City comparison
Bremerton, WA vs Columbus, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Bremerton, WA are 10.6% higher than in Columbus, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbus, OH would need about $110,600 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 $1,194 in Columbus, OH. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Bremerton, WA and 19% in Columbus, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,968 a year higher in Columbus, OH than in Bremerton, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −7.2% moving from Bremerton, WA to Columbus, OH ($119,630 → $111,065), while prices change by −9.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.7% in real buying power.
- Bremerton, WA: price level 105.6 (pricier)
- Columbus, OH: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Bremerton, WA | Columbus, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.6 | 95.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $90,400 in Columbus | $110,619 in Bremerton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,548/mo | $1,194/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% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $63,200 | $51,340 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Seattle-Tacoma, WA | Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH |
Rent areas: Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA MSA and Columbus, OH HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA and Columbus, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Bremerton | Columbus |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 129.6 | 87.9 |
| Goods | 105.0 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 92.0 | 95.5 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 105.6 | 95.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Bremerton, WA → Columbus, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.6%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$1,968/yr.
100 Strong offer
Columbus, OH → Bremerton, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.6%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$1,968/yr.
39 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Bremerton, WA is in the Seattle-Tacoma, WA pay area; Columbus, OH is in Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH. The last column shows what a transfer from Bremerton, WA to Columbus, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Bremerton, WA | Columbus, OH | Real change, Bremerton → Columbus |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,373 | $64,406 | +2.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,935 | $77,926 | +2.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,602 | $93,400 | +2.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $119,630 | $111,065 | +2.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,367 | $131,245 | +2.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Bremerton, WA | Columbus, OH | Columbus pay in Bremerton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $102,650 | $78,150 | $86,449 (−15.8%) |
| Software Developers | $146,200 | $122,340 | $135,331 (−7.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $88,250 | $81,700 | $90,376 (+2.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $107,220 | $83,900 | $92,809 (−13.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.