City comparison
Bremerton, WA vs Columbus, GA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Bremerton, WA are 18.3% higher than in Columbus, GA. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbus, GA would need about $118,300 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 $939 in Columbus, GA. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Bremerton, WA and 15% in Columbus, GA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,567 a year higher in Columbus, GA than in Bremerton, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −5.9% moving from Bremerton, WA to Columbus, GA ($119,630 → $112,556), while prices change by −15.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +11.3% in real buying power.
- Bremerton, WA: price level 105.6 (pricier)
- Columbus, GA: price level 89.3 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Bremerton, WA | Columbus, GA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.6 | 89.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $84,555 in Columbus | $118,266 in Bremerton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,548/mo | $939/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,613 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (WA) | $4,567 (GA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $63,200 | $43,540 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Seattle-Tacoma, WA | Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL |
Rent areas: Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA MSA and Columbus, GA-AL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA and Columbus, GA-AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Bremerton | Columbus |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 129.6 | 61.2 |
| Goods | 105.0 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 92.0 | 89.7 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 105.6 | 89.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Bremerton, WA → Columbus, GA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +18.3%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$4,567/yr.
100 Strong offer
Columbus, GA → Bremerton, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −15.4%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$4,567/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Bremerton, WA is in the Seattle-Tacoma, WA pay area; Columbus, GA is in Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL. The last column shows what a transfer from Bremerton, WA to Columbus, GA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Bremerton, WA | Columbus, GA | Real change, Bremerton → Columbus |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,373 | $65,271 | +11.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,935 | $78,972 | +11.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,602 | $94,654 | +11.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $119,630 | $112,556 | +11.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,367 | $133,007 | +11.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Bremerton, WA | Columbus, GA | Columbus pay in Bremerton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $102,650 | $61,360 | $72,568 (−29.3%) |
| Software Developers | $146,200 | $116,150 | $137,366 (−6.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $88,250 | $73,640 | $87,091 (−1.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $107,220 | $82,500 | $97,570 (−9.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.