City comparison
Anchorage, AK vs Salem, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Anchorage, AK are 1.7% higher than in Salem, OR. Someone earning $100,000 in Salem, OR would need about $101,700 in Anchorage, AK to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,243 a month in Anchorage, AK and $1,201 in Salem, OR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $7,920 a year higher in Salem, 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 Salem, OR ($120,348 → $114,684), while prices change by −1.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.1% in real buying power.
- Anchorage, AK: price level 105.4 (pricier)
- Salem, OR: price level 103.6 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Anchorage, AK | Salem, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.4 | 103.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,320 in Salem | $101,709 in Anchorage |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,243/mo | $1,201/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% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,200 | $55,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | State of Alaska | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Anchorage, AK HUD Metro FMR Area and Salem, OR MSA. Metro areas: Anchorage, AK and Salem, OR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Anchorage | Salem |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 109.9 | 110.3 |
| Goods | 107.3 | 105.3 |
| Utilities | 111.8 | 104.7 |
| Other services | 103.3 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 105.4 | 103.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Anchorage, AK → Salem, OR
Roughly even
Buying power +1.7%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$7,920/yr.
74 Strong offer
Salem, OR → Anchorage, AK
Roughly even
Buying power −1.7%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$7,920/yr.
64 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Anchorage, AK is in the State of Alaska pay area; Salem, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Anchorage, AK to Salem, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Anchorage, AK | Salem, OR | Real change, Anchorage → Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,789 | $66,505 | −3.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,439 | $80,465 | −3.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,206 | $96,443 | −3.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,348 | $114,684 | −3.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,216 | $135,522 | −3.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Anchorage, AK | Salem, OR | Salem pay in Anchorage dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,270 | $74,810 | $76,088 (−4.0%) |
| Software Developers | $104,030 | $131,620 | $133,869 (+28.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,150 | $87,480 | $88,975 (+8.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $115,290 | $131,750 | $134,001 (+16.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.