Awards

A “City in a Park” and the Eastside's high-tech hub, Bellevue is the city where you want to be. With top schools, low crime and a vibrant economy, Bellevue is routinely ranked among the best mid-sized cities in the country. In addition to high rankings in the media, city staff has won awards for their dedicated customer services and innovative thinking. Here are a few recent highlights:

Rankings

• #3 2018 Best Cities for Successful Women Entrepreneurs — Business.Org

• #1 for Quality of Life in the U.S. — Business Insider, 2016

• #1 Best School District in Washington state — Niche, 2017

• #2 Best Place to Live in the U.S. — Livability.com, 2016

• #2 Best City to Live in the U.S. — 24/7 Wall St., 2014

• 2017-18 American Cities of the Future — FDi

  #4 Overall, Top 10 Small American Cities

  #2 Economic Potential, Top 10 Small American Cities

• 1 of 12 Healthiest Places to Retire — Kiplinger’s Personal Finance

• #1 Best Metro Areas for Minority-Owned Businesses — SmartAsset, 2016

• #1 Best Metro Area for STEM professionals — WalletHub, 2017 & 2018

• 3 of the top 10 in Washington’s Best High Schools, including #1 — US News & World Report

• #4 Top Downtowns — Livability

• #5 Happiest City in the U.S. — Zippia.com

• #8 Safest Cities in America — SmartAsset

Awards and Recognitions

• 2018 Digital Cities Survey Winner, first place, 125,000-249,999 population category — Center for Digital Government

• 2018 Governor’s Public Employer of the Year (for Supported Employment program) — State Employment Security Department

• 2018 Transportation Project of the Year, projects costing more than $75 million in Washington category — American Public Works Association

• Certified 4-STAR Community Rating for national leadership in sustainability (2018) — STAR Communities

• 2018 Place Making Award for Downtown Park "Complete the Circle" and Inspiration Playground (awarded to City of Bellevue and Rotary Club of Bellevue) Bellevue Downtown Association

• 2017-2019 Citizen-Engaged Community — Public Technology Institute

• 2017 Digital Cities Survey Winner, fourth place, 125,000-249,999 population category — Center for Digital Government

• 2017 Supported Employment Champions Award to the city's Transportation Department — Puget Sound Personnel

• 2017 Award of Excellence for 2017 Annual Report — City-County Communications & Marketing Association

• 2017 Government Programming Awards, 3rd Place in Ethnic Experience Category for Ebony Fashion Fair video — National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors

• 2017 Government Programming Awards, Honorable Mention in Magazine Former Series for "Lake to Lake" National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors

• 2017 Ranked #2 “100 Best Fleets in the Americas NAFA Fleet Management Association

• 2017 Partner of the Year Award for Bellevue's eCityGov Alliance work on the MyBuildingPermit.com virtual permit center — Snohomish County

• 2017 Technology Solutions Award in the public safety category for city's local government fault-tolerant shared network — Public Technology Institute

• 2016 Excellence in Transportation Award — Institute of Transportation Engineers

• 2016 Semifinalist — Georgetown Energy Prize

• 2016 Ranked #1 Leading Mid-sized Government Fleet — American Public Works Association

• 2016 Telly Award for Bellevue Television’s “Bellevue: Dawn to Dusk” video — Telly Awards

• 2016 Outstanding News Magazine Format Series Award for “Lake to Lake” — National Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors (NATOA)

• 2015 Project of the Year Award in the Environment Category — Washington state chapter of the American Public Works Association

• 2015 Diversity Award, Second Place National League of Cities National Black Caucus of Local Elected Officials