City comparison
Bremerton, WA vs Columbia, SC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Bremerton, WA are 12.8% higher than in Columbia, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbia, SC would need about $112,800 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 $1,164 in Columbia, SC. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Bremerton, WA and 19% in Columbia, SC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,843 a year higher in Columbia, SC than in Bremerton, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −11.0% moving from Bremerton, WA to Columbia, SC ($119,630 → $106,437), while prices change by −11.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.3% in real buying power.
- Bremerton, WA: price level 105.6 (pricier)
- Columbia, SC: price level 93.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Bremerton, WA | Columbia, SC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.6 | 93.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $88,689 in Columbia | $112,753 in Bremerton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,548/mo | $1,164/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,337 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (WA) | $4,843 (SC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $63,200 | $46,430 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Seattle-Tacoma, WA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA MSA and Columbia, SC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA and Columbia, SC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Bremerton | Columbia |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 129.6 | 79.5 |
| Goods | 105.0 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 92.0 | 88.3 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 98.3 |
| Overall | 105.6 | 93.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Bremerton, WA → Columbia, SC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.8%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$4,843/yr.
100 Strong offer
Columbia, SC → Bremerton, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.3%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$4,843/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Bremerton, WA is in the Seattle-Tacoma, WA pay area; Columbia, SC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Bremerton, WA to Columbia, SC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Bremerton, WA | Columbia, SC | Real change, Bremerton → Columbia |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,373 | $61,722 | +0.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,935 | $74,678 | +0.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,602 | $89,508 | +0.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $119,630 | $106,437 | +0.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,367 | $125,776 | +0.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Bremerton, WA | Columbia, SC | Columbia pay in Bremerton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $102,650 | $60,050 | $67,708 (−34.0%) |
| Software Developers | $146,200 | $123,380 | $139,115 (−4.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $88,250 | $69,210 | $78,037 (−11.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $107,220 | $81,920 | $92,368 (−13.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.