City comparison
Bremerton, WA vs Indianapolis, IN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Bremerton, WA are 10.4% higher than in Indianapolis, IN. Someone earning $100,000 in Indianapolis, IN would need about $110,400 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 $1,267 in Indianapolis, IN. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Bremerton, WA and 20% in Indianapolis, IN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,921 a year higher in Indianapolis, IN than in Bremerton, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −10.2% moving from Bremerton, WA to Indianapolis, IN ($119,630 → $107,428), while prices change by −9.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.9% in real buying power.
- Bremerton, WA: price level 105.6 (pricier)
- Indianapolis, IN: price level 95.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Bremerton, WA | Indianapolis, IN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.6 | 95.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $90,615 in Indianapolis | $110,357 in Bremerton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,548/mo | $1,267/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $76,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (WA) | $2,921 (IN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $63,200 | $49,340 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Seattle-Tacoma, WA | Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN |
Rent areas: Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA MSA and Indianapolis-Carmel, IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA and Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Bremerton | Indianapolis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 129.6 | 88.9 |
| Goods | 105.0 | 94.3 |
| Utilities | 92.0 | 86.4 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 99.1 |
| Overall | 105.6 | 95.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Bremerton, WA → Indianapolis, IN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.4%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$2,921/yr.
100 Strong offer
Indianapolis, IN → Bremerton, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.4%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$2,921/yr.
39 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Bremerton, WA is in the Seattle-Tacoma, WA pay area; Indianapolis, IN is in Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN. The last column shows what a transfer from Bremerton, WA to Indianapolis, IN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Bremerton, WA | Indianapolis, IN | Real change, Bremerton → Indianapolis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,373 | $62,297 | −0.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,935 | $75,374 | −0.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,602 | $90,341 | −0.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $119,630 | $107,428 | −0.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,367 | $126,947 | −0.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Bremerton, WA | Indianapolis, IN | Indianapolis pay in Bremerton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $102,650 | $60,510 | $66,777 (−34.9%) |
| Software Developers | $146,200 | $106,870 | $117,938 (−19.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $88,250 | $79,290 | $87,502 (−0.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $107,220 | $84,230 | $92,953 (−13.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.