City comparison
Bremerton, WA vs Des Moines, IA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Bremerton, WA are 15.2% higher than in Des Moines, IA. Someone earning $100,000 in Des Moines, IA would need about $115,200 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 $1,109 in Des Moines, IA. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Bremerton, WA and 18% in Des Moines, IA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,148 a year higher in Des Moines, IA than in Bremerton, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −10.3% moving from Bremerton, WA to Des Moines, IA ($119,630 → $107,301), while prices change by −13.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.3% in real buying power.
- Bremerton, WA: price level 105.6 (pricier)
- Des Moines, IA: price level 91.7 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Bremerton, WA | Des Moines, IA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.6 | 91.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $86,832 in Des Moines | $115,165 in Bremerton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,548/mo | $1,109/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $76,032 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (WA) | $3,148 (IA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $63,200 | $51,820 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Seattle-Tacoma, WA | Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA |
Rent areas: Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA MSA and Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA and Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Bremerton | Des Moines |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 129.6 | 84.7 |
| Goods | 105.0 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 92.0 | 84.6 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 92.9 |
| Overall | 105.6 | 91.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Bremerton, WA → Des Moines, IA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +15.2%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$3,148/yr.
100 Strong offer
Des Moines, IA → Bremerton, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −13.2%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$3,148/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Bremerton, WA is in the Seattle-Tacoma, WA pay area; Des Moines, IA is in Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA. The last column shows what a transfer from Bremerton, WA to Des Moines, IA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Bremerton, WA | Des Moines, IA | Real change, Bremerton → Des Moines |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,373 | $62,223 | +3.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,935 | $75,284 | +3.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,602 | $90,234 | +3.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $119,630 | $107,301 | +3.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,367 | $126,797 | +3.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Bremerton, WA | Des Moines, IA | Des Moines pay in Bremerton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $102,650 | $61,650 | $70,999 (−30.8%) |
| Software Developers | $146,200 | $126,460 | $145,637 (−0.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $88,250 | $79,290 | $91,314 (+3.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $107,220 | $78,630 | $90,554 (−15.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.