City comparison
Bremerton, WA vs Rockford, IL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Bremerton, WA are 14.6% higher than in Rockford, IL. Someone earning $100,000 in Rockford, IL would need about $114,600 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 $895 in Rockford, IL. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Bremerton, WA and 14% in Rockford, IL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,805 a year higher in Rockford, IL than in Bremerton, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.5% moving from Bremerton, WA to Rockford, IL ($119,630 → $118,984), while prices change by −12.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +14.0% in real buying power.
- Bremerton, WA: price level 105.6 (pricier)
- Rockford, IL: price level 92.2 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Bremerton, WA | Rockford, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.6 | 92.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $87,261 in Rockford | $114,598 in Bremerton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,548/mo | $895/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,375 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (WA) | $4,805 (IL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $63,200 | $47,120 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Seattle-Tacoma, WA | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI |
Rent areas: Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA MSA and Rockford, IL MSA. Metro areas: Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA and Rockford, IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Bremerton | Rockford |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 129.6 | 70.1 |
| Goods | 105.0 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 92.0 | 89.4 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 105.6 | 92.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Bremerton, WA → Rockford, IL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +14.6%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$4,805/yr.
100 Strong offer
Rockford, IL → Bremerton, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.7%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$4,805/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Bremerton, WA is in the Seattle-Tacoma, WA pay area; Rockford, IL is in Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Bremerton, WA to Rockford, IL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Bremerton, WA | Rockford, IL | Real change, Bremerton → Rockford |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,373 | $68,999 | +14.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,935 | $83,482 | +14.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,602 | $100,059 | +14.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $119,630 | $118,984 | +14.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,367 | $140,604 | +14.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Bremerton, WA | Rockford, IL | Rockford pay in Bremerton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $102,650 | $64,200 | $73,572 (−28.3%) |
| Software Developers | $146,200 | $107,640 | $123,354 (−15.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $88,250 | $75,260 | $86,247 (−2.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $107,220 | $80,930 | $92,744 (−13.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.