City comparison
Baton Rouge, LA vs Bremerton, WA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Bremerton, WA are 16.3% higher than in Baton Rouge, LA. Someone earning $100,000 in Baton Rouge, LA would need about $116,300 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 $1,064 in Baton Rouge, LA. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Bremerton, WA and 17% in Baton Rouge, LA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,614 a year higher in Baton Rouge, LA than in Bremerton, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +12.4% moving from Baton Rouge, LA to Bremerton, WA ($106,437 → $119,630), while prices change by +16.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.4% in real buying power.
- Baton Rouge, LA: price level 90.8 (much 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
| Baton Rouge, LA | Bremerton, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 90.8 | 105.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $116,333 in Bremerton | $85,960 in Baton Rouge |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,064/mo | $1,548/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,566 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,614 (LA) | $0 (WA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,710 | $63,200 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Seattle-Tacoma, WA |
Rent areas: Baton Rouge, LA HUD Metro FMR Area and Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA MSA. Metro areas: Baton Rouge, LA and Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Baton Rouge | Bremerton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 74.2 | 129.6 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 105.0 |
| Utilities | 71.2 | 92.0 |
| Other services | 95.7 | 99.5 |
| Overall | 90.8 | 105.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Baton Rouge, LA → Bremerton, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −14.0%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$2,614/yr.
38 Weak offer
Bremerton, WA → Baton Rouge, LA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +16.3%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$2,614/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Baton Rouge, LA is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Bremerton, WA is in Seattle-Tacoma, WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Baton Rouge, LA to Bremerton, WA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Baton Rouge, LA | Bremerton, WA | Real change, Baton Rouge → Bremerton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,373 | −3.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $83,935 | −3.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $100,602 | −3.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $119,630 | −3.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $141,367 | −3.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Baton Rouge, LA | Bremerton, WA | Bremerton pay in Baton Rouge dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,310 | $102,650 | $88,238 (+48.8%) |
| Software Developers | $101,900 | $146,200 | $125,674 (+23.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $73,070 | $88,250 | $75,860 (+3.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,130 | $107,220 | $92,167 (+13.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.