City comparison
Anchorage, AK vs Springfield, MO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Anchorage, AK are 19.0% higher than in Springfield, MO. Someone earning $100,000 in Springfield, MO would need about $119,000 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 $883 in Springfield, MO. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Anchorage, AK and 14% in Springfield, MO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,763 a year higher in Springfield, MO than in Anchorage, AK.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −11.6% moving from Anchorage, AK to Springfield, MO ($120,348 → $106,437), while prices change by −16.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.2% in real buying power.
- Anchorage, AK: price level 105.4 (pricier)
- Springfield, MO: price level 88.6 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Anchorage, AK | Springfield, MO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.4 | 88.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $84,031 in Springfield | $119,004 in Anchorage |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,243/mo | $883/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,417 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (AK) | $3,763 (MO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,200 | $45,780 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | State of Alaska | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Anchorage, AK HUD Metro FMR Area and Springfield, MO HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Anchorage, AK and Springfield, MO.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Anchorage | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 109.9 | 65.6 |
| Goods | 107.3 | 94.2 |
| Utilities | 111.8 | 85.8 |
| Other services | 103.3 | 93.0 |
| Overall | 105.4 | 88.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Anchorage, AK → Springfield, MO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +19.0%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$3,763/yr.
100 Strong offer
Springfield, MO → Anchorage, AK
Same pay buys less
Buying power −16.0%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$3,763/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Anchorage, AK is in the State of Alaska pay area; Springfield, MO is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Anchorage, AK to Springfield, MO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Anchorage, AK | Springfield, MO | Real change, Anchorage → Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,789 | $61,722 | +5.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,439 | $74,678 | +5.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,206 | $89,508 | +5.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,348 | $106,437 | +5.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,216 | $125,776 | +5.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Anchorage, AK | Springfield, MO | Springfield pay in Anchorage dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,270 | $49,380 | $58,764 (−25.9%) |
| Software Developers | $104,030 | $102,350 | $121,801 (+17.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,150 | $73,020 | $86,897 (+5.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $115,290 | $79,370 | $94,454 (−18.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.