City comparison
Anchorage, AK vs Richmond, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Anchorage, AK are 7.7% higher than in Richmond, VA. Someone earning $100,000 in Richmond, VA would need about $107,700 in Anchorage, AK to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,507 a month in Richmond, VA versus $1,243 in Anchorage, AK. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Richmond, VA and 19% in Anchorage, AK.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,936 a year higher in Richmond, VA than in Anchorage, AK.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −7.6% moving from Anchorage, AK to Richmond, VA ($120,348 → $111,183), while prices change by −7.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.5% in real buying power.
- Anchorage, AK: price level 105.4 (pricier)
- Richmond, VA: price level 97.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Anchorage, AK | Richmond, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.4 | 97.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,827 in Richmond | $107,728 in Anchorage |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,243/mo | $1,507/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,244 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (AK) | $4,936 (VA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,200 | $51,460 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | State of Alaska | Richmond, VA |
Rent areas: Anchorage, AK HUD Metro FMR Area and Richmond, VA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Anchorage, AK and Richmond, VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Anchorage | Richmond |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 109.9 | 99.1 |
| Goods | 107.3 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 111.8 | 89.2 |
| Other services | 103.3 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 105.4 | 97.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Anchorage, AK → Richmond, VA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.7%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$4,936/yr.
93 Strong offer
Richmond, VA → Anchorage, AK
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.2%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$4,936/yr.
46 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Anchorage, AK is in the State of Alaska pay area; Richmond, VA is in Richmond, VA. The last column shows what a transfer from Anchorage, AK to Richmond, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Anchorage, AK | Richmond, VA | Real change, Anchorage → Richmond |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,789 | $64,475 | −0.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,439 | $78,009 | −0.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,206 | $93,499 | −0.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,348 | $111,183 | −0.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,216 | $131,385 | −0.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Anchorage, AK | Richmond, VA | Richmond pay in Anchorage dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,270 | $61,290 | $66,026 (−16.7%) |
| Software Developers | $104,030 | $132,120 | $142,330 (+36.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,150 | $84,220 | $90,728 (+10.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $115,290 | $93,580 | $100,811 (−12.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.