Living a College Town Lifestyle in Bellevue, Washington

Bellevue College and City College makes this community a college town. Bellevue is a growing and prosperous city of over 120,000 people across Lake Washington from Seattle. It is the second largest city center in Washington, often characterized as an "edge-city" to Seattle. The city's long-term development plans include the Bel-Red Corridor Project, a large-scale planning effort to encourage the redevelopment of Bellevue's northern portion. Bellevue has many different neighborhoods and communities within it, such as Bridle Trails. The city abuts Redmond, home to Microsoft.

Where to Retire in Bellevue and Home Prices

There are active communities in the area. The National Association of Realtors reported the median home sale price was $818,900, during the second quarter of 2022, in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue area.

What Is Special about Bellevue

Bellevue was ranked as the 4th best place to live in America by CNN (2010).

What Is Not Special about Bellevue

Housing is expensive, cost of living is high.

Climate and Physical Environment

The city lies between Lake Washington to the west and the smaller Lake Sammamish to the east.  The city's name is French for "beautiful view".  Under favorable weather conditions, scenic vistas of the Olympic Mountains and Cascade Mountains can be viewed from hilltops within the city.  Bellevue's average July high is 75 degrees, average January low is 35 degrees.

Restaurants & Cultural Scene

Bellevue is the site of the popular annual Bellevue Arts and Crafts Fair, the Bellevue Arts Museum, and a biennial Sculpture Exhibition.

Crime

Crime is below the U.S. average and low for a city of this size.

Medical Facilities

Overlake Hospital Medical Center.

Transportation

Sound Transit is the regional transit system. A light rail system is planned to run from Bellevue, Seattle, and Redmond.  Bellevue is about average in walkability when compared to other cities.

Valuable Links

Visit Bellevue

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