City comparison
Bremerton, WA vs Chicago, IL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Bremerton, WA are 1.9% higher than in Chicago, IL. Someone earning $100,000 in Chicago, IL would need about $101,900 in Bremerton, WA to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,548 a month in Bremerton, WA and $1,581 in Chicago, IL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,805 a year higher in Chicago, IL than in Bremerton, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.5% moving from Bremerton, WA to Chicago, IL ($119,630 → $118,984), while prices change by −1.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.4% in real buying power.
- Bremerton, WA: price level 105.6 (pricier)
- Chicago, IL: price level 103.6 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Bremerton, WA | Chicago, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.6 | 103.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,095 in Chicago | $101,942 in Bremerton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,548/mo | $1,581/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,375 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (WA) | $4,805 (IL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $63,200 | $54,720 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Seattle-Tacoma, WA | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI |
Rent areas: Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA MSA and Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA and Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Bremerton | Chicago |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 129.6 | 112.0 |
| Goods | 105.0 | 107.3 |
| Utilities | 92.0 | 83.6 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 100.5 |
| Overall | 105.6 | 103.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Bremerton, WA → Chicago, IL
Roughly even
Buying power +1.9%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$4,805/yr.
74 Strong offer
Chicago, IL → Bremerton, WA
Roughly even
Buying power −1.9%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$4,805/yr.
63 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Bremerton, WA is in the Seattle-Tacoma, WA pay area; Chicago, IL is in Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Bremerton, WA to Chicago, IL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Bremerton, WA | Chicago, IL | Real change, Bremerton → Chicago |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,373 | $68,999 | +1.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,935 | $83,482 | +1.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,602 | $100,059 | +1.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $119,630 | $118,984 | +1.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,367 | $140,604 | +1.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Bremerton, WA | Chicago, IL | Chicago pay in Bremerton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $102,650 | $78,390 | $79,912 (−22.2%) |
| Software Developers | $146,200 | $134,380 | $136,990 (−6.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $88,250 | $82,360 | $83,960 (−4.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $107,220 | $100,490 | $102,442 (−4.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.