City comparison
Bremerton, WA vs Cleveland, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Bremerton, WA are 12.4% higher than in Cleveland, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Cleveland, OH would need about $112,400 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 $1,058 in Cleveland, OH. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Bremerton, WA and 16% in Cleveland, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,968 a year higher in Cleveland, OH than in Bremerton, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −7.1% moving from Bremerton, WA to Cleveland, OH ($119,630 → $111,138), while prices change by −11.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.5% in real buying power.
- Bremerton, WA: price level 105.6 (pricier)
- Cleveland, OH: price level 93.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Bremerton, WA | Cleveland, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.6 | 93.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $88,936 in Cleveland | $112,440 in Bremerton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,548/mo | $1,058/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 | $50,140 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Seattle-Tacoma, WA | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA |
Rent areas: Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA MSA and Cleveland, OH HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA and Cleveland, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Bremerton | Cleveland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 129.6 | 79.4 |
| Goods | 105.0 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 92.0 | 96.0 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 105.6 | 93.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Bremerton, WA → Cleveland, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.4%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$1,968/yr.
100 Strong offer
Cleveland, OH → Bremerton, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.1%; 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; Cleveland, OH is in Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Bremerton, WA to Cleveland, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Bremerton, WA | Cleveland, OH | Real change, Bremerton → Cleveland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,373 | $64,448 | +4.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,935 | $77,977 | +4.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,602 | $93,461 | +4.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $119,630 | $111,138 | +4.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,367 | $131,331 | +4.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Bremerton, WA | Cleveland, OH | Cleveland pay in Bremerton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $102,650 | $76,470 | $85,983 (−16.2%) |
| Software Developers | $146,200 | $111,310 | $125,157 (−14.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $88,250 | $80,000 | $89,952 (+1.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $107,220 | $83,940 | $94,382 (−12.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.