City comparison
Bremerton, WA vs Hartford, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Bremerton, WA are 2.8% higher than in Hartford, CT. Someone earning $100,000 in Hartford, CT would need about $102,800 in Bremerton, WA to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,548 a month in Bremerton, WA and $1,477 in Hartford, CT.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,925 a year higher in Hartford, CT than in Bremerton, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.4% moving from Bremerton, WA to Hartford, CT ($119,630 → $120,094), while prices change by −2.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.2% in real buying power.
- Bremerton, WA: price level 105.6 (pricier)
- Hartford, CT: price level 102.7 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Bremerton, WA | Hartford, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.6 | 102.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,291 in Hartford | $102,785 in Bremerton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,548/mo | $1,477/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (WA) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $63,200 | $59,940 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Seattle-Tacoma, WA | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA MSA and Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT MSA. Metro areas: Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA and Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Bremerton | Hartford |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 129.6 | 110.2 |
| Goods | 105.0 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 92.0 | 144.9 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 105.6 | 102.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Bremerton, WA → Hartford, CT
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.8%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$3,925/yr.
77 Strong offer
Hartford, CT → Bremerton, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.7%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$3,925/yr.
60 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Bremerton, WA is in the Seattle-Tacoma, WA pay area; Hartford, CT is in Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA. The last column shows what a transfer from Bremerton, WA to Hartford, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Bremerton, WA | Hartford, CT | Real change, Bremerton → Hartford |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,373 | $69,642 | +3.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,935 | $84,260 | +3.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,602 | $100,992 | +3.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $119,630 | $120,094 | +3.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,367 | $141,915 | +3.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Bremerton, WA | Hartford, CT | Hartford pay in Bremerton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $102,650 | $79,800 | $82,022 (−20.1%) |
| Software Developers | $146,200 | $132,520 | $136,210 (−6.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $88,250 | $95,940 | $98,611 (+11.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $107,220 | $101,470 | $104,295 (−2.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.