City comparison
Bremerton, WA vs Trenton, NJ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Bremerton, WA are 2.4% higher than in Trenton, NJ. Someone earning $100,000 in Trenton, NJ would need about $102,400 in Bremerton, WA to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,548 a month in Bremerton, WA and $1,545 in Trenton, NJ.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,180 a year higher in Trenton, NJ than in Bremerton, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.8% moving from Bremerton, WA to Trenton, NJ ($119,630 → $125,431), while prices change by −2.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +7.3% in real buying power.
- Bremerton, WA: price level 105.6 (pricier)
- Trenton, NJ: price level 103.2 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Bremerton, WA | Trenton, NJ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.6 | 103.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,702 in Trenton | $102,352 in Bremerton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,548/mo | $1,545/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,000 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (WA) | $4,180 (NJ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $63,200 | $63,490 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Seattle-Tacoma, WA | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA MSA and Trenton-Princeton, NJ MSA. Metro areas: Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA and Trenton-Princeton, NJ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Bremerton | Trenton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 129.6 | 135.1 |
| Goods | 105.0 | 99.8 |
| Utilities | 92.0 | 112.3 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 97.9 |
| Overall | 105.6 | 103.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Bremerton, WA → Trenton, NJ
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.4%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$4,180/yr.
76 Strong offer
Trenton, NJ → Bremerton, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.3%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$4,180/yr.
62 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Bremerton, WA is in the Seattle-Tacoma, WA pay area; Trenton, NJ is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Bremerton, WA to Trenton, NJ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Bremerton, WA | Trenton, NJ | Real change, Bremerton → Trenton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,373 | $72,737 | +7.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,935 | $88,005 | +7.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,602 | $105,481 | +7.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $119,630 | $125,431 | +7.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,367 | $148,222 | +7.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Bremerton, WA | Trenton, NJ | Trenton pay in Bremerton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $102,650 | $77,850 | $79,681 (−22.4%) |
| Software Developers | $146,200 | $128,770 | $131,799 (−9.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $88,250 | $99,550 | $101,892 (+15.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $107,220 | $99,990 | $102,342 (−4.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.