City comparison
Anchorage, AK vs Kennewick, WA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Anchorage, AK are 5.3% higher than in Kennewick, WA. Someone earning $100,000 in Kennewick, WA would need about $105,300 in Anchorage, AK to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,243 a month in Anchorage, AK and $1,268 in Kennewick, WA.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $0 a year in AK and $0 in WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −11.6% moving from Anchorage, AK to Kennewick, WA ($120,348 → $106,437), while prices change by −5.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −6.8% in real buying power.
- Anchorage, AK: price level 105.4 (pricier)
- Kennewick, WA: price level 100.1 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Anchorage, AK | Kennewick, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.4 | 100.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,934 in Kennewick | $105,337 in Anchorage |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,243/mo | $1,268/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (AK) | $0 (WA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,200 | $57,290 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | State of Alaska | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Anchorage, AK HUD Metro FMR Area and Kennewick-Richland, WA MSA. Metro areas: Anchorage, AK and Kennewick-Richland, WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Anchorage | Kennewick |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 109.9 | 94.8 |
| Goods | 107.3 | 105.0 |
| Utilities | 111.8 | 93.6 |
| Other services | 103.3 | 99.5 |
| Overall | 105.4 | 100.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Anchorage, AK → Kennewick, WA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.3%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
85 Strong offer
Kennewick, WA → Anchorage, AK
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.1%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
53 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Anchorage, AK is in the State of Alaska pay area; Kennewick, WA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Anchorage, AK to Kennewick, WA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Anchorage, AK | Kennewick, WA | Real change, Anchorage → Kennewick |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,789 | $61,722 | −6.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,439 | $74,678 | −6.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,206 | $89,508 | −6.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,348 | $106,437 | −6.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,216 | $125,776 | −6.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Anchorage, AK | Kennewick, WA | Kennewick pay in Anchorage dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,270 | $100,380 | $105,737 (+33.4%) |
| Software Developers | $104,030 | $127,800 | $134,620 (+29.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,150 | $93,280 | $98,258 (+19.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $115,290 | $106,410 | $112,089 (−2.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.