LivabilityCalc
Find Your City
City Housing Verdict

Bremerton, WA

High Pressure

Living in Bremerton, WA costs about 26% more than the national average (Cost Index: 126). Housing is the main driver — the typical home value of $477,013 is well above the $303,400 US median. The local median household income is $74,399, which helps frame the place-side housing burden.

Bremerton already reads as a high-pressure housing market, with 30% rent burden, 6.4x home-price-to-income, and a housing index of 157. Treat this page as a stress test for rent, mortgage, and tax burden before assuming the move works.Data Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 · BEA RPP 2023 · Zillow ZHVI

Data Updated: March 2026
Housing Feasibility Verdict
Stretch

Based on your household income, housing mode, local rent, home value, property tax, and mortgage assumptions for Bremerton.

Monthly Housing
$1,859/mo
Lower of rent or buy scenario
Housing Burden
30%
Healthy
Residual Cash
$3,841/mo
After housing and debt · $1,280/person
Rent vs Buy
Rent first
Main pressure: home prices
Assumptions
Housing Mode
Confidence: HighHome source: ZILLOWRent source: ZILLOWBEA proxy: msaHousehold size: 3Down payment: 20%Fixed burden: 38%
Uses a URL fragment, so it does not create a separate indexed page.
Cost Index
126
Expensive
Based on housing costs · See methodology
Median Home Value
$477,013
Zillow ZHVI Market Rate • Census ACS: $409,500
National: $303,400
Median Rent
$1,859/mo
Zillow ZORI Market Rate • Census ACS: $1,535/mo
National: $1,348/mo
Household Income
$74,399
National: $78,538
Population
44,531
Purchasing Power
75
100 = national baseline

Cost of Living Breakdown

Each index uses 100 as the US national average. A score of 150 means 50% more expensive; 80 means 20% cheaper.

Housing Cost Index
157 / 100
57% above average
Rent Index
138 / 100
38% above average
Goods & Groceries
105 / 100
About the same as most US cities
Utilities
92 / 100
Typical utility costs
Healthcare & Services
99 / 100
In line with national average
Overall Index
126
Expensive · 26% above average

Bremerton Mortgage Calculator

Pre-filled with the local median home value of $477,013 and Washington's property tax rate of 0.98%.

Household Housing Budget

Local median household income is shown only as a place-side affordability input. Personal salary, filing status, and take-home pay analysis belong in salary.city.

Local Household Income
$74,399
Census ACS place context
Rent Burden Estimate
30%
Typical annual rent / local household income
Home Price to Income
6.4x
Typical home value / local household income
Use this section to judge whether Bremerton looks structurally manageable for a household budget. For a specific job offer, filing status, payroll taxes, or salary equivalence across cities, run the income-side decision in salary.city.

Property Tax in Bremerton, WA

Est. Annual Property Tax
$4,675
Monthly Impact
$390
Added to your mortgage
Effective Rate
0.98%
National avg: ~1.00%

Washington Place Tax Context

Tax TypeWashingtonNational Avg
Property Tax Rate0.98%1.00%
Top Income Tax RateNo State Income Tax~5.0%
State Sales Tax9.23%~5.0%

Compare Bremerton to Another City

Compare place-side costs such as housing, rent, groceries, utilities, services, and tax context.

Cost of Living Comparison

Compare place-side housing, rent, goods, services, and utility pressure between cities.

Bremerton, WA
126
138
Loading cities...
---
---

Cost Index Comparison (100 = National Avg)

Housing CostsNational Avg: 100
Bremerton, WA: 157
Rent Prices
138

FAQ: Living in Bremerton

Is Bremerton, WA an expensive place to live?+

Yes — Bremerton is about 26% more expensive than the national average, with an overall Cost Index of 126. Housing is the biggest factor: the typical home here is valued around $477,013, and monthly rents average roughly $1,859. Day-to-day costs like groceries and utilities tend to run closer to the national norm.

How does Bremerton fit a household housing budget?+

Start with housing. Typical monthly rent is $1,859, while local median household income is $74,399. That implies a rent-burden proxy of about 30% before utilities and other costs. For a specific job offer, filing status, or take-home pay scenario, use salary.city.

How much are taxes in Bremerton, WA?+

Washington is one of the few states with no state income tax, which can save residents thousands of dollars per year. The effective property tax rate is 0.98%. On a home worth $477,013, that translates to roughly $4,675 per year in property taxes. Sales tax (state + local) averages around 9.23% on everyday purchases.

How much does it cost to rent in Bremerton, WA?+

The typical monthly rent in Bremerton is around $1,859. That's about 38% higher than the $1,348 national median. For comparison, the median home value here is $477,013, so buyers should also factor in mortgage payments, property taxes, and insurance.

How much does a house cost in Bremerton, WA?+

The median home in Bremerton is valued at $477,013. With 20% down and a 6.5% mortgage rate, you'd be looking at roughly $2,412/month for principal and interest alone — before property taxes and insurance. About 49% of residents here own their homes.

Are groceries and utilities expensive in Bremerton?+

Grocery prices in Bremerton are about average compared to the rest of the US (index: 105, where 100 is the national average). Utility bills (electricity, gas, water) are about typical (index: 92). Overall, these everyday costs shouldn't cause major surprises if you're moving from another similarly-sized US city.

What is Bremerton, WA like to live in?+

Bremerton is a smaller city with a population of about 44,531. The median age of residents is 33, which is close to the national median. The local poverty rate is 13.49%, near the national average of 12.4%.

Lower-Pressure Alternatives in Washington

If Bremerton feels tight, start with these same-state cities that look easier on rent burden or buy-side pressure.

Higher-Pressure Comparisons in Washington

Use these city pages when you want to compare Bremerton against tougher same-state markets before deciding whether the current city is already a stretch.

LC
Reviewed by LivabilityCalc Research Team
Financial Data Analysts · Census & Economic Data Specialists
Data Sources & Methodology
  • Real Estate & Housing: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI, Smoothed & Seasonally Adjusted) and Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI). Structural fallback utilizes U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates.
  • Goods, Utilities & Services: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Metropolitan Area Regional Price Parities (MARPP), incorporating verified State Nonmetropolitan averages.
  • Mortgage Rates: Freddie Mac 30-Year Fixed Rate Mortgage Average in the United States (PMMS) via Federal Reserve Economic Data (FRED).
  • Tax Context: State-level property, sales, and income-tax context used for place-side relocation planning. Personal take-home pay and offer analysis are handled by salary.city.
  • Index Methodology: Weighting matrix derived from Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Consumer Expenditure Surveys (CEX) distributional models. Baseline standardized at 100. (Read methodology details)
Last data update: March 2026 · Mortgage rates updated monthly