City comparison
Anchorage, AK vs Springfield, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Anchorage, AK are 9.7% higher than in Springfield, MA. Someone earning $100,000 in Springfield, MA would need about $109,700 in Anchorage, AK to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,382 a month in Springfield, MA versus $1,243 in Anchorage, AK. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Springfield, MA and 19% in Anchorage, AK.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,780 a year higher in Springfield, MA than in Anchorage, AK.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.2% moving from Anchorage, AK to Springfield, MA ($120,348 → $120,094), while prices change by −8.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +9.5% in real buying power.
- Anchorage, AK: price level 105.4 (pricier)
- Springfield, MA: price level 96.1 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Anchorage, AK | Springfield, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.4 | 96.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,122 in Springfield | $109,743 in Anchorage |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,243/mo | $1,382/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (AK) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,200 | $51,930 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | State of Alaska | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: Anchorage, AK HUD Metro FMR Area and Springfield, MA MSA. Metro areas: Anchorage, AK and Springfield, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Anchorage | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 109.9 | 75.8 |
| Goods | 107.3 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 111.8 | 155.0 |
| Other services | 103.3 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 105.4 | 96.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Anchorage, AK → Springfield, MA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.7%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$4,780/yr.
99 Strong offer
Springfield, MA → Anchorage, AK
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.9%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$4,780/yr.
41 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Anchorage, AK is in the State of Alaska pay area; Springfield, MA is in Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA. The last column shows what a transfer from Anchorage, AK to Springfield, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Anchorage, AK | Springfield, MA | Real change, Anchorage → Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,789 | $69,642 | +9.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,439 | $84,260 | +9.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,206 | $100,992 | +9.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,348 | $120,094 | +9.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,216 | $141,915 | +9.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Anchorage, AK | Springfield, MA | Springfield pay in Anchorage dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,270 | $79,640 | $87,399 (+10.3%) |
| Software Developers | $104,030 | $127,740 | $140,185 (+34.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,150 | $92,010 | $100,974 (+22.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $115,290 | $98,410 | $107,998 (−6.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.