City comparison
Anchorage, AK vs Riverside, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Anchorage, AK (105.4) and Riverside, CA (106.4, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Anchorage, AK goes as far as $101,000 in Riverside, CA.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,777 a month in Riverside, CA versus $1,243 in Anchorage, AK. On $100,000, that's 29% of take-home pay in Riverside, CA and 19% in Anchorage, AK.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,070 a year higher in Riverside, CA than in Anchorage, AK.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +3.1% moving from Anchorage, AK to Riverside, CA ($120,348 → $124,085), while prices change by +1.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.1% in real buying power.
- Anchorage, AK: price level 105.4 (pricier)
- Riverside, CA: price level 106.4 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Anchorage, AK | Riverside, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.4 | 106.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,969 in Riverside | $99,040 in Anchorage |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,243/mo | $1,777/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (AK) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 29% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,200 | $48,400 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | State of Alaska | Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA |
Rent areas: Anchorage, AK HUD Metro FMR Area and Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA MSA. Metro areas: Anchorage, AK and Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Anchorage | Riverside |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 109.9 | 129.3 |
| Goods | 107.3 | 101.4 |
| Utilities | 111.8 | 148.6 |
| Other services | 103.3 | 101.3 |
| Overall | 105.4 | 106.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Anchorage, AK → Riverside, CA
Roughly even
Buying power −1.0%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax +$5,070/yr.
60 Fair offer
Riverside, CA → Anchorage, AK
Roughly even
Buying power +1.0%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$5,070/yr.
72 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Anchorage, AK is in the State of Alaska pay area; Riverside, CA is in Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Anchorage, AK to Riverside, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Anchorage, AK | Riverside, CA | Real change, Anchorage → Riverside |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,789 | $71,957 | +2.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,439 | $87,061 | +2.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,206 | $104,349 | +2.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,348 | $124,085 | +2.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,216 | $146,632 | +2.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Anchorage, AK | Riverside, CA | Riverside pay in Anchorage dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,270 | $98,520 | $97,574 (+23.1%) |
| Software Developers | $104,030 | $133,270 | $131,990 (+26.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,150 | $83,920 | $83,114 (+1.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $115,290 | $133,940 | $132,654 (+15.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.