Bellevue receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Burien
Bellevue
Opportunity
40 · Bottom 17%
vs54 · Bottom 45%
Growth
53 · Top 46%
vs71 · Top 16%
Climate
74 · Top 35%
vs74 · Top 35%
Physical resilience
41 · Bottom 31%
vs41 · Bottom 31%
Housing affordability
54 · Bottom 13%
vs59 · Bottom 19%
Access
95 · Top 40%
vs95 · Top 40%
Economic stability
58 · Bottom 46%
vs69 · Top 32%
Measured values
| Metric | Burien | Bellevue | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 51,513 | 151,847 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $91,318 | $165,576 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $49,093 | $97,015 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 5,131/sq mi | 4,537/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $638,800 | $1,340,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,782 | $2,572 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 56.6% | 52.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.3% | 4.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.6% | -1.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 33.2% | 72.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 12.9% | 7.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 222 | 1,767 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.3 | 11.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 96.5% | 200.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 77°F | 77°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 38°F | 37°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 39.3" | 37.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 2 mi | 8 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 29.1 min | 25.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 40.4 | 38.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 20 | 30 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 17.47 | 18.58 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 58.8% | 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
Burien
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Bellevue
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: Burien, WA · Bellevue, WA · How this is calculated: methodology