City comparison
Anchorage, AK vs Spartanburg, SC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Anchorage, AK are 15.8% higher than in Spartanburg, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Spartanburg, SC would need about $115,800 in Anchorage, AK to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,243 a month in Anchorage, AK versus $1,083 in Spartanburg, SC. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Anchorage, AK and 17% in Spartanburg, SC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,843 a year higher in Spartanburg, SC than in Anchorage, AK.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −11.6% moving from Anchorage, AK to Spartanburg, SC ($120,348 → $106,437), while prices change by −13.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.4% in real buying power.
- Anchorage, AK: price level 105.4 (pricier)
- Spartanburg, SC: price level 91.1 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Anchorage, AK | Spartanburg, SC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.4 | 91.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $86,370 in Spartanburg | $115,781 in Anchorage |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,243/mo | $1,083/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,337 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (AK) | $4,843 (SC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,200 | $47,650 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | State of Alaska | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Anchorage, AK HUD Metro FMR Area and Spartanburg, SC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Anchorage, AK and Spartanburg, SC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Anchorage | Spartanburg |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 109.9 | 68.0 |
| Goods | 107.3 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 111.8 | 88.3 |
| Other services | 103.3 | 98.3 |
| Overall | 105.4 | 91.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Anchorage, AK → Spartanburg, SC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +15.8%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$4,843/yr.
100 Strong offer
Spartanburg, SC → Anchorage, AK
Same pay buys less
Buying power −13.6%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$4,843/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Anchorage, AK is in the State of Alaska pay area; Spartanburg, SC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Anchorage, AK to Spartanburg, SC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Anchorage, AK | Spartanburg, SC | Real change, Anchorage → Spartanburg |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,789 | $61,722 | +2.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,439 | $74,678 | +2.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,206 | $89,508 | +2.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,348 | $106,437 | +2.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,216 | $125,776 | +2.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Anchorage, AK | Spartanburg, SC | Spartanburg pay in Anchorage dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,270 | $60,990 | $70,615 (−10.9%) |
| Software Developers | $104,030 | $114,460 | $132,523 (+27.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,150 | $77,080 | $89,244 (+8.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $115,290 | $82,360 | $95,357 (−17.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.