City comparison
Anchorage, AK vs Milwaukee, WI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Anchorage, AK are 8.8% higher than in Milwaukee, WI. Someone earning $100,000 in Milwaukee, WI would need about $108,800 in Anchorage, AK to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,243 a month in Anchorage, AK versus $1,119 in Milwaukee, WI. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Anchorage, AK and 18% in Milwaukee, WI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,919 a year higher in Milwaukee, WI than in Anchorage, AK.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −7.5% moving from Anchorage, AK to Milwaukee, WI ($120,348 → $111,310), while prices change by −8.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.6% in real buying power.
- Anchorage, AK: price level 105.4 (pricier)
- Milwaukee, WI: price level 96.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Anchorage, AK | Milwaukee, WI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.4 | 96.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,953 in Milwaukee | $108,751 in Anchorage |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,243/mo | $1,119/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,261 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (AK) | $3,919 (WI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,200 | $51,160 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | State of Alaska | Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI |
Rent areas: Anchorage, AK HUD Metro FMR Area and Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI MSA. Metro areas: Anchorage, AK and Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Anchorage | Milwaukee |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 109.9 | 97.1 |
| Goods | 107.3 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 111.8 | 91.6 |
| Other services | 103.3 | 99.4 |
| Overall | 105.4 | 96.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Anchorage, AK → Milwaukee, WI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.8%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$3,919/yr.
96 Strong offer
Milwaukee, WI → Anchorage, AK
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.0%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$3,919/yr.
44 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Anchorage, AK is in the State of Alaska pay area; Milwaukee, WI is in Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Anchorage, AK to Milwaukee, WI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Anchorage, AK | Milwaukee, WI | Real change, Anchorage → Milwaukee |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,789 | $64,548 | +0.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,439 | $78,098 | +0.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,206 | $93,606 | +0.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,348 | $111,310 | +0.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,216 | $131,535 | +0.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Anchorage, AK | Milwaukee, WI | Milwaukee pay in Anchorage dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,270 | $61,480 | $66,860 (−15.7%) |
| Software Developers | $104,030 | $123,730 | $134,558 (+29.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,150 | $80,290 | $87,316 (+6.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $115,290 | $97,360 | $105,880 (−8.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.