City comparison
Bremerton, WA vs Worcester, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Bremerton, WA are 3.0% higher than in Worcester, MA. Someone earning $100,000 in Worcester, MA would need about $103,000 in Bremerton, WA to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,548 a month in Bremerton, WA and $1,599 in Worcester, MA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,780 a year higher in Worcester, MA than in Bremerton, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.8% moving from Bremerton, WA to Worcester, MA ($119,630 → $120,548), while prices change by −2.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.8% in real buying power.
- Bremerton, WA: price level 105.6 (pricier)
- Worcester, MA: price level 102.5 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Bremerton, WA | Worcester, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.6 | 102.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,080 in Worcester | $103,008 in Bremerton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,548/mo | $1,599/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (WA) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $63,200 | $57,830 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Seattle-Tacoma, WA | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA MSA and Worcester, MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA and Worcester, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Bremerton | Worcester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 129.6 | 113.0 |
| Goods | 105.0 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 92.0 | 155.2 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 105.6 | 102.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Bremerton, WA → Worcester, MA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.0%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$4,780/yr.
77 Strong offer
Worcester, MA → Bremerton, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.9%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$4,780/yr.
60 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Bremerton, WA is in the Seattle-Tacoma, WA pay area; Worcester, MA is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Bremerton, WA to Worcester, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Bremerton, WA | Worcester, MA | Real change, Bremerton → Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,373 | $69,905 | +3.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,935 | $84,579 | +3.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,602 | $101,375 | +3.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $119,630 | $120,548 | +3.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,367 | $142,452 | +3.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Bremerton, WA | Worcester, MA | Worcester pay in Bremerton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $102,650 | $82,810 | $85,301 (−16.9%) |
| Software Developers | $146,200 | $146,950 | $151,370 (+3.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $88,250 | $94,070 | $96,900 (+9.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $107,220 | $100,240 | $103,255 (−3.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.