City comparison
Anchorage, AK vs Rochester, NY
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 Rochester, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Rochester, NY 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 $1,256 in Rochester, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,860 a year higher in Rochester, NY than in Anchorage, AK.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −10.9% moving from Anchorage, AK to Rochester, NY ($120,348 → $107,182), while prices change by −8.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.2% in real buying power.
- Anchorage, AK: price level 105.4 (pricier)
- Rochester, NY: price level 97.0 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Anchorage, AK | Rochester, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.4 | 97.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,046 in Rochester | $108,641 in Anchorage |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,243/mo | $1,256/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (AK) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,200 | $51,210 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | State of Alaska | Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY |
Rent areas: Anchorage, AK HUD Metro FMR Area and Rochester, NY MSA. Metro areas: Anchorage, AK and Rochester, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Anchorage | Rochester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 109.9 | 87.5 |
| Goods | 107.3 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 111.8 | 133.2 |
| Other services | 103.3 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 105.4 | 97.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Anchorage, AK → Rochester, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.6%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$4,860/yr.
96 Strong offer
Rochester, NY → Anchorage, AK
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.0%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$4,860/yr.
44 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Anchorage, AK is in the State of Alaska pay area; Rochester, NY is in Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY. The last column shows what a transfer from Anchorage, AK to Rochester, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Anchorage, AK | Rochester, NY | Real change, Anchorage → Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,789 | $62,155 | −3.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,439 | $75,202 | −3.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,206 | $90,135 | −3.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,348 | $107,182 | −3.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,216 | $126,657 | −3.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Anchorage, AK | Rochester, NY | Rochester pay in Anchorage dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,270 | $62,840 | $68,270 (−13.9%) |
| Software Developers | $104,030 | $122,770 | $133,379 (+28.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,150 | $80,890 | $87,880 (+7.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $115,290 | $86,570 | $94,051 (−18.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.