City comparison
Anchorage, AK vs Toledo, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Anchorage, AK are 15.3% higher than in Toledo, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Toledo, OH would need about $115,300 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 $820 in Toledo, OH. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Anchorage, AK and 13% in Toledo, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,968 a year higher in Toledo, OH than in Anchorage, AK.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −11.6% moving from Anchorage, AK to Toledo, OH ($120,348 → $106,437), while prices change by −13.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.9% in real buying power.
- Anchorage, AK: price level 105.4 (pricier)
- Toledo, OH: price level 91.5 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Anchorage, AK | Toledo, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.4 | 91.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $86,753 in Toledo | $115,270 in Anchorage |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,243/mo | $820/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (AK) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 13% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,200 | $48,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | State of Alaska | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Anchorage, AK HUD Metro FMR Area and Toledo, OH MSA. Metro areas: Anchorage, AK and Toledo, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Anchorage | Toledo |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 109.9 | 67.3 |
| Goods | 107.3 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 111.8 | 96.3 |
| Other services | 103.3 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 105.4 | 91.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Anchorage, AK → Toledo, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +15.3%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax +$1,968/yr.
100 Strong offer
Toledo, OH → Anchorage, AK
Same pay buys less
Buying power −13.2%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$1,968/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Anchorage, AK is in the State of Alaska pay area; Toledo, OH is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Anchorage, AK to Toledo, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Anchorage, AK | Toledo, OH | Real change, Anchorage → Toledo |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,789 | $61,722 | +1.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,439 | $74,678 | +1.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,206 | $89,508 | +1.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,348 | $106,437 | +1.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,216 | $125,776 | +1.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Anchorage, AK | Toledo, OH | Toledo pay in Anchorage dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,270 | $63,250 | $72,908 (−8.0%) |
| Software Developers | $104,030 | $104,360 | $120,296 (+15.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,150 | $77,400 | $89,219 (+8.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $115,290 | $81,050 | $93,426 (−19.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.