Resident and business opinion of Bellevue’s economic environment remains high. Nearly eight in ten residents agree that the city does a good job creating a competitive business environment. A significant majority of businesses believe that Bellevue is a better place to operate than other municipalities, and that the quality of city services exceed expectations. In recent years, thousands of businesses have opened in Bellevue with a high employment growth rate, and millions of annual visitors to the city inject new dollars into the local economy.
Staff subject matter experts collected the below indicators, after an in-depth review of the City Council's vision for Economic Development and its Strategic Target Area. The review process included an examination of the target area description and related desired outcomes, identification of a well-rounded set of relevant performance metrics, and an analysis of year-over-year data trends and performance against target.
| Key Performance Indicators | 2017 Actual | 2018 Actual | 2019 Actual | 2019 Target |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Percent of region's job growth captured within Bellevue since 2000 | 5.9% | 6.2% | 14.1% | 6.7% |
| Difference between regional unemployment rate and Bellevue's unemployment rate | 0.7% | 1% | 1.1% | >0% |
| Number of overnight visitors to Bellevue annually | N/A | 2,151,644 | 2,203,708 | 2,150,00 |
| Number of annual business openings in Bellevue | 1,755 | 3,010 | 2,008 | 3,500 |
| Key Community Indicators: Economic Development | 2016 Results | 2017 Results | 2018 Results | 2019 Results |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Percent of Residents who agree that the city is doing a good job helping to create a business environment that is competitive, supports entrepreneurs, creates jobs, and supports the economic environment of the community | 83% | 79% | 78% | 80% |
| Percent of businesses that believe Bellevue is a somewhat or significantly better place to operate a business than other cities and towns | N/A | 75% | N/A | 77% |
| Percent of businesses that feel that the quality of services provided to businesses by the city exceeds or greatly exceeds their expectations | N/A | 68% | N/A | 72% |