City comparison
Anchorage, AK vs Lansing, MI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Anchorage, AK are 11.0% higher than in Lansing, MI. Someone earning $100,000 in Lansing, MI would need about $111,000 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 $1,012 in Lansing, MI. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Anchorage, AK and 16% in Lansing, MI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,999 a year higher in Lansing, MI than in Anchorage, AK.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.4% moving from Anchorage, AK to Lansing, MI ($120,348 → $117,402), while prices change by −9.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +8.3% in real buying power.
- Anchorage, AK: price level 105.4 (pricier)
- Lansing, MI: price level 95.0 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Anchorage, AK | Lansing, MI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.4 | 95.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $90,107 in Lansing | $110,979 in Anchorage |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,243/mo | $1,012/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,181 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (AK) | $3,999 (MI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,200 | $52,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | State of Alaska | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI |
Rent areas: Anchorage, AK HUD Metro FMR Area and Lansing-East Lansing, MI MSA. Metro areas: Anchorage, AK and Lansing-East Lansing, MI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Anchorage | Lansing |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 109.9 | 83.5 |
| Goods | 107.3 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 111.8 | 95.5 |
| Other services | 103.3 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 105.4 | 95.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Anchorage, AK → Lansing, MI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.0%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$3,999/yr.
100 Strong offer
Lansing, MI → Anchorage, AK
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.9%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$3,999/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Anchorage, AK is in the State of Alaska pay area; Lansing, MI is in Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI. The last column shows what a transfer from Anchorage, AK to Lansing, MI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Anchorage, AK | Lansing, MI | Real change, Anchorage → Lansing |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,789 | $68,081 | +8.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,439 | $82,372 | +8.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,206 | $98,729 | +8.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,348 | $117,402 | +8.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,216 | $138,734 | +8.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Anchorage, AK | Lansing, MI | Lansing pay in Anchorage dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,270 | $72,930 | $80,937 (+2.1%) |
| Software Developers | $104,030 | $97,120 | $107,783 (+3.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,150 | $79,210 | $87,906 (+7.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $115,290 | $84,320 | $93,577 (−18.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.