City comparison
Bremerton, WA vs Portland, ME
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Bremerton, WA are 3.7% higher than in Portland, ME. Someone earning $100,000 in Portland, ME would need about $103,700 in Bremerton, WA to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,658 a month in Portland, ME versus $1,548 in Bremerton, WA. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Portland, ME and 23% in Bremerton, WA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,654 a year higher in Portland, ME than in Bremerton, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.8% moving from Bremerton, WA to Portland, ME ($119,630 → $120,548), while prices change by −3.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.5% in real buying power.
- Bremerton, WA: price level 105.6 (pricier)
- Portland, ME: price level 101.9 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Bremerton, WA | Portland, ME | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.6 | 101.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,450 in Portland | $103,681 in Bremerton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,548/mo | $1,658/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $73,526 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (WA) | $5,654 (ME) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 27% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $63,200 | $56,960 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Seattle-Tacoma, WA | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA MSA and Portland, ME HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA and Portland-South Portland, ME.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Bremerton | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 129.6 | 105.2 |
| Goods | 105.0 | 97.2 |
| Utilities | 92.0 | 134.6 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 103.2 |
| Overall | 105.6 | 101.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Bremerton, WA → Portland, ME
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.7%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$5,654/yr.
77 Strong offer
Portland, ME → Bremerton, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.5%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$5,654/yr.
58 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Bremerton, WA is in the Seattle-Tacoma, WA pay area; Portland, ME is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Bremerton, WA to Portland, ME at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Bremerton, WA | Portland, ME | Real change, Bremerton → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,373 | $69,905 | +4.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,935 | $84,579 | +4.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,602 | $101,375 | +4.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $119,630 | $120,548 | +4.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,367 | $142,452 | +4.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Bremerton, WA | Portland, ME | Portland pay in Bremerton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $102,650 | $76,770 | $79,596 (−22.5%) |
| Software Developers | $146,200 | $128,710 | $133,447 (−8.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $88,250 | $79,790 | $82,727 (−6.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $107,220 | $88,470 | $91,726 (−14.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.