City comparison
Anchorage, AK vs Portland, ME
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Anchorage, AK are 3.5% higher than in Portland, ME. Someone earning $100,000 in Portland, ME would need about $103,500 in Anchorage, AK to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,658 a month in Portland, ME versus $1,243 in Anchorage, AK. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Portland, ME and 19% in Anchorage, AK.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,654 a year higher in Portland, ME than in Anchorage, AK.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.2% moving from Anchorage, AK to Portland, ME ($120,348 → $120,548), while prices change by −3.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.7% in real buying power.
- Anchorage, AK: price level 105.4 (pricier)
- Portland, ME: price level 101.9 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Anchorage, AK | Portland, ME | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.4 | 101.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,621 in Portland | $103,497 in Anchorage |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,243/mo | $1,658/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $73,526 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (AK) | $5,654 (ME) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 27% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,200 | $56,960 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | State of Alaska | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Anchorage, AK HUD Metro FMR Area and Portland, ME HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Anchorage, AK and Portland-South Portland, ME.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Anchorage | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 109.9 | 105.2 |
| Goods | 107.3 | 97.2 |
| Utilities | 111.8 | 134.6 |
| Other services | 103.3 | 103.2 |
| Overall | 105.4 | 101.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Anchorage, AK → Portland, ME
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.5%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$5,654/yr.
77 Strong offer
Portland, ME → Anchorage, AK
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.4%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$5,654/yr.
58 Fair offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Anchorage, AK is in the State of Alaska pay area; Portland, ME is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Anchorage, AK to Portland, ME at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Anchorage, AK | Portland, ME | Real change, Anchorage → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,789 | $69,905 | +3.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,439 | $84,579 | +3.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,206 | $101,375 | +3.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,348 | $120,548 | +3.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,216 | $142,452 | +3.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Anchorage, AK | Portland, ME | Portland pay in Anchorage dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $121,710 | $103,440 | $107,057 (−12.0%) |
| Software Developers | $104,030 | $128,710 | $133,211 (+28.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,150 | $79,790 | $82,580 (+0.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $115,290 | $88,470 | $91,564 (−20.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.