Quote of the Day
I think the claims that millionaires are going to leave our state are, like, super overblown. And if — the ones that leave, like, bye.
Katie Wilson
Seattle Mayor
May 1, 2026
That comment and laugh, combined with the applause and cheers from the crowd is going to increase the number of wealthy people leaving the state by a significant margin. Barb and I are far short of a million dollar/year income, and it pisses me off.
It is also interesting that she goes on to say that Seattle has the ability to create an even more “progressive tax” than Washington state and King County. And that it’s not good for the Seattle business environment to have a higher cost of doing business that neighboring Bellevue (where we live) and she encourages Bellevue to increase taxes to match Seattle. She appears oblivious Bellevue is a much nicer town than Seattle. Here is a comparison by Copilot:
Crime Rates
Bellevue consistently reports much lower crime than Seattle across all major categories.
- Violent Crime: Seattle 32.3 vs. Bellevue 9.6 (index; lower is safer).
- Property Crime: Seattle 76.9 vs. Bellevue 45.6.
- Crime Index (Numbeo): Bellevue 28.31 vs. Seattle 55.36.
- Safety Walking at Night: Bellevue “High” (65.91) vs. Seattle “Low” (38.44).
Takeaway: Bellevue’s crime levels are less than half of Seattle’s in most categories, making it one of the safest cities in the region.
School Quality
Bellevue is widely regarded as having one of the best public school systems in Washington, while Seattle’s school quality varies heavily by neighborhood.
- Bellevue School District is ranked #1 in Washington.
- Seattle’s school quality is variable, with strong pockets but inconsistent performance across the city.
Takeaway: If school quality is a priority, Bellevue is the clear winner.
Other Quality‑of‑Life Measures
Cost of Living & Housing
- Bellevue is 10–20% more expensive for rent and has a median home price around $1.3M–$1.6M, compared to Seattle’s $850K–$900K.
- Bellevue homes tend to be newer, with larger lots and more modern construction. Seattle offers more historic homes and diverse neighborhoods.
Stability & Growth
- Bellevue’s housing market is more stable and predictable, with stronger appreciation since COVID.
- Seattle’s market shows higher volatility but strong recovery cycles.
And queried about companies which have left Seattle for Bellevue:
multiple major companies have been shifting workers and office space from Seattle to Bellevue, driven by concerns about safety, taxes, and business climate, while Bellevue’s cleaner environment, stronger schools, and rapid office development have made it increasingly attractive.
Why Businesses Are Moving: Key Drivers
1. Safety, Cleanliness, and Worker Experience
A recurring theme in reporting is that downtown Seattle’s rising crime and disorder have pushed companies to look east.
- The Wall Street Journal highlighted that companies are choosing Bellevue because of its cleaner streets, lower crime, and better schools.
- Executives explicitly cite safety as a deciding factor: “Clean and safe is everything and Seattle is not that.”
This aligns with the broader trend of companies wanting environments where employees feel secure returning to the office.
2. Tax and Regulatory Environment
Seattle’s business climate has become more contentious:
- Amazon began shifting thousands of jobs to Bellevue after Seattle attempted a $275-per-employee head tax in 2018.
- Analysts describe Seattle’s environment as “hostile to business”, citing high taxation, B&O tax burdens, and new service taxes.
Bellevue, by contrast, is perceived as more predictable and business‑friendly.
3. Office Space and Development Boom
Bellevue has been aggressively building modern office space:
- Since 2021, Bellevue added ~3.9M sq. ft. of office space vs. Seattle’s ~2.6M sq. ft.
- Vacancy in Seattle’s top-tier office space is near 34.6%, signaling a struggling downtown.
- Bellevue’s office rents have surpassed Seattle’s ($64/sq ft vs. $51), showing companies are willing to pay more for the Bellevue environment.
This is a strong market signal: demand is shifting east.
Which Companies Are Moving or Expanding in Bellevue?
Amazon
- Grew from “almost nothing” to 14,000 employees in Bellevue, with plans for 25,000.
- Shift accelerated after political clashes with Seattle’s City Council.
Snowflake
- Moved 700+ employees into a new 326,000 sq. ft. Bellevue office instead of relocating to downtown Seattle.
TikTok, OpenAI, Robinhood
- All have taken significant Bellevue office space in recent years.
Other Tech Firms
- Multiple reports describe a broader “tech exodus” from Seattle to Bellevue, driven by quality‑of‑life and business‑climate concerns.
Summary Table: Business Environment Comparison
Factor Bellevue Seattle Crime & Safety Lower crime; cleaner streets Higher crime; downtown safety concerns Business Climate Predictable, business‑friendly Higher taxes; regulatory friction Office Development Rapid growth; modern buildings Slower growth; high vacancy Corporate Migration Amazon, TikTok, OpenAI expanding Losing square footage and headcount Schools & Talent Appeal Highly rated schools attract families More variable school quality Bottom Line
Bellevue has become the preferred hub for Big Tech expansion, while Seattle faces headwinds from safety issues, taxation, and downtown decline. Companies aren’t abandoning Seattle entirely, but the center of gravity has clearly shifted east.
Her solution to retain business is for Bellevue to become more like Seattle rather than Seattle to become more like the successful Bellevue. Since Wilson is an admitted socialist, this should not be a surprise. To socialists, near equality of poverty and misery is more desirable than a range of prosperity and happiness.
Had to go into the office in Seattle this week.
They didn’t manage to clean the bloody handprints off the exterior doors until lunchtime.