City comparison
Anchorage, AK vs Cleveland, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Anchorage, AK are 12.2% higher than in Cleveland, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Cleveland, OH would need about $112,200 in Anchorage, AK to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,243 a month in Anchorage, AK versus $1,058 in Cleveland, OH. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Anchorage, AK and 16% in Cleveland, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,968 a year higher in Cleveland, 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 Cleveland, OH ($120,348 → $111,138), while prices change by −10.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.7% in real buying power.
- Anchorage, AK: price level 105.4 (pricier)
- Cleveland, OH: price level 93.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Anchorage, AK | Cleveland, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.4 | 93.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $89,094 in Cleveland | $112,241 in Anchorage |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,243/mo | $1,058/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 | $50,140 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | State of Alaska | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA |
Rent areas: Anchorage, AK HUD Metro FMR Area and Cleveland, OH HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Anchorage, AK and Cleveland, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Anchorage | Cleveland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 109.9 | 79.4 |
| Goods | 107.3 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 111.8 | 96.0 |
| Other services | 103.3 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 105.4 | 93.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Anchorage, AK → Cleveland, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.2%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$1,968/yr.
100 Strong offer
Cleveland, OH → Anchorage, AK
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.9%; 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; Cleveland, OH is in Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Anchorage, AK to Cleveland, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Anchorage, AK | Cleveland, OH | Real change, Anchorage → Cleveland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,789 | $64,448 | +3.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,439 | $77,977 | +3.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,206 | $93,461 | +3.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,348 | $111,138 | +3.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,216 | $131,331 | +3.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Anchorage, AK | Cleveland, OH | Cleveland pay in Anchorage dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,270 | $76,470 | $85,831 (+8.3%) |
| Software Developers | $104,030 | $111,310 | $124,935 (+20.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,150 | $80,000 | $89,793 (+9.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $115,290 | $83,940 | $94,215 (−18.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.