City comparison
Boulder, CO vs Bremerton, WA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Boulder, CO (105.2) and Bremerton, WA (105.6, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Boulder, CO goes as far as $100,400 in Bremerton, WA.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,795 a month in Boulder, CO versus $1,548 in Bremerton, WA. On $100,000, that's 29% of take-home pay in Boulder, CO and 23% in Bremerton, WA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,692 a year higher in Boulder, CO than in Bremerton, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.8% moving from Boulder, CO to Bremerton, WA ($118,675 → $119,630), while prices change by +0.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.4% in real buying power.
- Boulder, CO: price level 105.2 (pricier)
- 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
| Boulder, CO | Bremerton, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.2 | 105.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,385 in Bremerton | $99,617 in Boulder |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,795/mo | $1,548/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $0 (WA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 29% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $69,580 | $63,200 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Seattle-Tacoma, WA |
Rent areas: Boulder, CO MSA and Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA MSA. Metro areas: Boulder, CO and Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boulder | Bremerton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 157.0 | 129.6 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 105.0 |
| Utilities | 82.7 | 92.0 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 99.5 |
| Overall | 105.2 | 105.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boulder, CO → Bremerton, WA
Roughly even
Buying power −0.4%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$3,692/yr.
68 Fair offer
Bremerton, WA → Boulder, CO
Roughly even
Buying power +0.4%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax +$3,692/yr.
65 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boulder, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Bremerton, WA is in Seattle-Tacoma, WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Boulder, CO to Bremerton, WA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boulder, CO | Bremerton, WA | Real change, Boulder → Bremerton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $69,373 | +0.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $83,935 | +0.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $100,602 | +0.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $119,630 | +0.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $141,367 | +0.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boulder, CO | Bremerton, WA | Bremerton pay in Boulder dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,640 | $102,650 | $102,256 (+26.8%) |
| Software Developers | $164,560 | $146,200 | $145,639 (−11.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $99,990 | $88,250 | $87,912 (−12.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,290 | $107,220 | $106,809 (+3.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.