City comparison
Bremerton, WA vs Denver, CO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Bremerton, WA (105.6) and Denver, CO (105.8, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Bremerton, WA goes as far as $100,200 in Denver, CO.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,754 a month in Denver, CO versus $1,548 in Bremerton, WA. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Denver, CO and 23% in Bremerton, WA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,692 a year higher in Denver, CO than in Bremerton, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.8% moving from Bremerton, WA to Denver, CO ($119,630 → $118,675), while prices change by +0.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.0% in real buying power.
- Bremerton, WA: price level 105.6 (pricier)
- Denver, CO: price level 105.8 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Bremerton, WA | Denver, CO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.6 | 105.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,166 in Denver | $99,835 in Bremerton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,548/mo | $1,754/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,488 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (WA) | $3,692 (CO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 28% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $63,200 | $62,320 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Seattle-Tacoma, WA | Denver-Aurora, CO |
Rent areas: Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA MSA and Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO MSA. Metro areas: Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA and Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Bremerton | Denver |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 129.6 | 146.9 |
| Goods | 105.0 | 101.0 |
| Utilities | 92.0 | 87.9 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 99.4 |
| Overall | 105.6 | 105.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Bremerton, WA → Denver, CO
Roughly even
Buying power −0.2%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$3,692/yr.
64 Fair offer
Denver, CO → Bremerton, WA
Roughly even
Buying power +0.2%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$3,692/yr.
69 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Bremerton, WA is in the Seattle-Tacoma, WA pay area; Denver, CO is in Denver-Aurora, CO. The last column shows what a transfer from Bremerton, WA to Denver, CO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Bremerton, WA | Denver, CO | Real change, Bremerton → Denver |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,373 | $68,819 | −1.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,935 | $83,265 | −1.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,602 | $99,800 | −1.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $119,630 | $118,675 | −1.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,367 | $140,239 | −1.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Bremerton, WA | Denver, CO | Denver pay in Bremerton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $102,650 | $76,910 | $76,783 (−25.2%) |
| Software Developers | $146,200 | $137,610 | $137,382 (−6.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $88,250 | $100,020 | $99,855 (+13.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $107,220 | $101,130 | $100,963 (−5.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.