City comparison
Bremerton, WA vs Washington, DC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Washington, DC are 3.1% higher than in Bremerton, WA. Someone earning $100,000 in Bremerton, WA would need about $103,100 in Washington, DC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,015 a month in Washington, DC versus $1,548 in Bremerton, WA. On $100,000, that's 33% of take-home pay in Washington, DC and 23% in Bremerton, WA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,532 a year higher in Washington, DC than in Bremerton, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.8% moving from Bremerton, WA to Washington, DC ($119,630 → $121,785), while prices change by +3.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.3% in real buying power.
- Bremerton, WA: price level 105.6 (pricier)
- Washington, DC: price level 108.9 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Bremerton, WA | Washington, DC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.6 | 108.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,103 in Washington | $96,990 in Bremerton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,548/mo | $2,015/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $73,649 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (WA) | $5,532 (DC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 33% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $63,200 | $71,060 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Seattle-Tacoma, WA | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA |
Rent areas: Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA MSA and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Bremerton | Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 129.6 | 151.1 |
| Goods | 105.0 | 104.8 |
| Utilities | 92.0 | 106.7 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 102.3 |
| Overall | 105.6 | 108.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Bremerton, WA → Washington, DC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.0%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax +$5,532/yr.
48 Fair offer
Washington, DC → Bremerton, WA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.1%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$5,532/yr.
78 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Bremerton, WA is in the Seattle-Tacoma, WA pay area; Washington, DC is in Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Bremerton, WA to Washington, DC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Bremerton, WA | Washington, DC | Real change, Bremerton → Washington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,373 | $70,623 | −1.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,935 | $85,447 | −1.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,602 | $102,415 | −1.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $119,630 | $121,785 | −1.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,367 | $143,913 | −1.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Bremerton, WA | Washington, DC | Washington pay in Bremerton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $102,650 | $79,470 | $77,078 (−24.9%) |
| Software Developers | $146,200 | $154,930 | $150,267 (+2.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $88,250 | $102,140 | $99,066 (+12.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $107,220 | $102,710 | $99,619 (−7.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.