City comparison
Bremerton, WA vs Hickory, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Bremerton, WA are 19.3% higher than in Hickory, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Hickory, NC would need about $119,300 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 $908 in Hickory, NC. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Bremerton, WA and 14% in Hickory, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,481 a year higher in Hickory, NC than in Bremerton, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −9.0% moving from Bremerton, WA to Hickory, NC ($119,630 → $108,810), while prices change by −16.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +8.6% in real buying power.
- Bremerton, WA: price level 105.6 (pricier)
- Hickory, NC: price level 88.5 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Bremerton, WA | Hickory, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.6 | 88.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $83,788 in Hickory | $119,349 in Bremerton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,548/mo | $908/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (WA) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $63,200 | $45,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Seattle-Tacoma, WA | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC |
Rent areas: Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA MSA and Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC MSA. Metro areas: Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA and Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Bremerton | Hickory |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 129.6 | 59.6 |
| Goods | 105.0 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 92.0 | 87.8 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 105.6 | 88.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Bremerton, WA → Hickory, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +19.3%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$3,481/yr.
100 Strong offer
Hickory, NC → Bremerton, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −16.2%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$3,481/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Bremerton, WA is in the Seattle-Tacoma, WA pay area; Hickory, NC is in Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC. The last column shows what a transfer from Bremerton, WA to Hickory, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Bremerton, WA | Hickory, NC | Real change, Bremerton → Hickory |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,373 | $63,098 | +8.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,935 | $76,343 | +8.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,602 | $91,503 | +8.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $119,630 | $108,810 | +8.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,367 | $128,581 | +8.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Bremerton, WA | Hickory, NC | Hickory pay in Bremerton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $102,650 | $49,540 | $59,125 (−42.4%) |
| Software Developers | $146,200 | $122,540 | $146,250 (+0.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $88,250 | $77,490 | $92,483 (+4.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $107,220 | $80,060 | $95,551 (−10.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.