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Introduction to Bellevue, Washington
Bellevue is a city located in King County in the state of Washington. Situated only 10 miles east of Seattle across Lake Washington, the city is considered a Seattle suburb. Bellevue is surrounded by vast wilderness areas, including the rugged Cascade mountains to its east and the Olympic mountains further to the west, which helps explain the city's name, a derivation of a French term for "beautiful view". Interstate I-405 bisects the city, which is also serviced by I-90 and Washington State Highway 520. Bellevue is home to several high-tech companies and is adjacent to Redmond, home of software giant Microsoft Corporation.
First settled in the late 1860s or early 1870s, Bellevue soon became a popular location for the summer homes of residents of nearby Seattle. The region's towering evergreens eventually gave way to agriculture, and throughout the first half of the 20th century Bellevue was dominated by an abundance of farms best known for strawberries and blueberries. When the first floating bridge across Lake Washington was completed in 1940, Seattle suddenly became much more accessible and a suburban era which would influence the area for several decades was ushered in. Bellevue was incorporated as a city in 1953.
Attractions in and near Bellevue
Bellevue is home to many places of interest and within short driving distance to many more. The Rosalie Whyel Museum of Doll Art houses one of the world's largest collections of dolls, covering two expansive floors with exhibits and over 1,000 dolls on display. The Bellevue Arts Museum, located in downtown Bellevue, is the Pacific Northwest’s principal center for the exploration of art, craft and design. The Museum places special emphasis on the work of regional artists. The KidsQuest Children’s Museum offers play and discovery areas, exhibits, educational activities and classroom space. The Bellevue Botanical Garden consists of 53 acres of display gardens, woodlands, meadows and wetlands. The Garden hosts the annual Garden d'Lights festival during the month of December, where numerous three-dimensional plant and animal sculptures made from bundled Christmas lights are on display in numerous nature-themed scenes. Several other attractions can be found nearby, including the following:
Bellevue is home to the Bellevue Blackhawks of the American Basketball Association (ABA). Several other pro sports teams are located just across Lake Washington in the city of Seattle. These include:
Bellevue strengths, compared to Peers (similar size places nationally) or State (other places in Washington):
| Category | Trophy | |
|---|---|---|
| Racial Diversity (vs. State) | Top 4% |  |
| Well-Paid Single Women (vs. State) | Top 4% | |
| Public Transportation Use (vs. State) | Top 6% | |
| Well-Paid Single Men (vs. Peers) | Top 7% | |
| College Educated Adults (vs. Peers) | Top 7% | |
| Median Family Income (vs. State) | Top 8% | |
| People in Middle Class or Better (vs. State) | Top 10% | |
| Low Rate of Poverty (vs. State) | Top 16% | |
| Low Violent Crime (vs. Peers) | Top 19% | |
Comparing Bellevue to similar size places nationwide (Peers) and to other places in Washington (State):
Ratings range from 
(lowest) to 
(highest).
| Characteristic | Compared to Peers | Compared to State |
|---|---|---|
| Well-Paid Single Men | | |
| Well-Paid Single Women | | |
| Male Share of the Population |  |  |
| Age of the Population |  | |
| Racial Diversity | | |
| Senior Citizens |  | |
| Female Share of the Population |  |  |
| Children Under 5 Years Old |  | |
| Characteristic | Compared to Peers | Compared to State |
|---|---|---|
| Portion of People Married | | |
| Average Household Size | | |
| Characteristic | Compared to Peers | Compared to State |
|---|---|---|
| College Educated Adults | | |
| Median Family Income | | |
| People in Middle Class or Better | | |
| People Above Poverty | | |
| Characteristic | Compared to Peers | Compared to State |
|---|---|---|
| Working at Home | | |
| Public Transportation Use | | |
| Walking and Biking to Work | | |
| Short Commute Times | | |
| Characteristic | Compared to Peers | Compared to State |
|---|---|---|
| Seasonal and Vacation Housing | | |
| Studio & One-Bedroom Rentals | | |
| Housing Recently Built | | |
| People Living Alone | | |
| Affordability of Property Taxes | | |
| Affordability of Rents | | |
| Characteristic | Compared to Peers | Compared to State |
|---|---|---|
| Low Violent Crime | | |
| Low Property Crime | | |
Detailed pages on related topics: Bellevue colleges • Bellevue travel • Bellevue mortgages and property.
 | Bellevue Colleges Bellevue colleges and trade schools. |
 | Bellevue Hotels & Travel Bellevue hotels, landmarks, tourism, transportation. |
 | Bellevue Mortgage Bellevue property, mortgage, and real estate. |
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