City comparison
Anchorage, AK vs Eugene, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Anchorage, AK are 3.8% higher than in Eugene, OR. Someone earning $100,000 in Eugene, OR would need about $103,800 in Anchorage, AK to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,243 a month in Anchorage, AK and $1,286 in Eugene, OR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $7,920 a year higher in Eugene, OR than in Anchorage, AK.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −11.6% moving from Anchorage, AK to Eugene, OR ($120,348 → $106,437), while prices change by −3.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −8.2% in real buying power.
- Anchorage, AK: price level 105.4 (pricier)
- Eugene, OR: price level 101.6 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Anchorage, AK | Eugene, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.4 | 101.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,346 in Eugene | $103,793 in Anchorage |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,243/mo | $1,286/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (AK) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,200 | $49,680 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | State of Alaska | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Anchorage, AK HUD Metro FMR Area and Eugene-Springfield, OR MSA. Metro areas: Anchorage, AK and Eugene-Springfield, OR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Anchorage | Eugene |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 109.9 | 98.3 |
| Goods | 107.3 | 105.3 |
| Utilities | 111.8 | 102.5 |
| Other services | 103.3 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 105.4 | 101.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Anchorage, AK → Eugene, OR
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.8%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$7,920/yr.
81 Strong offer
Eugene, OR → Anchorage, AK
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.7%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$7,920/yr.
57 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Anchorage, AK is in the State of Alaska pay area; Eugene, OR is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Anchorage, AK to Eugene, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Anchorage, AK | Eugene, OR | Real change, Anchorage → Eugene |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,789 | $61,722 | −8.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,439 | $74,678 | −8.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,206 | $89,508 | −8.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,348 | $106,437 | −8.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,216 | $125,776 | −8.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Anchorage, AK | Eugene, OR | Eugene pay in Anchorage dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,270 | $64,260 | $66,697 (−15.9%) |
| Software Developers | $104,030 | $121,050 | $125,641 (+20.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,150 | $79,930 | $82,961 (+1.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $115,290 | $113,720 | $118,033 (+2.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.