City comparison
Anchorage, AK vs Fresno, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Anchorage, AK are 3.2% higher than in Fresno, CA. Someone earning $100,000 in Fresno, CA would need about $103,200 in Anchorage, AK to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,355 a month in Fresno, CA versus $1,243 in Anchorage, AK. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Fresno, CA and 19% in Anchorage, AK.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,070 a year higher in Fresno, CA than in Anchorage, AK.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −11.1% moving from Anchorage, AK to Fresno, CA ($120,348 → $106,973), while prices change by −3.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −8.3% in real buying power.
- Anchorage, AK: price level 105.4 (pricier)
- Fresno, CA: price level 102.2 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Anchorage, AK | Fresno, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.4 | 102.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,906 in Fresno | $103,193 in Anchorage |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,243/mo | $1,355/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% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,200 | $46,910 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | State of Alaska | Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA |
Rent areas: Anchorage, AK HUD Metro FMR Area and Fresno, CA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Anchorage, AK and Fresno, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Anchorage | Fresno |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 109.9 | 95.7 |
| Goods | 107.3 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 111.8 | 161.0 |
| Other services | 103.3 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 105.4 | 102.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Anchorage, AK → Fresno, CA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.2%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$5,070/yr.
79 Strong offer
Fresno, CA → Anchorage, AK
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.1%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$5,070/yr.
59 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Anchorage, AK is in the State of Alaska pay area; Fresno, CA is in Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Anchorage, AK to Fresno, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Anchorage, AK | Fresno, CA | Real change, Anchorage → Fresno |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,789 | $62,033 | −8.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,439 | $75,055 | −8.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,206 | $89,959 | −8.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,348 | $106,973 | −8.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,216 | $126,410 | −8.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Anchorage, AK | Fresno, CA | Fresno pay in Anchorage dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,270 | $78,800 | $81,316 (+2.6%) |
| Software Developers | $104,030 | $129,060 | $133,181 (+28.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,150 | $78,690 | $81,203 (−1.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $115,290 | $125,420 | $129,425 (+12.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.