Bremerton vs Kennewick
Compare Bremerton, WA and Kennewick, WA on cost, HUD rent, safety, climate, commute, schools, outdoor access, food, and source-labeled relocation data.
The verdict
Kennewick is the cheaper metro on paper: ACS median rent runs $1,157/mo versus $1,635/mo in Bremerton — a gap of about $478/mo — and HUD 2-bedroom Fair Market Rents show $1,485/mo against $2,049/mo. Across the four public-data screens Kennewick comes out ahead (243 vs 229 summed points), though Bremerton still wins specific categories below.
Climate is a real differentiator: Bremerton runs summer highs near 77°F and winter lows near 33°F, while Kennewick runs 88°F and 23°F. If lower housing cost leads your list, start with Kennewick; if walkable daily life matters more, Bremerton screens stronger on the walkability proxy (38 vs 4). These are metro-level public-data screens — verify neighborhoods, school districts, commutes, and actual listings before deciding.
Category summary
Kennewick leads 73 to 60 on the cost and climate screen.
Kennewick leads 75 to 69 on the work screen.
Bremerton leads 53 to 39 on the daily life screen.
Kennewick leads 56 to 47 on the community screen.
$85,000 in Bremerton is roughly $95,625 in Kennewick using WhereToThrive's cost index and state-tax adjustment.
Category comparison
| Metric | Bremerton | Kennewick | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACS median gross rent | $1,635/mo | $1,157/mo | Kennewick |
| HUD 2BR FMR | $2,049/mo | $1,485/mo | Kennewick |
| Median home value | $463,000 | $330,000 | Kennewick |
| State income tax | None | None | Tie |
| Average commute | 31.2 min | 24.2 min | Kennewick |
| Safety score | 40/100 | 40/100 | Tie |
| School score | 6/10 | 5/10 | Bremerton |
| Walkability estimate | 38/100 | 4/100 | Bremerton |
| Outdoor score | 6/10 | 8/10 | Kennewick |
| Restaurants per 100k | 185.2 | 172.6 | Bremerton |
| Mountain distance | 16 mi | 90 mi | Bremerton |
| Coast distance | 2 mi | 173 mi | Bremerton |
What stands out
Bremerton stronger signals
- No state income tax
- Trail access within 15 miles
- Public park/protected-area signal within 1 miles
- Ski location within 57 miles
Bremerton tradeoffs
- Premium housing market
- Lower safety score than stronger alternatives
Kennewick stronger signals
- No state income tax
- Strong outdoor access
- Public park/protected-area signal within 1 miles
- Ski location within 61 miles
Kennewick tradeoffs
- Lower safety score than stronger alternatives
Common questions
Is Bremerton cheaper than Kennewick?
On public benchmarks Kennewick is the cheaper metro: ACS median rent is $1,635/mo in Bremerton vs $1,157/mo in Kennewick; HUD 2-bedroom Fair Market Rents are $2,049/mo vs $1,485/mo; state income tax is 0% vs 0%.
Is Bremerton or Kennewick safer?
Bremerton screens safer at the metro level: safety scores are 40/100 for Bremerton and 40/100 for Kennewick (FBI-reported metro rates; neighborhood variation is larger than metro averages).
Which is better for families, Bremerton or Kennewick?
School screens show 6/10 for Bremerton vs 5/10 for Kennewick, alongside the safety scores above. It is a metro-level screen; verify specific school districts before weighting it heavily.
How different is the climate between Bremerton and Kennewick?
Bremerton: summer highs near 77°F, winter lows near 33°F, disaster-risk band 1/3. Kennewick: 88°F / 23°F, disaster-risk band 1/3 (NOAA climate normals).
Keep researching
Score this comparison with your own constraints
Public comparison pages use equal-weighted signals. The questionnaire reweights cities around your housing budget, climate preferences, work needs, family needs, and daily-life priorities.
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