City comparison
Anchorage, AK vs Cincinnati, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Anchorage, AK are 10.5% higher than in Cincinnati, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Cincinnati, OH would need about $110,500 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 $1,051 in Cincinnati, OH. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Anchorage, AK and 16% in Cincinnati, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,968 a year higher in Cincinnati, OH than in Anchorage, AK.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −7.9% moving from Anchorage, AK to Cincinnati, OH ($120,348 → $110,865), while prices change by −9.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.8% in real buying power.
- Anchorage, AK: price level 105.4 (pricier)
- Cincinnati, OH: price level 95.4 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Anchorage, AK | Cincinnati, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.4 | 95.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $90,467 in Cincinnati | $110,538 in Anchorage |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,243/mo | $1,051/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% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,200 | $50,170 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | State of Alaska | Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN |
Rent areas: Anchorage, AK HUD Metro FMR Area and Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Anchorage, AK and Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Anchorage | Cincinnati |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 109.9 | 87.6 |
| Goods | 107.3 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 111.8 | 91.0 |
| Other services | 103.3 | 99.0 |
| Overall | 105.4 | 95.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Anchorage, AK → Cincinnati, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.5%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$1,968/yr.
100 Strong offer
Cincinnati, OH → Anchorage, AK
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.5%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$1,968/yr.
39 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Anchorage, AK is in the State of Alaska pay area; Cincinnati, OH is in Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN. The last column shows what a transfer from Anchorage, AK to Cincinnati, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Anchorage, AK | Cincinnati, OH | Real change, Anchorage → Cincinnati |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,789 | $64,290 | +1.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,439 | $77,785 | +1.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,206 | $93,231 | +1.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,348 | $110,865 | +1.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,216 | $131,009 | +1.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Anchorage, AK | Cincinnati, OH | Cincinnati pay in Anchorage dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,270 | $64,740 | $71,562 (−9.7%) |
| Software Developers | $104,030 | $121,420 | $134,215 (+29.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,150 | $80,640 | $89,138 (+8.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $115,290 | $83,650 | $92,465 (−19.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.