Bellevue, WA vs San Mateo, CA

Side-by-side comparison of housing, income, commute, safety, and quality of life.

Score Snapshot

No universal winner

Scores summarize the published model. Use the objective metric differences below and your own priorities to choose.

Bellevue

69.5

#1192 nationally

vs

San Mateo

63

#1808 nationally

Bellevue leads in cost of living index (175 vs 249). San Mateo leads in walk score (68 vs 55). Bellevue leads in average commute (26.4 min vs 28.5 min).

Metric-by-Metric Breakdown

Metric Bellevue, WA San Mateo, CA
WhereAtHome Score 69.5 (#1192) 63 (#1808)
Population 154,331 101,327
Typical Home Value (ZHVI) $1,451,887 $1,685,162
Median Household Income $145,892 $149,152
Average Commute 26.4 min 28.5 min
Walk Score 55 68
Crime Level Very Low 6.7
School Rating 9.2 N/A
Cost of Living Index 175 249
Political lean County 2024 presidential margin — context only, not scored D+51.7 D+50.3