City comparison
Asheville, NC vs Bremerton, WA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Bremerton, WA are 9.4% higher than in Asheville, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Asheville, NC would need about $109,400 in Bremerton, WA to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,548 a month in Bremerton, WA versus $1,429 in Asheville, NC. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Bremerton, WA and 23% in Asheville, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,481 a year higher in Asheville, NC than in Bremerton, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +12.4% moving from Asheville, NC to Bremerton, WA ($106,437 → $119,630), while prices change by +9.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.7% in real buying power.
- Asheville, NC: price level 96.5 (cheaper)
- Bremerton, WA: price level 105.6 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Asheville, NC | Bremerton, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.5 | 105.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $109,431 in Bremerton | $91,382 in Asheville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,429/mo | $1,548/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $0 (WA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,870 | $63,200 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Seattle-Tacoma, WA |
Rent areas: Asheville, NC MSA and Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA MSA. Metro areas: Asheville, NC and Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Asheville | Bremerton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.4 | 129.6 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 105.0 |
| Utilities | 88.6 | 92.0 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 99.5 |
| Overall | 96.5 | 105.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Asheville, NC → Bremerton, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.6%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$3,481/yr.
42 Weak offer
Bremerton, WA → Asheville, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.4%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$3,481/yr.
98 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Asheville, NC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Bremerton, WA is in Seattle-Tacoma, WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Asheville, NC to Bremerton, WA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Asheville, NC | Bremerton, WA | Real change, Asheville → Bremerton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,373 | +2.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $83,935 | +2.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $100,602 | +2.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $119,630 | +2.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $141,367 | +2.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Asheville, NC | Bremerton, WA | Bremerton pay in Asheville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,080 | $102,650 | $93,804 (+87.3%) |
| Software Developers | $134,350 | $146,200 | $133,601 (−0.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,400 | $88,250 | $80,645 (+0.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,590 | $107,220 | $97,980 (+20.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.