The Pacific Northwest is famous for its stunning landscapes, and Bellevue is no exception. This Seattle suburb sits on Lake Washington, offering plenty of ways to enjoy the water—whether it’s kayaking, boating, or swimming, all within city limits. Bellevue is also home to some of western Washington’s best parks, amazing for hiking, biking, camping, and festivals. And if you're around in winter, don’t miss the massive holiday ice rink!

Of course, great nature, top-rated schools, and easy access to Seattle don’t come cheap. Thanks to its proximity to the city and the tech boom, Bellevue’s housing prices have climbed in recent years, with the median home price now just under $1M. That said, if you’re moving from Seattle to escape the big-city grind, Bellevue’s prices might not seem as shocking as they do for folks coming from smaller towns.

Outdoor paradise

LookyLOO Review of Bellevue 

The residents of Bellevue tend to be older and affluent due to the cost of housing. There is a younger crowd living in downtown Bellevue because they work in the city and want to avoid the notorious commutes. That said, much 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). 

We highly recommend visiting Bellevue and staying in the community in a [VRBO](https://vrbo.com/affiliate/p4JS4ZC) rather than a hotel to get a feel for what it's like to live among the locals. You can receive discounted fares on travel via our [partnership with Expedia](expedia.com/affiliate/9NZ8LBQ) as well.


Lifestyle 

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.


Worklife

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.


Family Startup

Why You Should Move Here Now?

sirotan88
10mo ago
🦉🦉🦉🦉

We did a similar move from Sunnyvale to Downtown Bellevue 3 years ago and love it here! We are outdoorsy people so it was easy to adjust. It’s refreshing to be so close to the water and to see green year round, be close to mountains, and actually feel like there is some work-life separation and not just living in a giant cookie cutter tech suburb… (sorry Sunnyvale!) There’s still a huge tech presence in Bellevue but at least it’s not completely dominated by tech campuses everywhere. The various parks and neighborhoods are really great, and folks in general seem to be more family and life oriented.

For volleyball, all summer long there are people playing volleyball on the grass at downtown Bellevue park. Not sure how to join these groups but if you are proactive enough maybe you can find one to join. If you like hiking and outdoors then you will have plenty to do. Climbing (indoor & outdoor) is pretty big here, as well as cycling.

The worst part of the year is from November through February where the clock shifts so sun sets around 4pm. The rest of the year between March through October is beautiful. I’d say January and February are the hardest to get through, since November and December have Thanksgiving break and Christmas to break up the monotony. Winter is much more enjoyable if you like skiing. The cold dark months are so worth it for when finally spring comes and the sunsets shift later. Makes you appreciate nature and being outdoors.

For more reviews of what living in Bellevue is like from locals, check out [The Reviews](https://lookyloomove.com/locations/bellevue/reviews).

Reviews of Bellevue from Locals

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

Young Professionals

Downtown

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


Families

Lake Hills

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


Somerset

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


Empty Nesters/Retirees

Medina/Downtown

Bellevue

**FR3507**
1y ago
🦉🦉🦉🦉

1 - if you can afford it, yes, it's worth it. Downtown Bellevue is extremely walkable, has good restaurants and shops, and nice parks. If you can't, there are plenty of nice neighborhoods around, but you're better off staying on the Eastside (the non-Seattle, east side of the lake) until the light rail train opens up in a couple of years - traffic can be a real nightmare.

2 - check out Mox boarding house and Silver Platters, both in Bellevue. The first is a board game/gaming store where you can buy-play-eat-drink, and the second is a legendary local vinyl chain which sells new and used vinyl, CDs and dvds. They could probably set you up with like-minded groups.

3 - not so big in Bellevue but large on the Eastside overall. There is a Brazilian store/cafe chain called Kitanda with multiple locations, they could tell you more. I've been to the Kirkland one many times and it's always full of Portuguese. 😊

4 - yes, Bellevue is a bit more, but it's marginal, and Seattle is a toss up when it comes to neighborhoods and safety. It's a city in flux right now.

sirotan88
10mo ago
🦉🦉🦉🦉

We did a similar move from Sunnyvale to Downtown Bellevue 3 years ago and love it here! We are outdoorsy people so it was easy to adjust. It’s refreshing to be so close to the water and to see green year round, be close to mountains, and actually feel like there is some work-life separation and not just living in a giant cookie cutter tech suburb… (sorry Sunnyvale!) There’s still a huge tech presence in Bellevue but at least it’s not completely dominated by tech campuses everywhere. The various parks and neighborhoods are really great, and folks in general seem to be more family and life oriented.

For volleyball, all summer long there are people playing volleyball on the grass at downtown Bellevue park. Not sure how to join these groups but if you are proactive enough maybe you can find one to join. If you like hiking and outdoors then you will have plenty to do. Climbing (indoor & outdoor) is pretty big here, as well as cycling.

The worst part of the year is from November through February where the clock shifts so sun sets around 4pm. The rest of the year between March through October is beautiful. I’d say January and February are the hardest to get through, since November and December have Thanksgiving break and Christmas to break up the monotony. Winter is much more enjoyable if you like skiing. The cold dark months are so worth it for when finally spring comes and the sunsets shift later. Makes you appreciate nature and being outdoors.

**pickleddaikon33**
1y ago
🦉🦉🦉🦉

I absolutely love living in Bellevue, but it one of the most expensive areas you could pick to live in the greater Seattle area. I've lived here since I relocated to the area 5 years ago and albeit expensive, I think it's mostly worth it for the safety (as a woman living alone) and convenience. If you can, I'd say look at living just slightly outside of Downtown "Proper" as I've noticed it can be slightly more affordable?? I'd also suggest looking at Kirkland and Redmond, thought they're a bit similar in pricing to Bellevue...maybe a bit less. I've taken transit just fine between cities on the east side and spent the last 5 years without a car in DT Bellevue.

If you're looking to live in a popular area with walkability that's a bit more affordable, I know North Seattle is a really popular spot (Fremont, Wallingford, Ballard) as it has a lot to do.

**I_DONT_LIE_MUCH**
1y ago
🦉🦉🦉

Downtown Bellevue is very walkable and generally nice with decent transit. I don’t have a car and walk and take transit everywhere, it’s not as easy as it was on east coast but I don’t have any major complaints. DT Bellevue is also relatively quiet, at least for a downtown. Happy to answer any questions!

Bellevue, Washington

The City in a Park

Looklyloo Score: 93