Washington’s 5th most populated city, between its two largest lakes
Bellevue translates from French to "beautiful view" – and, with the city facing Seattle over the expanse of Lake Washington, it's a fitting name. Seattle and Bellevue's downtowns are about 11 miles apart. "From the west side of Bellevue, you'd see Seattle. And, looking south on a clear day, you definitely would see Mount Rainier," says Joshua Walden, a broker with NextHome Prolific, who specializes in representing the younger generation of homebuyers. Bellevue is in King County, between Washington state's biggest lakes. The span between Lake Washington and Lake Sammamish is roughly 6 miles, making for a quick trip to the water from Bellevue homes.
At one time, Bellevue was based on agriculture, such as berry farming; it morphed into a suburb around the mid-20th century. In recent decades, it has entered a third act: becoming a busy tech hub. It's the fifth-largest city in the state, with a population of approximately 150,000. It's seen as a satellite city to Seattle in a way, though it has its own identity. "We call it the Eastside," Walden says. That's the name for a grouping of Seattle suburbs west of Lake Washington. "What stands out about Bellevue, compared to Seattle, is it's more prestigious, conservative and family oriented."
Bellevue is the birthplace of tech giant Amazon. The Microsoft Corporate Headquarters is about 5 miles northeast of downtown Bellevue. It's the biggest area job site, both geographically, with over 500 acres of land, and for the number of employees, about 47,000. Meta's campus is about 3 miles from downtown Bellevue, in Spring District, a mixed-use, transit-oriented neighborhood.
Scenic views in Somerset abound thanks to the neighborhood's relative high elevation.
Beautiful views abound in Woodridge, such as this one with Lake Sammamish in the distance.
The scenic Meydenbauer Bay is the gem of North Bellevue.
Many Bridle Trails residents work at the sprawling Microsoft Campus just 5 minutes away.
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Higher median home price than in King County overall
The average price for homes in Bellevue over the 12 months preceding October 2024 was $1.8 million, compared to Seattle, at $1 million. Bellevue's median price of $1.5 million, a little less than Redmond's, is higher than King County's, which is approximately $980,000. There are some 1950s and 1960s ramblers and split-levels. Traditional and contemporary homes built from the 1970s to 1990s are common throughout the city. Some of those dating to the 2000s to 2020s are clustered in the west and south sides of the city.
Tova Williamson, a Realtor with eXp Realty who has been involved in the greater Seattle market since 2015, describes North Bellevue as "full of estate homes, where people can relax and raise their families in a luxury community with excellent public schools." Bridle Trails in the north is one of the more upscale neighborhoods: an equestrian-friendly community featuring large lots and several trails for hiking or horseback riding. Some custom 2020s houses are priced between $3 and $6 million. Large homes with lake views are in West Bellevue. Eastgate, by Interstate 90 in the southeast part of the city, has a suburban residential vibe, with shops and restaurants nearby.
Downtown is mostly condos, with modern architectural styles marked by strong angles, spacious windows and chrome surfaces. One-bedroom condos typically start in the $500,000s and go up to $3.5 million for newly constructed three-bedrooms. Luxury condos like those at Avenue Estates can approach $9 million.
West of north Bellevue are two small cities of about 3,000. Clyde Hill has a median price of $4.4 million, and homes can go as high as $12 million. Beside Clyde Hill, closer to Lake Washington, is Medina, where Bill Gates has an estate called Xanadu 2.0, now worth about $130 million, according to Fortune magazine. The median in Medina is $4.8 million, but waterfront properties can range from $15 million to $58 million.
Many Bridle Trails estates are nestled among trees and private from any other homes.
Large water front homes sit on Whalers Cove in North Bellevue.
Some contemporary single-family homes in the Eastgate neighborhood utilize craftsman motifs.
Your own slice of sophistication in Downtown Bellevue's condos.
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Well-regarded Bellevue School District includes choice schools
The Bellevue School District (BSD) has 20,000 students and an A-plus grade from Niche, which names it the best district in the state. There are over a dozen elementary schools, and a handful of middle and high schools. Choice schools, open to students throughout the district via application, include Jing Mei Elementary, the only school in greater Seattle with two-way Mandarin-English education. Puesta de Sol Elementary is an International Spanish Academy (ISA) school and Washington's first full-scale net-zero waste school, producing more renewable energy than it consumes. Bellevue Big Picture School focuses on career skills for grades six through twelve and offers the Learning through Interests (LTI) internship program. Students at the International School, also for sixth through twelfth, take an average of nine Advanced Placement courses. The school's annual retreat is planned around themes reflecting geographic and cultural regions of the world.
Though many students in the city are zoned to BSD, some may attend schools in the Issaquah School District or Lake Washington School District, both with an A-plus, or Renton School District, which has a B. Higher education options in the area include Bellevue College.
Jing Mei Elementary School
Puesta Del Sol Elementary School in the Lake Hills neighborhood of Washington.
The International School in Wilburton is rated A+ on Niche.com.
Bellevue College in Eastgate is Washington state's largest open admission institution.
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Luxury brands, malls and suburban shopping centers in Bellevue
Bellevue has a lot of options for shoppers. Bellevue Square is adjacent to Bellevue Downtown Park. "They are known for high-end designer stores," Walden says. Among Bellevue Square's 200 some stores, there's Burberry, Coach, Canada Goose and a Tesla dealer. Neighboring Bellevue Square is Lincoln Square, an upscale mixed-use development that attracts over one million per year. It has two towers and parking garages that connect them, keeping visitors out of the rain. The complex includes stores, restaurants, a 16-screen luxury cinema, offices for Eddie Bauer and Microsoft, a luxury hotel, and 148 condominiums. Lincoln Square North's Forum Social House includes a miniature golf course, the Topgolf Swing Suite and the Rockwell Sound Lounge, a nightclub and event space. Also in the north tower, Lucky Strike has bowling lanes, an arcade and a sports bar. Along with Bellevue Square and Lincoln Square, there's Bellevue Place, a mixed-use area with restaurants, boutiques, offices and a hotel. Together, the three sites make up The Bellevue Collection. Another luxury mall, The Shops at The Bravern, is about a mile east of The Bellevue Collection. This shopping area includes brands like Gucci, Hermes, and Louis Vuitton and offers valet parking.
Toward the east part of Bellevue is Crossroads, a suburban indoor shopping complex with brand-name stores, a movie theater and dozens of international restaurants. In the city's southeast section, at the junction of Interstates 90 and 405, is The Marketplace at Factoria, which has department stores, boutiques, restaurants, mini golf and the Funtastic Playtorium, an indoor playground.
Bellevue's dining scene includes an assortment of Japanese and Chinese restaurants and eateries with Mexican, Italian or seafood-based menus. Over 20 Bellevue restaurants participate each fall in Seattle Restaurant Week, which celebrates the culinary community.
Lake Hills residents enjoy Japanese cuisine at Shabu Shabu Kyoto restuarant.
Factoria has many centrally located stores, restaurants, and retail convenient for locals.
Microsoft has a large presence in the Crossroads community.
Locals can take in Celebrate Diwali each year at Bellevue Square in Downtown Bellevue.
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Things to do, thanks to Bellevue Parks & Community Services
With over 2,700 acres of parkland and open space in Bellevue, there are numerous options for outdoor recreation and nature immersion. Bellevue Downtown Park is 21 acres and includes the Inspiration Playground, which features whimsical metal sculptures. The Bellevue Botanical Garden, open daily and with no admission charge, has trails in the midst of cultivated gardens, restored woodlands and wetlands. Lake Washington beach parks include seasonal lifeguard services. Enatai Beach Park has a swimming area, a boat house and canoe and kayak rentals. On the Lake Sammamish side, there are more trails and beaches, including one at Redmond's Idylwood Park. Mercer Slough Nature Park is a quiet wetland preserve of over 320 acres. Bridle Trails State Park, with 489 acres of space, features 28 miles of multiuse trails for hikers and horse riders.
More than 35,000 people participate each year in Bellevue Parks & Community Services programs. Indoor activities like sports, fitness and special interest classes take place at the city's community centers. The Bellevue Youth Theater — located across the parking lot from the Crossroads Community Center — is a city facility dedicated to accessible theater arts.
Bellevue Golf Course has daily rates, and there's the option to enroll in the Premier Golf Club, which comes with access to 11 courses in the area. One of the Seattle area's most prestigious golf events, the annual Bellevue City Amateur tournament, is held here.
Head to Downtown Bellevue to check out the North-West Ukrainian International Festival.
See the Rock Garden Society Spring Plant Sale at the Bellevue Botanical Garden in Wilburton.
Bridle Trails State Park aerial view.
Work on your game with friends at the Bellevue Golf Course in Bridle Trails.
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Bellevue is brimming with arts, music and events
The Bellevue Arts Museum highlights local artists to show the city's creativity. The award-winning Bellevue Arts Museum Arts Fair is the Northwest's largest arts and crafts festival. It's held over three days in late July at the museum and Bellevue Square, showcasing over 250 artist vendors. Bellevue Fashion Week is in early October at The Bellevue Collection. The month-long Snowflake Lane features a holiday parade every night along Bellevue Way.
There's plenty of music in Bellevue, too, with bars and clubs regularly hosting live performances. The Wintergrass Bluegrass Music Festival in February is well-attended. In early October, the Bellevue Jazz & Blues Music Series is held at various venues downtown. In 2024, the series' student showcase, featuring young musicians from local schools, was held at the KidsQuest Children's Museum. KidsQuest offers educational exhibits, classes, summer camps and field trips. It's close to the Bellevue Library, which includes a makerspace.
Bellevue has plans for a huge regional venue for entertainment, arts and educational programming. The Performing Arts Center Eastside (PACE), previously to be named the Tateuchi Center, has been in the works for decades. The downtown site is anticipated to have a 2,000-seat concert hall, a 200-seat theater and host over 300 performances a year. Pace could draw 400,000 more visitors to downtown, already visited by 20 million people annually.
The Bellevue Library is a hub for numerous accessible amenities including a makerspace.
Bellevue's Performing Arts Center Eastside (PACE) will soon be a huge regional venue.
The Bellevue Arts Museum hosts the Northwest's largest arts and crafts festival in July.
Beautiful balloons, lights and more at Snowflake Lane Parade in Downtown Bellevue.
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Link light rail, interstates and bridges to Seattle
Many of Bellevue's neighborhoods are within walking distance of downtown. "Bellevue has cleaner streets than Seattle. And the roads are wider," Walden says. Biking is also big here, with many people using trails for leisurely rides or commuting. The 42-mile Eastside Rail Corridor, known as Eastrail, stretches from the city of Snohomish, north of Bellevue, to Renton in the south. Sound Transit's light rail East Link Extension brought new stations to the area in recent years. The Bellevue Downtown Station is served by Sound Transit, which, in 2024, added Link's 2 Line, light rail between South Bellevue Station and Redmond Technology Station, a trip that takes about a half hour. The trip to Redmond from Downtown Bellevue Station is about 12 minutes. King County buses run throughout the city, with one central stop being the Bellevue Transit Center.
I-405 runs north-south less than a mile from downtown. State Route 520, which meets I-405 in north Bellevue, is the westward route to Seattle across the Evergreen Point Floating Bridge, known as "the 520 floating bridge." Crossing Lake Washington here requires payment each way. Many use the Washington State Department of Transportation's Good To Go! Pass for reduced toll prices. Another option, this one with no tolls, is via southern Bellevue. The route takes I-90, the East Channel Bridge and the Lacey V. Murrow Memorial Bridge. SeaTac, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, is 16 miles southwest of downtown Bellevue, and from there, it's about 22 miles further southwest to reach Tacoma.
Crime rate in Bellevue is comparable to the U.S. rate
FBI data shows the city's violent crime rate at the end of 2023 was 89 per 100,000. The rate is in step with the state's average, but lower than the national rate of 121 and Seattle's rate of 129. Kent, about 20 miles to the south, has a population of 132,000, the next highest after Bellevue. The crime rate there is more than double.
Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
