City comparison
Bremerton, WA vs Milwaukee, WI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Bremerton, WA are 8.9% higher than in Milwaukee, WI. Someone earning $100,000 in Milwaukee, WI would need about $108,900 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 $1,119 in Milwaukee, WI. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Bremerton, WA and 18% in Milwaukee, WI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,919 a year higher in Milwaukee, WI than in Bremerton, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −7.0% moving from Bremerton, WA to Milwaukee, WI ($119,630 → $111,310), while prices change by −8.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.4% in real buying power.
- Bremerton, WA: price level 105.6 (pricier)
- Milwaukee, WI: price level 96.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Bremerton, WA | Milwaukee, WI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.6 | 96.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,790 in Milwaukee | $108,944 in Bremerton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,548/mo | $1,119/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% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $63,200 | $51,160 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Seattle-Tacoma, WA | Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI |
Rent areas: Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA MSA and Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI MSA. Metro areas: Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA and Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Bremerton | Milwaukee |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 129.6 | 97.1 |
| Goods | 105.0 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 92.0 | 91.6 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 99.4 |
| Overall | 105.6 | 96.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Bremerton, WA → Milwaukee, WI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.9%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$3,919/yr.
97 Strong offer
Milwaukee, WI → Bremerton, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.2%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$3,919/yr.
43 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Bremerton, WA is in the Seattle-Tacoma, WA pay area; Milwaukee, WI is in Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Bremerton, WA to Milwaukee, WI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Bremerton, WA | Milwaukee, WI | Real change, Bremerton → Milwaukee |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,373 | $64,548 | +1.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,935 | $78,098 | +1.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,602 | $93,606 | +1.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $119,630 | $111,310 | +1.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,367 | $131,535 | +1.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Bremerton, WA | Milwaukee, WI | Milwaukee pay in Bremerton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $102,650 | $61,480 | $66,979 (−34.8%) |
| Software Developers | $146,200 | $123,730 | $134,796 (−7.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $88,250 | $80,290 | $87,471 (−0.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $107,220 | $97,360 | $106,068 (−1.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.