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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Alaska is a genuine bargain: 1 of the 1 cities in this ranking come in below the national cost-of-living average. Anchorage leads at an index of 97 with rent at just $1,660/month — 12% less than the $1,895 national median. Here are the numbers, sourced from federal data updated in 2026.
#1 Ranked: Anchorage — cost index 97, rent $1,660/mo, income $98,152
1 of 1 cities come in below the national cost-of-living average of 111
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
Alaska is a genuine bargain: 1 of the 1 cities in this ranking come in below the national cost-of-living average. Anchorage leads at an index of 97 with rent at just $1,660/month — 12% less than the $1,895 national median. Here are the numbers, sourced from federal data updated in 2026.
Here's Anchorage by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). Cost index: 97. Rent: $1,660/month — we had to double-check this one — . Income: $98,152/year. Home price: $405,601. Population: 286,075. The strongest category is Housing at 97; the most expensive is Healthcare at 99. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $2,820 per year vs. the national median. For anyone relocating from a high-cost market, this will feel like a raise.
Bottom line: Anchorage leads this ranking for clear, data-backed reasons — but the "best" city depends on your priorities. Click into any city below to see the full detail page with 12-month trend charts, profession-specific salary data, and a breakdown of all five cost categories. If you're seriously considering a move, use our salary calculator to model your specific income against these numbers.
286,075 residents · Alaska
Here's Anchorage by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). Cost index: 97. Rent: $1,660/month. Income: $98,152/year. Home price: $405,601. Population: 286,075. The strongest category is Housing at 97; the most expensive is Healthcare at 99. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $2,820 per year vs. the national median. For anyone running the numbers, this is where it clicks.
Anchorage ranks #1 in Alaska for this analysis with a cost index of 97 and median income of $98,152.
Our cost of living index uses real Zillow rent data as the foundation, indexed to 100 (national median). Sub-categories (housing, food, transport, utilities, healthcare) are derived from the overall index with regional adjustments. Data is updated monthly.
City data is refreshed monthly from Census Bureau population estimates, Zillow rent and home price indices, BLS salary data, and Tax Foundation tax rates. Last updated: 2026.
The median 1-bedroom rent in Anchorage is $1,660/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $235 below the national median of $1,895/month.
The median home price in Anchorage is $405,601, which is 4.1× the local median income. It's on the edge of affordability for median-income households. The national median home price is $467,370.
Alaska has a 0% state income tax rate — one of the states with no income tax. Combined state and local sales tax averages 1.82%, and the effective property tax rate is 1.04%.
This ranking was generated using data current as of early 2026. Population and income data comes from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (5-year estimates). Rent and home price data is from Zillow's monthly releases. Tax rates are from the Tax Foundation's 2025 edition. Rankings are refreshed monthly.