City comparison
Bremerton, WA vs Providence, RI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Bremerton, WA are 3.8% higher than in Providence, RI. Someone earning $100,000 in Providence, RI would need about $103,800 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 $1,402 in Providence, RI. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Bremerton, WA and 22% in Providence, RI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,148 a year higher in Providence, RI than in Bremerton, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.8% moving from Bremerton, WA to Providence, RI ($119,630 → $120,548), while prices change by −3.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.6% in real buying power.
- Bremerton, WA: price level 105.6 (pricier)
- Providence, RI: price level 101.8 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Bremerton, WA | Providence, RI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.6 | 101.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,370 in Providence | $103,767 in Bremerton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,548/mo | $1,402/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $76,032 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (WA) | $3,148 (RI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $63,200 | $53,680 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Seattle-Tacoma, WA | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA MSA and Providence-Fall River, RI-MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA and Providence-Warwick, RI-MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Bremerton | Providence |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 129.6 | 103.9 |
| Goods | 105.0 | 97.1 |
| Utilities | 92.0 | 148.8 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 102.3 |
| Overall | 105.6 | 101.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Bremerton, WA → Providence, RI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.8%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$3,148/yr.
81 Strong offer
Providence, RI → Bremerton, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.6%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$3,148/yr.
57 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Bremerton, WA is in the Seattle-Tacoma, WA pay area; Providence, RI is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Bremerton, WA to Providence, RI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Bremerton, WA | Providence, RI | Real change, Bremerton → Providence |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,373 | $69,905 | +4.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,935 | $84,579 | +4.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,602 | $101,375 | +4.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $119,630 | $120,548 | +4.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,367 | $142,452 | +4.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Bremerton, WA | Providence, RI | Providence pay in Bremerton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $102,650 | $86,720 | $89,987 (−12.3%) |
| Software Developers | $146,200 | $130,690 | $135,613 (−7.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $88,250 | $95,020 | $98,600 (+11.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $107,220 | $99,880 | $103,643 (−3.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.