at Costco (just filled up a few days ago). Rent is super expensive and people rent because housing is extremely expensive. Houses around where I live (Lake Hills/Crossroads/East Bellevue). One just down the street sold for >$900k . 1000 sq ft, 3 bedroom, 1 bath.
Lifestyle of Bellevue
The residents of Bellevue tend to be older and affluent, due to the nature of the housing prices. There is a younger crowd that live in Bellevue because they work in the city and want to avoid the notorious commutes the people always complain about. That being said, most of their free time will still be spent in Seattle for late night or weekend plans.
If you want to see what locals do for fun in Bellevue check out the calendar of events: https://www.bellevuedowntown.com/events/calendar
Workstyle of Bellevue
Bellevue has become a hub for software engineering and other technology centers. There are satellite offices for large tech companies like eBay, Salesforce, Google, Microsoft, and even a huge Amazon high-rise on the Bellevue skyline. Other headquarters include PACCAR Inc, T-Mobile, and Valve and the largest employers in the city are Microsoft, T-Mobile, and Amazon.
Why You Should Move Here Now?
Family Startup
Bellevue is the perfect place for anyone looking to get out of Seattle and start a family. With more remote work opportunities popping up, if you’re relocating for work with a partner or spouse, it won’t be hard for them to bring work along with them! The great schools and amazing nature surrounding Bellevue mean it’s the perfect place for kids and families to grow up.
Living in Bellevue
Neighborhoods in Bellevue
View All
Downtown
Young Professionals
Young professionals that live in Bellevue need to be close to the nightlife that the city has to offer. Despite the fact that it isn’t known for its social scene the way Seattle is there is a downtown area where young professionals live, eat, drink and play. It's a much better option than living in Seattle and commuting to Bellevue.
- Downtown
- Woodridge
Lake Hills
Families
Being known for great schools, it’s no surprise that Bellevue is great for young families. You can be close to activities and parks while still finding a great place to call home. One of the big selling part for these neighborhoods and Lake Hills in particular are the outdoor spaces for the family to play. Lake Hills has the 150 acre Greenbelt wetland corridor. This includes forests, streams, lakes, trails for hiking, community gardens, picnic areas and seasonal produce farms. You can also attend master gardener workshops and do guided walking tours with a park ranger. Trust us, raising kids here is amazing if you want them to have an outdoor lifestyle. Check out all these neighborhoods if you’re a young family looking to settle down:
- Lake Hills
- Crossroads
- Woodridge
Somerset
Families
Bellevue may be expensive, but it’s worth it for the amazing schools and the location. If you’re looking to relocate and crave a quiet, affluent suburban neighborhood on a hill with stunning views of Lake Washington, downtown Bellevue and downtown Seattle then Somerset is your spot. It’s easy for community and close to shops and businesses in Factoria, including the Marketplace at Factoria. Somerset has some of the best public and private schools in Washington and tons of parks and green spaces for the kiddos to play (outside of the large lawns that come with the large homes). All of these choices offer similar homes, amenities and experiences:
- Somerset
- Eastgate
- Newport
Medina/Downtown
Empty Nesters/Retirees
If you’ve recently sent your kids off to college or the workforce, you’re going to want to check out Bellevue. Downtown offers an easier way to experience nightlife, culture, and entertainment at a more manageable pace than downtown Seattle. You're also close to Seattle should you crave something more jumping, decent weather, and amazing nature activities make it a top contender for retired life. If instead you crave a more bucolic retirement area look at Medina. It's a mostly residential city on a peninsula surrounded by Lake Washington. Seattle sits across the Lake so you get stunning views and a quiet, outdoor lifestyle, apart from the downtowns of Bellevue or Seattle.
- Downtown
- Medina