City comparison
Anchorage, AK vs Bakersfield, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Anchorage, AK are 4.5% higher than in Bakersfield, CA. Someone earning $100,000 in Bakersfield, CA would need about $104,500 in Anchorage, AK to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,243 a month in Anchorage, AK versus $1,140 in Bakersfield, CA. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Anchorage, AK and 18% in Bakersfield, CA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,070 a year higher in Bakersfield, CA than in Anchorage, AK.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +3.1% moving from Anchorage, AK to Bakersfield, CA ($120,348 → $124,085), while prices change by −4.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +7.7% in real buying power.
- Anchorage, AK: price level 105.4 (pricier)
- Bakersfield, CA: price level 100.9 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Anchorage, AK | Bakersfield, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.4 | 100.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,699 in Bakersfield | $104,494 in Anchorage |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,243/mo | $1,140/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (AK) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,200 | $47,470 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | State of Alaska | Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA |
Rent areas: Anchorage, AK HUD Metro FMR Area and Bakersfield-Delano, CA MSA. Metro areas: Anchorage, AK and Bakersfield-Delano, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Anchorage | Bakersfield |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 109.9 | 90.3 |
| Goods | 107.3 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 111.8 | 158.3 |
| Other services | 103.3 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 105.4 | 100.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Anchorage, AK → Bakersfield, CA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.5%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$5,070/yr.
83 Strong offer
Bakersfield, CA → Anchorage, AK
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.3%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$5,070/yr.
55 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Anchorage, AK is in the State of Alaska pay area; Bakersfield, CA is in Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Anchorage, AK to Bakersfield, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Anchorage, AK | Bakersfield, CA | Real change, Anchorage → Bakersfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,789 | $71,957 | +7.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,439 | $87,061 | +7.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,206 | $104,349 | +7.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,348 | $124,085 | +7.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,216 | $146,632 | +7.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Anchorage, AK | Bakersfield, CA | Bakersfield pay in Anchorage dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,270 | $79,900 | $83,491 (+5.3%) |
| Software Developers | $104,030 | $130,330 | $136,187 (+30.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,150 | $79,620 | $83,198 (+1.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $115,290 | $128,810 | $134,599 (+16.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.