City comparison
Bremerton, WA vs Cincinnati, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Bremerton, WA are 10.7% higher than in Cincinnati, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Cincinnati, OH would need about $110,700 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 $1,051 in Cincinnati, OH. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Bremerton, WA and 16% in Cincinnati, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,968 a year higher in Cincinnati, OH than in Bremerton, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −7.3% moving from Bremerton, WA to Cincinnati, OH ($119,630 → $110,865), while prices change by −9.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.6% in real buying power.
- Bremerton, WA: price level 105.6 (pricier)
- Cincinnati, OH: price level 95.4 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Bremerton, WA | Cincinnati, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.6 | 95.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $90,307 in Cincinnati | $110,734 in Bremerton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,548/mo | $1,051/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (WA) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $63,200 | $50,170 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Seattle-Tacoma, WA | Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN |
Rent areas: Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA MSA and Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA and Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Bremerton | Cincinnati |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 129.6 | 87.6 |
| Goods | 105.0 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 92.0 | 91.0 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 99.0 |
| Overall | 105.6 | 95.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Bremerton, WA → Cincinnati, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.7%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$1,968/yr.
100 Strong offer
Cincinnati, OH → Bremerton, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.7%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$1,968/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Bremerton, WA is in the Seattle-Tacoma, WA pay area; Cincinnati, OH is in Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN. The last column shows what a transfer from Bremerton, WA to Cincinnati, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Bremerton, WA | Cincinnati, OH | Real change, Bremerton → Cincinnati |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,373 | $64,290 | +2.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,935 | $77,785 | +2.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,602 | $93,231 | +2.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $119,630 | $110,865 | +2.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,367 | $131,009 | +2.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Bremerton, WA | Cincinnati, OH | Cincinnati pay in Bremerton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $102,650 | $64,740 | $71,689 (−30.2%) |
| Software Developers | $146,200 | $121,420 | $134,453 (−8.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $88,250 | $80,640 | $89,296 (+1.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $107,220 | $83,650 | $92,629 (−13.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.