City comparison
Anchorage, AK vs Ogden, UT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Anchorage, AK are 5.1% higher than in Ogden, UT. Someone earning $100,000 in Ogden, UT would need about $105,100 in Anchorage, AK to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,243 a month in Anchorage, AK and $1,281 in Ogden, UT.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,534 a year higher in Ogden, UT than in Anchorage, AK.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −11.6% moving from Anchorage, AK to Ogden, UT ($120,348 → $106,437), while prices change by −4.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −7.1% in real buying power.
- Anchorage, AK: price level 105.4 (pricier)
- Ogden, UT: price level 100.3 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Anchorage, AK | Ogden, UT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.4 | 100.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,190 in Ogden | $105,053 in Anchorage |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,243/mo | $1,281/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,646 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (AK) | $3,534 (UT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,200 | $48,900 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | State of Alaska | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Anchorage, AK HUD Metro FMR Area and Ogden, UT MSA. Metro areas: Anchorage, AK and Ogden, UT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Anchorage | Ogden |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 109.9 | 117.9 |
| Goods | 107.3 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 111.8 | 78.8 |
| Other services | 103.3 | 99.0 |
| Overall | 105.4 | 100.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Anchorage, AK → Ogden, UT
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.1%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$3,534/yr.
85 Strong offer
Ogden, UT → Anchorage, AK
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.8%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$3,534/yr.
54 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Anchorage, AK is in the State of Alaska pay area; Ogden, UT is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Anchorage, AK to Ogden, UT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Anchorage, AK | Ogden, UT | Real change, Anchorage → Ogden |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,789 | $61,722 | −7.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,439 | $74,678 | −7.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,206 | $89,508 | −7.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,348 | $106,437 | −7.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,216 | $125,776 | −7.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Anchorage, AK | Ogden, UT | Ogden pay in Anchorage dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,270 | $63,910 | $67,140 (−15.3%) |
| Software Developers | $104,030 | $109,880 | $115,433 (+11.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,150 | $82,010 | $86,154 (+4.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $115,290 | $81,840 | $85,976 (−25.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.