City comparison
Bremerton, WA vs Durham, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Bremerton, WA are 8.2% higher than in Durham, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Durham, NC would need about $108,200 in Bremerton, WA to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,548 a month in Bremerton, WA and $1,507 in Durham, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,481 a year higher in Durham, NC than in Bremerton, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −7.1% moving from Bremerton, WA to Durham, NC ($119,630 → $111,147), while prices change by −7.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.6% in real buying power.
- Bremerton, WA: price level 105.6 (pricier)
- Durham, NC: price level 97.6 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Bremerton, WA | Durham, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.6 | 97.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,392 in Durham | $108,235 in Bremerton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,548/mo | $1,507/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (WA) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $63,200 | $60,720 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Seattle-Tacoma, WA | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC |
Rent areas: Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA MSA and Durham-Chapel Hill, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA and Durham-Chapel Hill, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Bremerton | Durham |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 129.6 | 98.9 |
| Goods | 105.0 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 92.0 | 89.3 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 105.6 | 97.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Bremerton, WA → Durham, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.2%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$3,481/yr.
94 Strong offer
Durham, NC → Bremerton, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.6%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$3,481/yr.
45 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Bremerton, WA is in the Seattle-Tacoma, WA pay area; Durham, NC is in Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC. The last column shows what a transfer from Bremerton, WA to Durham, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Bremerton, WA | Durham, NC | Real change, Bremerton → Durham |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,373 | $64,453 | +0.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,935 | $77,983 | +0.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,602 | $93,468 | +0.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $119,630 | $111,147 | +0.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,367 | $131,342 | +0.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Bremerton, WA | Durham, NC | Durham pay in Bremerton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $102,650 | $51,400 | $55,633 (−45.8%) |
| Software Developers | $146,200 | $135,620 | $146,788 (+0.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $88,250 | $85,090 | $92,097 (+4.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $107,220 | not published | — |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.