City comparison
Bremerton, WA vs Fort Collins, CO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Bremerton, WA are 4.4% higher than in Fort Collins, CO. Someone earning $100,000 in Fort Collins, CO would need about $104,400 in Bremerton, WA to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,548 a month in Bremerton, WA and $1,537 in Fort Collins, CO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,692 a year higher in Fort Collins, 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 Fort Collins, CO ($119,630 → $118,675), while prices change by −4.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.6% in real buying power.
- Bremerton, WA: price level 105.6 (pricier)
- Fort Collins, CO: price level 101.1 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Bremerton, WA | Fort Collins, CO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.6 | 101.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,759 in Fort Collins | $104,429 in Bremerton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,548/mo | $1,537/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% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $63,200 | $55,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Seattle-Tacoma, WA | Denver-Aurora, CO |
Rent areas: Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA MSA and Fort Collins-Loveland, CO MSA. Metro areas: Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA and Fort Collins-Loveland, CO.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Bremerton | Fort Collins |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 129.6 | 120.6 |
| Goods | 105.0 | 96.1 |
| Utilities | 92.0 | 82.2 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 99.8 |
| Overall | 105.6 | 101.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Bremerton, WA → Fort Collins, CO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.4%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$3,692/yr.
83 Strong offer
Fort Collins, CO → Bremerton, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.2%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$3,692/yr.
55 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Bremerton, WA is in the Seattle-Tacoma, WA pay area; Fort Collins, CO is in Denver-Aurora, CO. The last column shows what a transfer from Bremerton, WA to Fort Collins, CO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Bremerton, WA | Fort Collins, CO | Real change, Bremerton → Fort Collins |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,373 | $68,819 | +3.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,935 | $83,265 | +3.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,602 | $99,800 | +3.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $119,630 | $118,675 | +3.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,367 | $140,239 | +3.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Bremerton, WA | Fort Collins, CO | Fort Collins pay in Bremerton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $102,650 | $62,930 | $65,717 (−36.0%) |
| Software Developers | $146,200 | $133,990 | $139,924 (−4.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $88,250 | $89,340 | $93,297 (+5.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $107,220 | $97,600 | $101,923 (−4.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.