City comparison
Bremerton, WA vs Portland, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Bremerton, WA (105.6) and Portland, OR (105.4, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Bremerton, WA goes as far as $99,800 in Portland, OR.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,677 a month in Portland, OR versus $1,548 in Bremerton, WA. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Portland, OR and 23% in Bremerton, WA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $7,920 a year higher in Portland, OR than in Bremerton, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.1% moving from Bremerton, WA to Portland, OR ($119,630 → $114,684), while prices change by −0.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.0% in real buying power.
- Bremerton, WA: price level 105.6 (pricier)
- Portland, OR: price level 105.4 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Bremerton, WA | Portland, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.6 | 105.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,824 in Portland | $100,176 in Bremerton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,548/mo | $1,677/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (WA) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 28% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $63,200 | $60,690 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Seattle-Tacoma, WA | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA MSA and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA MSA. Metro areas: Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Bremerton | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 129.6 | 125.1 |
| Goods | 105.0 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 92.0 | 107.0 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 100.1 |
| Overall | 105.6 | 105.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Bremerton, WA → Portland, OR
Roughly even
Buying power +0.2%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$7,920/yr.
64 Fair offer
Portland, OR → Bremerton, WA
Roughly even
Buying power −0.2%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$7,920/yr.
68 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Bremerton, WA is in the Seattle-Tacoma, WA pay area; Portland, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Bremerton, WA to Portland, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Bremerton, WA | Portland, OR | Real change, Bremerton → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,373 | $66,505 | −4.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,935 | $80,465 | −4.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,602 | $96,443 | −4.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $119,630 | $114,684 | −4.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,367 | $135,522 | −4.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Bremerton, WA | Portland, OR | Portland pay in Bremerton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $102,650 | $82,330 | $82,475 (−19.7%) |
| Software Developers | $146,200 | $156,000 | $156,275 (+6.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $88,250 | $92,200 | $92,363 (+4.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $107,220 | $130,310 | $130,540 (+21.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.