City comparison
Bremerton, WA vs Dayton, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Bremerton, WA are 13.9% higher than in Dayton, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Dayton, OH would need about $113,900 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 $1,009 in Dayton, OH. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Bremerton, WA and 16% in Dayton, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,968 a year higher in Dayton, OH than in Bremerton, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −7.7% moving from Bremerton, WA to Dayton, OH ($119,630 → $110,401), while prices change by −12.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.1% in real buying power.
- Bremerton, WA: price level 105.6 (pricier)
- Dayton, OH: price level 92.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Bremerton, WA | Dayton, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.6 | 92.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $87,773 in Dayton | $113,931 in Bremerton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,548/mo | $1,009/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (WA) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $63,200 | $49,980 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Seattle-Tacoma, WA | Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH |
Rent areas: Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA MSA and Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH MSA. Metro areas: Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA and Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Bremerton | Dayton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 129.6 | 72.7 |
| Goods | 105.0 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 92.0 | 95.4 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 105.6 | 92.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Bremerton, WA → Dayton, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +13.9%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$1,968/yr.
100 Strong offer
Dayton, OH → Bremerton, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.2%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$1,968/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Bremerton, WA is in the Seattle-Tacoma, WA pay area; Dayton, OH is in Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH. The last column shows what a transfer from Bremerton, WA to Dayton, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Bremerton, WA | Dayton, OH | Real change, Bremerton → Dayton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,373 | $64,021 | +5.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,935 | $77,460 | +5.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,602 | $92,841 | +5.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $119,630 | $110,401 | +5.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,367 | $130,461 | +5.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Bremerton, WA | Dayton, OH | Dayton pay in Bremerton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $102,650 | $80,360 | $91,555 (−10.8%) |
| Software Developers | $146,200 | $106,910 | $121,803 (−16.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $88,250 | $79,030 | $90,039 (+2.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $107,220 | $82,510 | $94,004 (−12.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.