Medford, OR vs Bremerton, WA: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Bremerton, WA has a modeled overall cost index 71.8% higher than Medford, OR.

Medford, OR · modeled 2BR rent: $1,570 / month
Bremerton, WA · modeled 2BR rent: $1,885 / month

These are saved estimates, not current rental listings. Some cities use adjusted regional data. Your household budget can differ from the overall index. Sources and assumptions

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Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Compare Medford, OR and Bremerton, WA using saved regional data and explicit budgeting assumptions. Rent estimates are not live listings. Change the salary below, then check the source notes before applying a result to your household.

Saved regional estimates · Sources and assumptions

Current salary in Medford, OR

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated extra cost: $4,694/month in Bremerton, WA

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $206,327 in Bremerton, WA

Regional cost estimates: Medford, OR uses Portland, OR. Bremerton, WA uses Seattle, WA. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↑ 71.8%

More expensive

Monthly Impact

$4,694

Extra cost

Annual Impact

$56.3K

Per year

Assumes 60% of current gross income goes to living costs. The headline uses the category budget below; taxes, moving costs and savings goals are excluded.

Medford, OR

Population:85K

Cost Index:

94.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$434K

Bremerton, WA

Population:45K

Cost Index:

161.5

100 = national average

Typical Home:$465K

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Medford, OR

The Beaver State

85K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Oregon, this city has a population of 85K residents.

Bremerton, WA

The Evergreen State

45K

Population

State Tax

No Income Tax

Located in Washington, this city has a population of 45K residents.

💡 Advantage: Washington has no state income tax!

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Medford, OR vs Bremerton, WA

Assumes 60% of your current gross income is spent on these categories. The headline and totals use this same budget. Rent estimates below are separate reference data. Rounded amounts may differ by $1.

Category	Medford, OR	Bremerton, WA	Difference	Change
Housing	$3,031/mo	$6,305/mo	↑ $3,274more	108.0%
Transportation	$1,232/mo	$1,765/mo	↑ $533more	43.2%
Other	$1,378/mo	$1,836/mo	↑ $458more	33.2%
Healthcare	$558/mo	$790/mo	↑ $232more	41.6%
Groceries	$900/mo	$1,035/mo	↑ $135more	15.0%
All Utilities	$400/mo	$461/mo	↑ $61.06more	15.3%

Housing

↑ 108.0%

Medford, OR

$3,031

Bremerton, WA

$6,305

Difference

$3,274

Transportation

↑ 43.2%

Medford, OR

$1,232

Bremerton, WA

$1,765

Difference

$533

Other

↑ 33.2%

Medford, OR

$1,378

Bremerton, WA

$1,836

Difference

$458

Healthcare

↑ 41.6%

Medford, OR

$558

Bremerton, WA

$790

Difference

$232

Groceries

↑ 15.0%

Medford, OR

$900

Bremerton, WA

$1,035

Difference

$135

All Utilities

↑ 15.3%

Medford, OR

$400

Bremerton, WA

$461

Difference

$61.06

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,080

To$1,295

↑ $215

1 Bed

From$1,260

To$1,440

↑ $180

2 Bed

From$1,570

To$1,885

↑ $315

3 Bed

From$2,180

To$2,470

↑ $290

Medford, ORZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,260–$1,260/mo

Bremerton, WAZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,420–$1,590/mo

💡 Note: HUD Fair Market Rents estimate 40th-percentile gross rents, including most tenant-paid utilities. City ZIP summaries are medians of those estimates, not market median rents. Actual prices vary by neighborhood, amenities, and condition. Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents FY2026.

$7,500

Monthly in Medford, OR

$12,194

Monthly in Bremerton, WA

$4,694

Difference

Home Values

Medford

Bremerton

$434K

Median Value

$465K

↑ +0.2%

YoY Change

↑ +1%

↑ +21.1%

5-Year Change

↑ +18%

$434K

Price Range

$378K - $495K

Homes in Bremerton are 7% more expensive than Medford

Calculate payment - Medford Calculate payment - Bremerton

Source: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), January 2026

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↑ $15.5K

Per year

Monthly Difference

$1,293

More take-home

Effective Rate Diff

10.3%

Rate difference

Medford, OR

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Oregon State Tax

Effective: 10.3%

$15.5K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 35.0%

$52.5K

Take-Home Pay

$8,123/month

$97.5K

Bremerton, WA

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Washington State Tax

No state income tax

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 24.7%

$37.0K

Take-Home Pay

$9,416/month

$113.0K

Additional Tax Information

Medford, OR Tax Rates

Sales Tax:0.0%

Property Tax:0.9%

Bremerton, WA Tax Rates

Sales Tax:9.2%

Property Tax:0.9%

💡 Note: Tax calculations are estimates based on 2024/2025 tax brackets for single filers with standard deduction. Actual taxes may vary based on filing status, deductions, credits, and local variations.

Environment

Medford

Bremerton

35 Good

Air Quality

41 Good

85%

Good Air Days

69.7%

98 High

Climate Risk

100 Very High

🌊🌡🫨

Top Hazards

🌊🌡🫨

▲+2.5°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.6°F

9 days

Heat Days >95°F

2 days

▲+2.5°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.6°F

9 days

Heat Days >95°F

2 days

Before moving from Medford, OR to Bremerton, WA

Use this comparison to shortlist a move, then check the costs that depend on your household.

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Bremerton, WA for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Medford, OR. Add parking, deposits, insurance and any overlapping leases. The rent estimates above are a starting point, not available listings.
Confirm your income. Check your expected pay with your employer, including any location adjustment. Use “Different salary at destination?” above to compare two incomes. The budget model excludes taxes and one-time moving costs; it is not a take-home-pay calculation.
Price your daily routine. Check the commute from a specific address to work, school or childcare. Add household expenses missing from this model, such as childcare, debt payments and medical needs. Verify local services before signing a lease.
Plan the transition. Get moving quotes and budget for travel, setup costs and time off. Open your Medford to Bremerton moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Bremerton, WA by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Medford, OR vs Bremerton, WA

How do the cost estimates for Medford, OR and Bremerton, WA compare?

Bremerton, WA has a modeled overall cost index 71.8% higher than Medford, OR. This is a broad model comparison, not a survey of today's prices or a forecast of your household spending. Some cities use adjusted regional fallback data.

What does the equivalent salary mean?

At a $150,000 salary in Medford, OR, the model estimates $206,327 in Bremerton, WA. It allocates 60% of gross income to the origin city’s category budget and applies each destination category’s relative cost. The equivalent salary adds the total category difference to your income. The monthly difference is the same category difference divided by 12; it is not take-home pay or guaranteed savings. Household size, childcare and your actual lease are not inputs to this calculation.

What rent estimates are available for Medford, OR and Bremerton, WA?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,570/month in Medford, OR and $1,885/month in Bremerton, WA. Where available, the source is a city median of HUD FY2026 ZIP-level estimates; otherwise a saved metro table is used. City adjustments may also apply. These are not asking rents or available listings. Compare actual properties with the same bedroom count and included utilities.

How should I use this comparison before moving?

Use it to shortlist locations, then replace modeled costs with a current housing quote, employer-confirmed income, commute costs, insurance and your household's other expenses. Add one-time moving costs separately. Source years differ and the saved datasets are not a live price feed. Read the methodology for the formulas and fallback rules.

💰 See how taxes change too — compare take-home pay between Oregon and Washington on TaxTakeHome.com