Bellevue receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
SeaTac
Bellevue
Opportunity
37 · Bottom 13%
vs54 · Bottom 45%
Growth
38 · Bottom 30%
vs71 · Top 16%
Climate
74 · Top 35%
vs74 · Top 35%
Physical resilience
41 · Bottom 31%
vs41 · Bottom 31%
Housing affordability
55 · Bottom 14%
vs59 · Bottom 19%
Access
95 · Top 40%
vs95 · Top 40%
Economic stability
67 · Top 35%
vs69 · Top 32%
Measured values
| Metric | SeaTac | Bellevue | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 32,414 | 151,847 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $81,104 | $165,576 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $38,330 | $97,015 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,221/sq mi | 4,537/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $519,700 | $1,340,300 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,660 | $2,572 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 46.5% | 52.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.5% | 4.6% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.6% | -1.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26.4% | 72.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 9.3% | 7.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 17 | 1,767 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.5 | 11.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -95.4% | 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 | 1 mi | 8 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 27.9 min | 25.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 36.8 | 38.5 | 2024 ACS 5-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
SeaTac
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Bellevue
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Full profiles: SeaTac, WA · Bellevue, WA · How this is calculated: methodology