City comparison
Bremerton, WA vs Buffalo, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Bremerton, WA are 10.2% higher than in Buffalo, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Buffalo, NY would need about $110,200 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 $1,139 in Buffalo, NY. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Bremerton, WA and 18% in Buffalo, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,860 a year higher in Buffalo, NY than in Bremerton, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −7.0% moving from Bremerton, WA to Buffalo, NY ($119,630 → $111,301), while prices change by −9.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.5% in real buying power.
- Bremerton, WA: price level 105.6 (pricier)
- Buffalo, NY: price level 95.8 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Bremerton, WA | Buffalo, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.6 | 95.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $90,755 in Buffalo | $110,186 in Bremerton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,548/mo | $1,139/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (WA) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $63,200 | $50,790 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Seattle-Tacoma, WA | Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean, NY |
Rent areas: Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA MSA and Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY MSA. Metro areas: Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA and Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Bremerton | Buffalo |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 129.6 | 81.0 |
| Goods | 105.0 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 92.0 | 129.5 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 105.6 | 95.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Bremerton, WA → Buffalo, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.2%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$4,860/yr.
100 Strong offer
Buffalo, NY → Bremerton, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.2%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$4,860/yr.
40 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Bremerton, WA is in the Seattle-Tacoma, WA pay area; Buffalo, NY is in Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean, NY. The last column shows what a transfer from Bremerton, WA to Buffalo, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Bremerton, WA | Buffalo, NY | Real change, Bremerton → Buffalo |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,373 | $64,543 | +2.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,935 | $78,091 | +2.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,602 | $93,598 | +2.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $119,630 | $111,301 | +2.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,367 | $131,525 | +2.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Bremerton, WA | Buffalo, NY | Buffalo pay in Bremerton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $102,650 | $76,490 | $84,282 (−17.9%) |
| Software Developers | $146,200 | $127,850 | $140,873 (−3.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $88,250 | $82,120 | $90,485 (+2.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $107,220 | $99,060 | $109,151 (+1.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.