Seattle’s ‘twin city,’ once a serene suburb, has been transformed into a bustling hub of technology, characterized by sleek skyscrapers, a fleet of Teslas, and affluent tech professionals.

Nestled along the eastern shores of Lake Washington, Bellevue—aptly named for its ‘beautiful view’—has emerged as a booming town in the West. Its breathtaking mountain scenery, top-tier educational institutions, and convenient lake-crossing commute to Seattle make it highly attractive.

Amazon is rapidly expanding its presence, with plans to employ 25,000 people at its Bellevue campus. Meta occupies five buildings downtown, T-Mobile has established its headquarters, and notable companies like TikTok and Salesforce have significant operations in the city.

Despite the changing skyline, Bellevue continues to deliver the quintessential Pacific Northwest experience.

In just a few minutes from their offices, residents can paddle through Mercer Slough Nature Park, a 320-acre wetland sanctuary where eagles soar above the reflective waters.

This area has long been a favored retreat for the ultra-wealthy.

Jeff Bezos founded Amazon in a rented Bellevue garage in 1994, Bill Gates hosts Microsoft interns for backyard barbecues, and former Seahawks star Russell Wilson sold his lakeside mansion here for $36 million in 2022. 

‘Downtown Bellevue has ballooned, mostly due to tech,’ local realtor Brenden DuBois told the Daily Mail. 

The tech industry has invaded Seattle’s ‘twin city,’ Bellevue, for its urban-suburban feel and mix of soaring office buildings and a beautiful landscape

Located on the Eastern shore of Lake Washington, Bellevue, which means ‘beautiful view’ in French, has become a huge tech hub

‘Downtown Bellevue has ballooned, mostly due to tech,’ local realtor Brenden DuBois said

‘Microsoft has been there forever and recently more companies have arrived, so you have developers and local builders coming in and building McMansions,’ DuBois said.

While the city has added a modern industrial downtown, it still has stunning views from nearly every angle, with Lake Washington on the west side and Lake Sammamish on the east side.

The Olympic and Cascade mountains can be seen in the distance from offices downtown.

Residents love the city-suburb fusion of the area, which can take you from a lakeside lunch to shopping at Gucci in just 30 minutes.

The stores in Bellevue are upscale, with Hermes, Louis Vuitton, Macy’s, Crate & Barrel, Apple and Peloton all downtown. 

Downtown also has five gourmet grocery stores. 

‘In order to comfortably live there, you probably have to make north of $250,000, and honestly that’s conservative,’ DuBois said.

‘But it is quieter than Seattle, with less crime and great schools.’ 

Bellevue was originally settled as a lakeside getaway for Seattleites looking for a break from the city, but has blossomed into a city on its own with tech workers moving in at a rapid rate

Bellevue’s appeal lies in a downtown that is booming but it also sits beside lakes for boating, kayaking and has plenty of waterside restaurants

Jeff Bezos recently sold a home he had in Bellevue, but is reportedly on the hunt for another one

Bill Gates call Bellevue home, with Gates even hosting his soon-to-graduate interns from Microsoft to a catered backyard barbeque every year

Residents love the city-suburb fusion of the area, which can take you from a lakeside lunch to high end shopping in just 30 minutes 

Housing costs are a staggering 158 percent above the national norm, with the average home sale price hovering around $1.5 million, reports Zillow.

The surrounding areas hold parks like the Bellevue Downtown Park, the Meydenbauer Bay Park waterfront and Ashwood Park. 

Bellevue was originally settled as a lakeside getaway for Seattleites looking for a break from the city, but has blossomed into a city on its own.

In 1940, the completion of the first bridge across Lake Washington changed Bellevue and brought in an influx of new residents. The area grew so popular that in 1946, Bellevue Square, one of the first suburban shopping centers in the country, opened.

The area may sit Seattle-adjacent but it offers up its own unique identity, filled with upscale homes and a top-tier school district in which 40 of Bellevue’s 48 public schools earn an A grade.

It’s not boring either. Bellevue offers a lively downtown and plenty of space for an active outdoor lifestyle. The Cascade Range, a major mountain range that forms a backdrop to the city, has plenty of hiking, skiing and camping.

The more than 100 parks and trails offer residents miles of areas for jogging, biking and boating — all easily accessible from downtown.

Bellevue has a strong arts scene; it’s home to the Bellevue Arts Museum, the Meydenbauer Center Theatre, and the KidsQuest Children’s Museum. 

Bellevue offers a lively downtown and plenty of space for an active outdoor lifestyle

Housing costs are a staggering 158 percent above the national norm in Bellevue

The city is also home to the Pacific Northwest’s largest arts and crafts fair weekend, the Wintergrass Music Festival, free outdoor summer concerts, and Bellevue Jazz & Blues Music Series. 

And there’s even more tech moving in. The job market is currently hot for Nintendo and T‑Mobile, which both call Bellevue home.

In fact, tech is considered the anchor of the local economy, and the reason Bellevue has grown so much.

According to the Bellevue Downtown Association, Bellevue has increased its jobs base by 25 percent since 2015.

More than 1.5 million square-feet of new office development has opened since 2021 and more than 3 million square-feet is currently under construction.

But living in Bellevue doesn’t come cheap.

Bellevue’s cost of living is about 66 percent higher than the US average of $77,200 according to Forbes.

There are 17 distinct neighborhoods in Bellevue, from waterfront living on Lake Sammamish, where homes tend to run from $1 million to $5 million, to Lake Washington, where homes cost anywhere between $4 million to $25 million. 

Downtown Bellevue, popular with many tech workers, offers urban luxury condos and is walking distance to work, shops and dining

Tech is considered the anchor of the local economy, and the reason Bellevue has grown so much 

Downtown Bellevue, popular with many tech workers, offers urban luxury condos and is walking distance to work, shops and dining. 

Bridle Trails has a serious equestrian flair, with room to either rent or house your own stables and horses beside luxury homes a short drive from downtown.

Eastgate offers a more affordable option than some lakeside areas, with a mix of condos and mid-century homes, and is a short drive to Lake Washington. 

Woodridge is the more family friendly neighborhood, with lots of kids and free community events. 

Bellevue is the second largest city in Washington after Seattle, with an estimated population of 155,000, according to the US Census, and it’s only growing by the year.

‘I would say Bellevue is kind of the ZIP Code,’ said DuBois. 

But not everyone is celebrating Bellevue’s boom. 

The influx of tech money has pushed home prices past $1.3 million and sent rents soaring, forcing teachers and service workers to move farther out. Longtime residents say the once-sleepy suburb now feels more like a corporate campus than a community.