City comparison
Anchorage, AK vs Grand Rapids, MI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Anchorage, AK are 10.3% higher than in Grand Rapids, MI. Someone earning $100,000 in Grand Rapids, MI would need about $110,300 in Anchorage, AK to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,243 a month in Anchorage, AK and $1,278 in Grand Rapids, MI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,999 a year higher in Grand Rapids, MI than in Anchorage, AK.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −11.6% moving from Anchorage, AK to Grand Rapids, MI ($120,348 → $106,437), while prices change by −9.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.4% in real buying power.
- Anchorage, AK: price level 105.4 (pricier)
- Grand Rapids, MI: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Anchorage, AK | Grand Rapids, MI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.4 | 95.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $90,634 in Grand Rapids | $110,334 in Anchorage |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,243/mo | $1,278/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,181 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (AK) | $3,999 (MI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,200 | $47,570 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | State of Alaska | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Anchorage, AK HUD Metro FMR Area and Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Anchorage, AK and Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Anchorage | Grand Rapids |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 109.9 | 86.6 |
| Goods | 107.3 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 111.8 | 93.8 |
| Other services | 103.3 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 105.4 | 95.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Anchorage, AK → Grand Rapids, MI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.3%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$3,999/yr.
100 Strong offer
Grand Rapids, MI → Anchorage, AK
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.4%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$3,999/yr.
39 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Anchorage, AK is in the State of Alaska pay area; Grand Rapids, MI is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Anchorage, AK to Grand Rapids, MI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Anchorage, AK | Grand Rapids, MI | Real change, Anchorage → Grand Rapids |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,789 | $61,722 | −2.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,439 | $74,678 | −2.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,206 | $89,508 | −2.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,348 | $106,437 | −2.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,216 | $125,776 | −2.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Anchorage, AK | Grand Rapids, MI | Grand Rapids pay in Anchorage dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,270 | $61,900 | $68,297 (−13.8%) |
| Software Developers | $104,030 | $107,520 | $118,631 (+14.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,150 | $76,270 | $84,152 (+2.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $115,290 | $83,920 | $92,593 (−19.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.