City comparison
Anchorage, AK vs Lancaster, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Anchorage, AK are 7.3% higher than in Lancaster, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Lancaster, PA would need about $107,300 in Anchorage, AK to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,243 a month in Anchorage, AK and $1,220 in Lancaster, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,070 a year higher in Lancaster, PA than in Anchorage, AK.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −9.8% moving from Anchorage, AK to Lancaster, PA ($120,348 → $108,592), while prices change by −6.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.2% in real buying power.
- Anchorage, AK: price level 105.4 (pricier)
- Lancaster, PA: price level 98.3 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Anchorage, AK | Lancaster, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.4 | 98.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,205 in Lancaster | $107,290 in Anchorage |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,243/mo | $1,220/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (AK) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,200 | $48,210 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | State of Alaska | Harrisburg-Lebanon, PA |
Rent areas: Anchorage, AK HUD Metro FMR Area and Lancaster, PA MSA. Metro areas: Anchorage, AK and Lancaster, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Anchorage | Lancaster |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 109.9 | 93.8 |
| Goods | 107.3 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 111.8 | 107.3 |
| Other services | 103.3 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 105.4 | 98.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Anchorage, AK → Lancaster, PA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.3%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$3,070/yr.
92 Strong offer
Lancaster, PA → Anchorage, AK
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.8%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$3,070/yr.
48 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Anchorage, AK is in the State of Alaska pay area; Lancaster, PA is in Harrisburg-Lebanon, PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Anchorage, AK to Lancaster, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Anchorage, AK | Lancaster, PA | Real change, Anchorage → Lancaster |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,789 | $62,972 | −3.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,439 | $76,190 | −3.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,206 | $91,320 | −3.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,348 | $108,592 | −3.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,216 | $128,323 | −3.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Anchorage, AK | Lancaster, PA | Lancaster pay in Anchorage dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,270 | $78,360 | $84,072 (+6.1%) |
| Software Developers | $104,030 | $104,740 | $112,376 (+8.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,150 | $76,110 | $81,658 (−0.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $115,290 | $89,620 | $96,153 (−16.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.