City comparison
Bremerton, WA vs Omaha, NE
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Bremerton, WA are 14.9% higher than in Omaha, NE. Someone earning $100,000 in Omaha, NE would need about $114,900 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 $1,148 in Omaha, NE. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Bremerton, WA and 18% in Omaha, NE.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,670 a year higher in Omaha, NE than in Bremerton, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −10.1% moving from Bremerton, WA to Omaha, NE ($119,630 → $107,501), while prices change by −13.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.3% in real buying power.
- Bremerton, WA: price level 105.6 (pricier)
- Omaha, NE: price level 91.9 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Bremerton, WA | Omaha, NE | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.6 | 91.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $87,031 in Omaha | $114,901 in Bremerton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,548/mo | $1,148/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,510 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (WA) | $3,670 (NE) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $63,200 | $49,660 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Seattle-Tacoma, WA | Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA |
Rent areas: Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA MSA and Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA and Omaha, NE-IA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Bremerton | Omaha |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 129.6 | 86.4 |
| Goods | 105.0 | 94.1 |
| Utilities | 92.0 | 76.4 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 93.0 |
| Overall | 105.6 | 91.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Bremerton, WA → Omaha, NE
Same pay goes further
Buying power +14.9%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$3,670/yr.
100 Strong offer
Omaha, NE → Bremerton, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −13.0%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$3,670/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Bremerton, WA is in the Seattle-Tacoma, WA pay area; Omaha, NE is in Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA. The last column shows what a transfer from Bremerton, WA to Omaha, NE at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Bremerton, WA | Omaha, NE | Real change, Bremerton → Omaha |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,373 | $62,339 | +3.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,935 | $75,425 | +3.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,602 | $90,402 | +3.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $119,630 | $107,501 | +3.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,367 | $127,033 | +3.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Bremerton, WA | Omaha, NE | Omaha pay in Bremerton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $102,650 | $62,670 | $72,009 (−29.9%) |
| Software Developers | $146,200 | $125,220 | $143,879 (−1.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $88,250 | $77,030 | $88,509 (+0.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $107,220 | $84,600 | $97,207 (−9.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.