City comparison
Anchorage, AK vs Youngstown, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Anchorage, AK are 20.6% higher than in Youngstown, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Youngstown, OH would need about $120,600 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 $771 in Youngstown, OH. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Anchorage, AK and 12% in Youngstown, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,968 a year higher in Youngstown, OH than in Anchorage, AK.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −7.7% moving from Anchorage, AK to Youngstown, OH ($120,348 → $111,138), while prices change by −17.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +11.4% in real buying power.
- Anchorage, AK: price level 105.4 (pricier)
- Youngstown, OH: price level 87.4 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Anchorage, AK | Youngstown, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.4 | 87.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $82,901 in Youngstown | $120,626 in Anchorage |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,243/mo | $771/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% | 12% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,200 | $43,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | State of Alaska | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA |
Rent areas: Anchorage, AK HUD Metro FMR Area and Youngstown-Warren, OH MSA. Metro areas: Anchorage, AK and Youngstown-Warren, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Anchorage | Youngstown |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 109.9 | 53.4 |
| Goods | 107.3 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 111.8 | 96.3 |
| Other services | 103.3 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 105.4 | 87.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Anchorage, AK → Youngstown, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +20.6%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax +$1,968/yr.
100 Strong offer
Youngstown, OH → Anchorage, AK
Same pay buys less
Buying power −17.1%; 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; Youngstown, OH is in Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Anchorage, AK to Youngstown, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Anchorage, AK | Youngstown, OH | Real change, Anchorage → Youngstown |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,789 | $64,448 | +11.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,439 | $77,977 | +11.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,206 | $93,461 | +11.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,348 | $111,138 | +11.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,216 | $131,331 | +11.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Anchorage, AK | Youngstown, OH | Youngstown pay in Anchorage dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,270 | $72,560 | $87,526 (+10.4%) |
| Software Developers | $104,030 | $107,990 | $130,264 (+25.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,150 | $73,080 | $88,154 (+7.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $115,290 | $78,680 | $94,909 (−17.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.