City comparison
Bremerton, WA vs Phoenix, AZ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Bremerton, WA are 2.2% higher than in Phoenix, AZ. Someone earning $100,000 in Phoenix, AZ would need about $102,200 in Bremerton, WA to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,548 a month in Bremerton, WA and $1,583 in Phoenix, AZ.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,291 a year higher in Phoenix, AZ than in Bremerton, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −6.9% moving from Bremerton, WA to Phoenix, AZ ($119,630 → $111,338), while prices change by −2.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.9% in real buying power.
- Bremerton, WA: price level 105.6 (pricier)
- Phoenix, AZ: price level 103.3 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Bremerton, WA | Phoenix, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.6 | 103.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,831 in Phoenix | $102,217 in Bremerton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,548/mo | $1,583/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $76,889 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (WA) | $2,291 (AZ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $63,200 | $51,380 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Seattle-Tacoma, WA | Phoenix-Mesa, AZ |
Rent areas: Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA MSA and Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ MSA. Metro areas: Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA and Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Bremerton | Phoenix |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 129.6 | 121.2 |
| Goods | 105.0 | 95.0 |
| Utilities | 92.0 | 93.3 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 104.0 |
| Overall | 105.6 | 103.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Bremerton, WA → Phoenix, AZ
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.2%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$2,291/yr.
76 Strong offer
Phoenix, AZ → Bremerton, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.2%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$2,291/yr.
62 Fair offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Bremerton, WA is in the Seattle-Tacoma, WA pay area; Phoenix, AZ is in Phoenix-Mesa, AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from Bremerton, WA to Phoenix, AZ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Bremerton, WA | Phoenix, AZ | Real change, Bremerton → Phoenix |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,373 | $64,564 | −4.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,935 | $78,117 | −4.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,602 | $93,629 | −4.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $119,630 | $111,338 | −4.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,367 | $131,568 | −4.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Bremerton, WA | Phoenix, AZ | Phoenix pay in Bremerton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | not published | $130,360 | — |
| Software Developers | $146,200 | $131,750 | $134,672 (−7.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $88,250 | $80,820 | $82,612 (−6.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $107,220 | $100,830 | $103,066 (−3.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.