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The Bellevue office is situated in what is referred to as the hub of the "Eastside". With a population of 116,400 and covering an area of over 31 square miles, Bellevue is considered a desirable place to both live and work. With Microsoft to the east, and Seattle to the west, it offers an unparalleled location. It is not only a business destination, but also a place that many of the area's top executives call home. Bellevue's quality of life is attributed to its abundant outdoor recreation opportunities, a public school district that was recognized for its excellence on a national level, and a culturally diverse population that is not only vibrant, but also well educated. Statistically, Bellevue has twice the percentage of adult residents with a graduate or professional degree than the rest of the United States.
 In the 1990s, Bellevue's population grew by 26.1 percent, nearly three times that of Seattle and central cities nationally. The median household income in King County is higher as a whole than that of the nation, with cities on the Eastside tending to have higher median household incomes than cities elsewhere in the county.
Commercial development has, and continues to, dramatically transform the Eastside. Currently, the Eastside has several new projects underway including Lincoln Square, one of the largest mixed-use projects currently under construction anywhere in the country. The 1.4 million-square-foot project will cover 4.5 acres across from the Eastside's largest shopping mall, Bellevue Square, in downtown Bellevue. In Issaquah, another Eastside community, Port Blakely Communities is developing a 2,200 acre master planned community called Issaquah Highlands, which when completed will consist of over 3,200 new homes, 3.5 million square feet of retail and office space including a new Microsoft campus for 12,000 workers.
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