Bellevue vs Mercer Island
Bellevue, Washington versus Mercer Island, Washington: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Mercer Island edges out Bellevue on overall objective livability (58 vs 54 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Bellevue | Mercer Island |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $150k | $191k |
| Cost of Living | $73k | $73k |
| Home Value | $1.1M | $1.7M |
| Monthly Rent | $2k | $2k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $4k | $4k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.73% | 0.59% |
| Income Tax | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Sales Tax | 9.38% | 9.38% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 8.68% | 8.33% |
| Unemployment | 4.0% | 2.6% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 43°F | 43°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 67°F | 67°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.9 in | 38.4 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.8 in | 3.8 in |
| Sunny Days | 217 days | 217 days |
| Summer Humidity | 53°F | 53°F |
| Comfortable Days | 118 days | 119 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 88.2 | 68.4 |
| Air Quality | 27 AQI | 37 AQI |
| School Quality | 93.8 | 80.7 |
| Violent Crime | 666/100k | 243/100k |
| Property Crime | 3790/100k | 1692/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 150,606 | 25,464 |
| Median Age | 38.3 | 45.3 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.61 | 0.50 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.05 | 0.89 |
| Political Leaning | D+54 | D+54 |
| White (%) | 44.1% | 65.3% |
| Black (%) | 2.6% | 1.3% |
| Hispanic (%) | 8.2% | 3.2% |
| Asian (%) | 39.4% | 22.0% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 5.8% | 8.1% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 24 min | 27 min |
| Walkability | 14.1/20 | 12.0/20 |
| Airport Distance | 13 mi | 9 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 96.1% | 96.7% |
| Amenities Nearby | 51.86 | 472.82 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Limited |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Bellevue or Mercer Island more affordable?
- Mercer Island has the lower cost of living: its index is $73k, compared with Bellevue's $73k and Mercer Island's $73k. Median rent is $2k in Bellevue versus $2k in Mercer Island.
- Is Bellevue or Mercer Island safer?
- Mercer Island has the lower violent crime rate. Bellevue reports 666/100k and Mercer Island reports 243/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Bellevue or Mercer Island?
- The median home value is $1.1M in Bellevue and $1.7M in Mercer Island, so homes are more affordable in Bellevue.