City comparison
Bremerton, WA vs Jackson, MS
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Bremerton, WA are 18.6% higher than in Jackson, MS. Someone earning $100,000 in Jackson, MS would need about $118,600 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 $1,097 in Jackson, MS. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Bremerton, WA and 17% in Jackson, MS.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,268 a year higher in Jackson, MS than in Bremerton, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −11.0% moving from Bremerton, WA to Jackson, MS ($119,630 → $106,437), while prices change by −15.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.5% in real buying power.
- Bremerton, WA: price level 105.6 (pricier)
- Jackson, MS: price level 89.0 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Bremerton, WA | Jackson, MS | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.6 | 89.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $84,320 in Jackson | $118,596 in Bremerton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,548/mo | $1,097/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,912 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (WA) | $3,268 (MS) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $63,200 | $42,850 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Seattle-Tacoma, WA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA MSA and Jackson, MS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA and Jackson, MS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Bremerton | Jackson |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 129.6 | 64.8 |
| Goods | 105.0 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 92.0 | 78.1 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 96.1 |
| Overall | 105.6 | 89.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Bremerton, WA → Jackson, MS
Same pay goes further
Buying power +18.6%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$3,268/yr.
100 Strong offer
Jackson, MS → Bremerton, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −15.7%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$3,268/yr.
38 Weak offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Bremerton, WA is in the Seattle-Tacoma, WA pay area; Jackson, MS is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Bremerton, WA to Jackson, MS at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Bremerton, WA | Jackson, MS | Real change, Bremerton → Jackson |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,373 | $61,722 | +5.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,935 | $74,678 | +5.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,602 | $89,508 | +5.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $119,630 | $106,437 | +5.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,367 | $125,776 | +5.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Bremerton, WA | Jackson, MS | Jackson pay in Bremerton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | not published | $90,460 | — |
| Software Developers | $146,200 | $96,990 | $115,026 (−21.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $88,250 | $70,720 | $83,871 (−5.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $107,220 | $82,630 | $97,996 (−8.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.