Many cities claim to be great places to live and work, but Bellevue lives up to those claims and has an excellent quality of life. A recent resident survey shows that 97% of all residents are satisfied with city priorities, services and amenities.

Over 125,000 people work in Bellevue daily and the city is home to 117,000 residents. The community is committed to arts and boasts of recreational opportunities, parks and one of the best school districts in the nation.

Founded in 1869 by William Meydenbauer and incorporated as a city in 1953, Bellevue spans 31 square miles between Lake Sammamish and Lake Washington. To the East are the snow-capped mountains of the Cascades. To the South, Mount Rainier dominates the horizon, and to the North, Mount Baker marks the proximity of the Canadian border. To the West, two floating highway bridges link Bellevue to Seattle.

Bellevue's neighbors on the Eastside of Lake Washington are Kirkland, Redmond, Issaquah, Newcastle, Bothell, Renton, Mercer Island, Woodinville and Sammamish.

A Diverse Community
Bellevue is a growing center of cultural diversity with the highest percentage of foreign-born residents in King County.

• Bellevue's foreign-born population has grown 132% from 1990-2000
• The greater diversity among the younger generation is an indication that the city's racial and ethnic diversity is likely to increase in the future
• Bellevue has one of the highest percentages of foreign-born residents in King County. Most foreign-born residents in Bellevue were born in Asia
• Minority and immigrant entrepreneurs have helped catalyze the growth of Bellevue's economy in a wide variety of sectors