Bellevue WA vs El Paso TX — Cost of Living, Crime & Income Comparison 2026

Updated May 2026 · Source: US Census ACS 5-Year (2023), FBI CDE (2023), BLS OEWS (2024)

Bellevue, WA

Washington · Population: 151,199

  • Median HH Income$161,300
  • Median Home Price$1,527,243
  • Unemployment4.0%
  • Bachelor's+71.4%

El Paso, TX

Texas · Population: 678,147

  • Median HH Income$58,734
  • Median Home Price$235,994
  • Unemployment6.2%
  • Bachelor's+27.5%

Detailed Comparison

Demographics

Population
Bellevue
151,199
El Paso
678,147
El Paso +
Pop. Density / sq mi
Lower = more space
Bellevue
N/A
El Paso
N/A
Median Age
Bellevue
38.3
El Paso
34.1
El Paso +
Foreign Born
Bellevue
42.1%
Bellevue +
El Paso
22.3%
White
Bellevue
45.0%
Bellevue +
El Paso
39.3%
Black
Bellevue
2.2%
El Paso
3.6%
El Paso +
Asian
Bellevue
41.0%
Bellevue +
El Paso
1.5%
Hispanic
Bellevue
8.5%
El Paso
81.3%
El Paso +
Spanish at Home
Bellevue
N/A
El Paso
N/A

Economy

Median HH Income
Bellevue
$161,300
Bellevue +
El Paso
$58,734
Per Capita Income
Bellevue
$92,441
Bellevue +
El Paso
$28,942
Per Capita Personal Income (MSA)
BEA MSA-level
Bellevue
$76,120
Bellevue +
El Paso
$63,758
Unemployment Rate
Bellevue
4.0%
Bellevue +
El Paso
6.2%
Poverty Rate
Bellevue
7.3%
Bellevue +
El Paso
18.4%
Bachelor's Degree+
Bellevue
71.4%
Bellevue +
El Paso
27.5%

Housing

Median Home Value
Zillow ZHVI / Census ACS
Bellevue
$1,527,243
El Paso
$235,994
El Paso +
Homeownership Rate
Bellevue
51.9%
El Paso
60.2%
El Paso +

Safety

Violent Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Bellevue
383
Bellevue +
El Paso
442
Property Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Bellevue
3409
El Paso
2339
El Paso +

Health

Obesity Rate
CDC PLACES
Bellevue
18.8%
Bellevue +
El Paso
33.8%
Diabetes Rate
CDC PLACES
Bellevue
6.9%
Bellevue +
El Paso
16.4%
Poor Mental Health
CDC PLACES — 14+ days/month
Bellevue
12.5%
Bellevue +
El Paso
17.2%
No Health Insurance
CDC PLACES
Bellevue
5.4%
Bellevue +
El Paso
27.9%
Binge Drinking
CDC PLACES
Bellevue
15.6%
Bellevue +
El Paso
16.5%
Current Smokers
CDC PLACES
Bellevue
5.5%
Bellevue +
El Paso
12.2%

Climate

Avg Annual Temp
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Bellevue
N/A
El Paso
64.3°F
Annual Precipitation
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Bellevue
N/A
El Paso
10.5 in

Air Quality

PM2.5 Annual Avg
EPA AQS (state-level est.)
Bellevue
7.5 µg/m³
Bellevue +
El Paso
9.2 µg/m³
Good Air Days
AQI ≤ 50
Bellevue
75.0%
Bellevue +
El Paso
55.0%

Commute

Mean Commute Time
Census ACS
Bellevue
25.6 min
El Paso
25.1 min
El Paso +

Which City is Right for You?

Bellevue leads in median household income at $161,300, while el Paso offers more affordable housing with a median home price of $235,994. On public safety, Bellevue is safer with a violent crime rate of 383 per 100,000 residents, compared to 442 in El Paso. Bellevue has a lower unemployment rate at 4.0%, and Bellevue has cleaner air (PM2.5 avg 7.5 µg/m³). For overall health outcomes, Bellevue scores better with a lower obesity rate of 18.8%.

Compare More Cities

About Bellevue & El Paso