City comparison
Bremerton, WA vs Madison, WI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Bremerton, WA are 8.6% higher than in Madison, WI. Someone earning $100,000 in Madison, WI would need about $108,600 in Bremerton, WA to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,548 a month in Bremerton, WA and $1,482 in Madison, WI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,919 a year higher in Madison, WI than in Bremerton, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −11.0% moving from Bremerton, WA to Madison, WI ($119,630 → $106,437), while prices change by −7.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.4% in real buying power.
- Bremerton, WA: price level 105.6 (pricier)
- Madison, WI: price level 97.3 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Bremerton, WA | Madison, WI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.6 | 97.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,122 in Madison | $108,552 in Bremerton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,548/mo | $1,482/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,261 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (WA) | $3,919 (WI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $63,200 | $58,080 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Seattle-Tacoma, WA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA MSA and Madison, WI HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA and Madison, WI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Bremerton | Madison |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 129.6 | 99.7 |
| Goods | 105.0 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 92.0 | 89.8 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 99.4 |
| Overall | 105.6 | 97.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Bremerton, WA → Madison, WI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.6%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$3,919/yr.
95 Strong offer
Madison, WI → Bremerton, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.9%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$3,919/yr.
44 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Bremerton, WA is in the Seattle-Tacoma, WA pay area; Madison, WI is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Bremerton, WA to Madison, WI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Bremerton, WA | Madison, WI | Real change, Bremerton → Madison |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,373 | $61,722 | −3.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,935 | $74,678 | −3.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,602 | $89,508 | −3.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $119,630 | $106,437 | −3.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,367 | $125,776 | −3.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Bremerton, WA | Madison, WI | Madison pay in Bremerton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $102,650 | $63,690 | $69,137 (−32.6%) |
| Software Developers | $146,200 | $130,630 | $141,801 (−3.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $88,250 | $81,130 | $88,068 (−0.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $107,220 | $101,190 | $109,844 (+2.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.