City comparison
Anchorage, AK vs Scranton, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Anchorage, AK are 12.7% higher than in Scranton, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Scranton, PA would need about $112,700 in Anchorage, AK to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,243 a month in Anchorage, AK versus $1,028 in Scranton, PA. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Anchorage, AK and 16% in Scranton, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,070 a year higher in Scranton, PA than in Anchorage, AK.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −11.6% moving from Anchorage, AK to Scranton, PA ($120,348 → $106,437), while prices change by −11.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.3% in real buying power.
- Anchorage, AK: price level 105.4 (pricier)
- Scranton, PA: price level 93.6 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Anchorage, AK | Scranton, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.4 | 93.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $88,746 in Scranton | $112,681 in Anchorage |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,243/mo | $1,028/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% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,200 | $46,330 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | State of Alaska | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Anchorage, AK HUD Metro FMR Area and Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA MSA. Metro areas: Anchorage, AK and Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Anchorage | Scranton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 109.9 | 67.0 |
| Goods | 107.3 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 111.8 | 106.5 |
| Other services | 103.3 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 105.4 | 93.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Anchorage, AK → Scranton, PA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.7%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$3,070/yr.
100 Strong offer
Scranton, PA → Anchorage, AK
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.3%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$3,070/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Anchorage, AK is in the State of Alaska pay area; Scranton, PA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Anchorage, AK to Scranton, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Anchorage, AK | Scranton, PA | Real change, Anchorage → Scranton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,789 | $61,722 | −0.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,439 | $74,678 | −0.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,206 | $89,508 | −0.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,348 | $106,437 | −0.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,216 | $125,776 | −0.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Anchorage, AK | Scranton, PA | Scranton pay in Anchorage dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,270 | $76,590 | $86,303 (+8.9%) |
| Software Developers | $104,030 | $119,960 | $135,172 (+29.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,150 | $70,480 | $79,418 (−3.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $115,290 | $82,650 | $93,131 (−19.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.