City comparison
Anchorage, AK vs Reading, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Anchorage, AK are 8.6% higher than in Reading, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Reading, PA would need about $108,600 in Anchorage, AK to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,243 a month in Anchorage, AK and $1,237 in Reading, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,070 a year higher in Reading, PA than in Anchorage, AK.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.5% moving from Anchorage, AK to Reading, PA ($120,348 → $117,284), while prices change by −7.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.8% in real buying power.
- Anchorage, AK: price level 105.4 (pricier)
- Reading, PA: price level 97.1 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Anchorage, AK | Reading, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.4 | 97.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,070 in Reading | $108,613 in Anchorage |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,243/mo | $1,237/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (AK) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,200 | $49,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | State of Alaska | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD |
Rent areas: Anchorage, AK HUD Metro FMR Area and Reading, PA MSA. Metro areas: Anchorage, AK and Reading, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Anchorage | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 109.9 | 85.4 |
| Goods | 107.3 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 111.8 | 108.2 |
| Other services | 103.3 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 105.4 | 97.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Anchorage, AK → Reading, PA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.6%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$3,070/yr.
96 Strong offer
Reading, PA → Anchorage, AK
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.9%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$3,070/yr.
44 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Anchorage, AK is in the State of Alaska pay area; Reading, PA is in Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD. The last column shows what a transfer from Anchorage, AK to Reading, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Anchorage, AK | Reading, PA | Real change, Anchorage → Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,789 | $68,013 | +5.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,439 | $82,289 | +5.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,206 | $98,630 | +5.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,348 | $117,284 | +5.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,216 | $138,595 | +5.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Anchorage, AK | Reading, PA | Reading pay in Anchorage dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,270 | $79,860 | $86,739 (+9.4%) |
| Software Developers | $104,030 | $120,920 | $131,335 (+26.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,150 | $75,550 | $82,057 (−0.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $115,290 | $98,470 | $106,951 (−7.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.