City comparison
Anchorage, AK vs Boulder, CO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Anchorage, AK (105.4) and Boulder, CO (105.2, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Anchorage, AK goes as far as $99,800 in Boulder, CO.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,795 a month in Boulder, CO versus $1,243 in Anchorage, AK. On $100,000, that's 29% of take-home pay in Boulder, CO and 19% in Anchorage, AK.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,692 a year higher in Boulder, CO than in Anchorage, AK.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.4% moving from Anchorage, AK to Boulder, CO ($120,348 → $118,675), while prices change by −0.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.2% in real buying power.
- Anchorage, AK: price level 105.4 (pricier)
- Boulder, CO: price level 105.2 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Anchorage, AK | Boulder, CO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.4 | 105.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,793 in Boulder | $100,207 in Anchorage |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,243/mo | $1,795/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,488 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (AK) | $3,692 (CO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 29% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,200 | $69,580 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | State of Alaska | Denver-Aurora, CO |
Rent areas: Anchorage, AK HUD Metro FMR Area and Boulder, CO MSA. Metro areas: Anchorage, AK and Boulder, CO.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Anchorage | Boulder |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 109.9 | 157.0 |
| Goods | 107.3 | 96.1 |
| Utilities | 111.8 | 82.7 |
| Other services | 103.3 | 99.8 |
| Overall | 105.4 | 105.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Anchorage, AK → Boulder, CO
Roughly even
Buying power +0.2%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax +$3,692/yr.
64 Fair offer
Boulder, CO → Anchorage, AK
Roughly even
Buying power −0.2%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$3,692/yr.
68 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Anchorage, AK is in the State of Alaska pay area; Boulder, CO is in Denver-Aurora, CO. The last column shows what a transfer from Anchorage, AK to Boulder, CO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Anchorage, AK | Boulder, CO | Real change, Anchorage → Boulder |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,789 | $68,819 | −1.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,439 | $83,265 | −1.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,206 | $99,800 | −1.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,348 | $118,675 | −1.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,216 | $140,239 | −1.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Anchorage, AK | Boulder, CO | Boulder pay in Anchorage dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,270 | $80,640 | $80,807 (+1.9%) |
| Software Developers | $104,030 | $164,560 | $164,901 (+58.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,150 | $99,990 | $100,197 (+22.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $115,290 | $103,290 | $103,504 (−10.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.