City comparison
Anchorage, AK vs Wilmington, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Anchorage, AK are 9.3% higher than in Wilmington, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Wilmington, NC would need about $109,300 in Anchorage, AK to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,513 a month in Wilmington, NC versus $1,243 in Anchorage, AK. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Wilmington, NC and 19% in Anchorage, AK.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,481 a year higher in Wilmington, NC than in Anchorage, AK.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −11.6% moving from Anchorage, AK to Wilmington, NC ($120,348 → $106,437), while prices change by −8.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.3% in real buying power.
- Anchorage, AK: price level 105.4 (pricier)
- Wilmington, NC: price level 96.4 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Anchorage, AK | Wilmington, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.4 | 96.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,465 in Wilmington | $109,332 in Anchorage |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,243/mo | $1,513/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (AK) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,200 | $45,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | State of Alaska | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Anchorage, AK HUD Metro FMR Area and Wilmington, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Anchorage, AK and Wilmington, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Anchorage | Wilmington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 109.9 | 93.2 |
| Goods | 107.3 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 111.8 | 87.9 |
| Other services | 103.3 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 105.4 | 96.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Anchorage, AK → Wilmington, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.3%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$3,481/yr.
98 Strong offer
Wilmington, NC → Anchorage, AK
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.5%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$3,481/yr.
42 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Anchorage, AK is in the State of Alaska pay area; Wilmington, NC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Anchorage, AK to Wilmington, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Anchorage, AK | Wilmington, NC | Real change, Anchorage → Wilmington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,789 | $61,722 | −3.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,439 | $74,678 | −3.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,206 | $89,508 | −3.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,348 | $106,437 | −3.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,216 | $125,776 | −3.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Anchorage, AK | Wilmington, NC | Wilmington pay in Anchorage dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,270 | $48,240 | $52,742 (−33.5%) |
| Software Developers | $104,030 | $123,730 | $135,276 (+30.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,150 | $77,920 | $85,191 (+3.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $115,290 | $80,970 | $88,526 (−23.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.