City comparison
Bremerton, WA vs Hagerstown, MD
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Bremerton, WA are 12.1% higher than in Hagerstown, MD. Someone earning $100,000 in Hagerstown, MD would need about $112,100 in Bremerton, WA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,548 a month in Bremerton, WA versus $961 in Hagerstown, MD. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Bremerton, WA and 15% in Hagerstown, MD.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,386 a year higher in Hagerstown, MD than in Bremerton, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.8% moving from Bremerton, WA to Hagerstown, MD ($119,630 → $121,785), while prices change by −10.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +14.2% in real buying power.
- Bremerton, WA: price level 105.6 (pricier)
- Hagerstown, MD: price level 94.2 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Bremerton, WA | Hagerstown, MD | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.6 | 94.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $89,171 in Hagerstown | $112,144 in Bremerton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,548/mo | $961/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,794 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (WA) | $4,386 (MD) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $63,200 | $47,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Seattle-Tacoma, WA | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA |
Rent areas: Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA MSA and Hagerstown, MD HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA and Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Bremerton | Hagerstown |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 129.6 | 75.7 |
| Goods | 105.0 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 92.0 | 95.7 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 99.5 |
| Overall | 105.6 | 94.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Bremerton, WA → Hagerstown, MD
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.1%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$4,386/yr.
100 Strong offer
Hagerstown, MD → Bremerton, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.8%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$4,386/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Bremerton, WA is in the Seattle-Tacoma, WA pay area; Hagerstown, MD is in Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Bremerton, WA to Hagerstown, MD at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Bremerton, WA | Hagerstown, MD | Real change, Bremerton → Hagerstown |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,373 | $70,623 | +14.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,935 | $85,447 | +14.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,602 | $102,415 | +14.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $119,630 | $121,785 | +14.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,367 | $143,913 | +14.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Bremerton, WA | Hagerstown, MD | Hagerstown pay in Bremerton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $102,650 | $63,190 | $70,864 (−31.0%) |
| Software Developers | $146,200 | $122,830 | $137,746 (−5.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $88,250 | $75,250 | $84,388 (−4.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $107,220 | $92,770 | $104,036 (−3.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.