City comparison
Anchorage, AK vs Merced, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Anchorage, AK are 7.3% higher than in Merced, CA. Someone earning $100,000 in Merced, CA would need about $107,300 in Anchorage, AK to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,243 a month in Anchorage, AK and $1,213 in Merced, CA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,070 a year higher in Merced, CA than in Anchorage, AK.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +10.6% moving from Anchorage, AK to Merced, CA ($120,348 → $133,060), while prices change by −6.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +18.6% in real buying power.
- Anchorage, AK: price level 105.4 (pricier)
- Merced, CA: price level 98.3 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Anchorage, AK | Merced, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.4 | 98.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,222 in Merced | $107,270 in Anchorage |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,243/mo | $1,213/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% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,200 | $47,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | State of Alaska | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA |
Rent areas: Anchorage, AK HUD Metro FMR Area and Merced, CA MSA. Metro areas: Anchorage, AK and Merced, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Anchorage | Merced |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 109.9 | 78.6 |
| Goods | 107.3 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 111.8 | 158.3 |
| Other services | 103.3 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 105.4 | 98.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Anchorage, AK → Merced, CA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.3%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$5,070/yr.
91 Strong offer
Merced, CA → Anchorage, AK
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.8%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$5,070/yr.
48 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Anchorage, AK is in the State of Alaska pay area; Merced, CA is in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Anchorage, AK to Merced, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Anchorage, AK | Merced, CA | Real change, Anchorage → Merced |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,789 | $77,161 | +18.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,439 | $93,358 | +18.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,206 | $111,896 | +18.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,348 | $133,060 | +18.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,216 | $157,236 | +18.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Anchorage, AK | Merced, CA | Merced pay in Anchorage dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,270 | $100,120 | $107,399 (+35.5%) |
| Software Developers | $104,030 | $132,120 | $141,726 (+36.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,150 | $80,420 | $86,267 (+5.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $115,290 | $131,620 | $141,189 (+22.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.