Bellevue receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Bothell
Bellevue
Opportunity
52 · Bottom 42%
vs54 · Bottom 45%
Growth
38 · Bottom 30%
vs71 · Top 16%
Climate
74 · Top 35%
vs74 · Top 35%
Physical resilience
42 · Bottom 33%
vs41 · Bottom 31%
Housing affordability
64 · Bottom 26%
vs59 · Bottom 19%
Access
90 · Bottom 42%
vs95 · Top 40%
Economic stability
77 · Top 12%
vs69 · Top 32%
Measured values
| Metric | Bothell | Bellevue | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 49,610 | 151,847 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $140,427 | $165,576 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $72,775 | $97,015 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,638/sq mi | 4,537/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $925,100 | $1,340,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $2,346 | $2,572 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 65.5% | 52.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.9% | 4.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.6% | -1.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 59.8% | 72.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 4.8% | 7.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 109 | 1,767 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.2 | 11.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -66.7% | 200.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 77°F | 77°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 37°F | 37°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 37.8" | 37.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 17 mi | 8 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 29.5 min | 25.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.6 | 38.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 19 | 30 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 18.35 | 18.58 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 22.1% | 25.2% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Bothell
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Bellevue
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: Bothell, WA · Bellevue, WA · How this is calculated: methodology