City comparison
Bremerton, WA vs Kansas City, MO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Bremerton, WA are 14.1% higher than in Kansas City, MO. Someone earning $100,000 in Kansas City, MO would need about $114,100 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 $1,197 in Kansas City, MO. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Bremerton, WA and 19% in Kansas City, MO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,763 a year higher in Kansas City, MO than in Bremerton, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −9.6% moving from Bremerton, WA to Kansas City, MO ($119,630 → $108,173), while prices change by −12.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.2% in real buying power.
- Bremerton, WA: price level 105.6 (pricier)
- Kansas City, MO: price level 92.5 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Bremerton, WA | Kansas City, MO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.6 | 92.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $87,630 in Kansas City | $114,117 in Bremerton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,548/mo | $1,197/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,417 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (WA) | $3,763 (MO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $63,200 | $50,820 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Seattle-Tacoma, WA | Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS |
Rent areas: Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA MSA and Kansas City, MO-KS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA and Kansas City, MO-KS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Bremerton | Kansas City |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 129.6 | 86.6 |
| Goods | 105.0 | 94.1 |
| Utilities | 92.0 | 89.0 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 93.4 |
| Overall | 105.6 | 92.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Bremerton, WA → Kansas City, MO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +14.1%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$3,763/yr.
100 Strong offer
Kansas City, MO → Bremerton, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.4%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$3,763/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Bremerton, WA is in the Seattle-Tacoma, WA pay area; Kansas City, MO is in Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS. The last column shows what a transfer from Bremerton, WA to Kansas City, MO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Bremerton, WA | Kansas City, MO | Real change, Bremerton → Kansas City |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,373 | $62,729 | +3.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,935 | $75,897 | +3.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,602 | $90,968 | +3.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $119,630 | $108,173 | +3.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,367 | $127,829 | +3.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Bremerton, WA | Kansas City, MO | Kansas City pay in Bremerton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $102,650 | $61,060 | $69,680 (−32.1%) |
| Software Developers | $146,200 | $124,990 | $142,634 (−2.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $88,250 | $80,040 | $91,339 (+3.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $107,220 | $83,040 | $94,762 (−11.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.