City comparison
Anchorage, AK vs Greeley, CO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Anchorage, AK are 5.2% higher than in Greeley, CO. Someone earning $100,000 in Greeley, CO would need about $105,200 in Anchorage, AK to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,243 a month in Anchorage, AK and $1,238 in Greeley, CO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,692 a year higher in Greeley, CO than in Anchorage, AK.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.4% moving from Anchorage, AK to Greeley, CO ($120,348 → $118,675), while prices change by −5.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.8% in real buying power.
- Anchorage, AK: price level 105.4 (pricier)
- Greeley, CO: price level 100.2 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Anchorage, AK | Greeley, CO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.4 | 100.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,026 in Greeley | $105,235 in Anchorage |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,243/mo | $1,238/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,488 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (AK) | $3,692 (CO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,200 | $55,070 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | State of Alaska | Denver-Aurora, CO |
Rent areas: Anchorage, AK HUD Metro FMR Area and Greeley, CO MSA. Metro areas: Anchorage, AK and Greeley, CO.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Anchorage | Greeley |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 109.9 | 112.6 |
| Goods | 107.3 | 96.1 |
| Utilities | 111.8 | 82.0 |
| Other services | 103.3 | 99.8 |
| Overall | 105.4 | 100.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Anchorage, AK → Greeley, CO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.2%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$3,692/yr.
85 Strong offer
Greeley, CO → Anchorage, AK
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.0%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$3,692/yr.
53 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Anchorage, AK is in the State of Alaska pay area; Greeley, CO is in Denver-Aurora, CO. The last column shows what a transfer from Anchorage, AK to Greeley, CO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Anchorage, AK | Greeley, CO | Real change, Anchorage → Greeley |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,789 | $68,819 | +3.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,439 | $83,265 | +3.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,206 | $99,800 | +3.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,348 | $118,675 | +3.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,216 | $140,239 | +3.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Anchorage, AK | Greeley, CO | Greeley pay in Anchorage dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,270 | $60,160 | $63,309 (−20.1%) |
| Software Developers | $104,030 | $129,480 | $136,258 (+31.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,150 | $87,240 | $91,807 (+11.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $115,290 | $96,300 | $101,341 (−12.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.