City comparison
Anchorage, AK vs Portland, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Anchorage, AK (105.4) and Portland, OR (105.4, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Anchorage, AK goes as far as $100,000 in Portland, OR.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,677 a month in Portland, OR versus $1,243 in Anchorage, AK. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Portland, OR and 19% in Anchorage, AK.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $7,920 a year higher in Portland, OR than in Anchorage, AK.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.7% moving from Anchorage, AK to Portland, OR ($120,348 → $114,684), while prices change by +0.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.7% in real buying power.
- Anchorage, AK: price level 105.4 (pricier)
- Portland, OR: price level 105.4 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Anchorage, AK | Portland, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.4 | 105.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,001 in Portland | $99,999 in Anchorage |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,243/mo | $1,677/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% | 28% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,200 | $60,690 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | State of Alaska | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Anchorage, AK HUD Metro FMR Area and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA MSA. Metro areas: Anchorage, AK and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Anchorage | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 109.9 | 125.1 |
| Goods | 107.3 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 111.8 | 107.0 |
| Other services | 103.3 | 100.1 |
| Overall | 105.4 | 105.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Anchorage, AK → Portland, OR
Roughly even
Buying power −0.0%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$7,920/yr.
64 Fair offer
Portland, OR → Anchorage, AK
Roughly even
Buying power +0.0%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$7,920/yr.
69 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Anchorage, AK is in the State of Alaska pay area; Portland, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Anchorage, AK to Portland, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Anchorage, AK | Portland, OR | Real change, Anchorage → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,789 | $66,505 | −4.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,439 | $80,465 | −4.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,206 | $96,443 | −4.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,348 | $114,684 | −4.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,216 | $135,522 | −4.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Anchorage, AK | Portland, OR | Portland pay in Anchorage dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,270 | $82,330 | $82,329 (+3.9%) |
| Software Developers | $104,030 | $156,000 | $155,999 (+50.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,150 | $92,200 | $92,199 (+12.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $115,290 | $130,310 | $130,309 (+13.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.