Anchorage County · Alaska · West · 289k residents
Anchorage, AK: cost of living, taxes & quality of life
Residential facts for Anchorage: housing, taxes, monthly costs, climate, schools, and household income, with the Alaska median as the yardstick. Compare it live against any of 3,000 US cities.
Data coverage: Curated city row; coverage varies by fact.
The median home value in Anchorage is $380,000, 17% above the Alaska median. A two-bedroom rents for about $1,650/mo. Day-to-day costs index at 124 against a national baseline of 100. The median household here earns $90,000 a year.
What the numbers show
Source-confirmed findingsLimited coverage: This profile does not yet have enough source-confirmed local data for a city brief.
This profile does not yet have enough source-confirmed local data for a city brief.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 American Community Survey 5-year estimates(2024 ACS 5-year; tables B01003, B15003, B19013, B25077). Geography: Census place where available. This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
WhereToHQ calculates the comparisons. Figures are estimates for context, not a guarantee or personal financial advice. Read the methodology or send a correction.
What makes this place distinctive
A factual snapshot of the place, based on the profile data. It is not a tourism or cultural claim.
A northern gateway where urban life, Indigenous cultures, and vast wilderness begin at the edge of town.
Known for: Alaska Native heritage, mountains, wildlife, aviation, and access to the wild.
Calendar note: The Iditarod ceremonial start and Fur Rendezvous are signature traditions.
Story source: Visit Anchorage
- Scale: A large city with a quarter-million or more residents in the profile data.
- Setting: The profile places Anchorage about 1 miles from the nearest tracked ocean.
- Climate signal: The profile records 126 sunny days.
- Daily pace: The profile records a walk score of 32 and an average commute of 21 minutes.
WhereToHQ derives these signals from the committed city dataset. Read the methodology for coverage and source limits.
Compare Anchorage side by side
Cost of living index
124
Median home value
$380,000
2-bedroom rent
$1,650/mo
Median household income
$90,000
Housing momentum
How fast Anchorage's housing market is moving, ranked against the US cities we track.
77/100
Heating
Ranks Anchorage's home-price and rent growth against the US cities we cover. The label is relative pace, not a direction, so a market can rank low while some figures still rise. A higher score moves faster, it is not cheaper or better. Not investment or relocation advice.
Adjusted by Anchorage's cost-of-living index versus the US average.
| Median home value | $380,000 |
| Price per sq. ft. | $230 |
| Property tax rate | 1.35% |
| 1-bedroom rent | $1,300/mo |
| 2-bedroom rent | $1,650/mo |
| State & local income tax | 0% |
| Sales tax | 0% |
| Cost of living index | 124 |
| Groceries index | 122 |
| Utilities | $230/mo |
| Transit pass | $60/mo |
| Gas price | $3.55/gal |
| Healthcare index | 118 |
| Childcare (per child) | $1,300/mo |
| Median household income | $90,000 |
| Unemployment rate | 4.4% |
| Population | 289k |
| Crime index | 58/100 |
| School rating | 5.5/10 |
| Walkability | 32/100 |
| Disaster risk | 97/100 |
| Avg. commute | 21 min |
| Sunny days / year | 126 days |
| July high | 68°F |
| January low | 8°F |
| Annual snowfall | — |
| Home price YoY | +4.3% |
| Home price MoM | +0.4% |
| Rent YoY | +3.8% |
| Rent MoM | +0.3% |
| Ocean coast | < 3 mi |
| Big lake | 1583 mi |
| Mountains | 29 mi |
| Major airport | 5 mi |
| Ski resort | 31 mi |
Popular comparisons
Nearby
- Knik-Fairview, AK · 20k
- Fairbanks, AK · 32k
- Badger, AK · 19k
- Juneau, AK · 32k
Real listings in Anchorage
Homes on Zillow ↗Realtor.com ↗Rentals on Zillow ↗Apartments.com ↗
Links open third-party listing searches. WhereToHQ has no paid relationship with these sites.
- What is the cost of living in Anchorage, AK?
- Anchorage indexes at 124 for day-to-day costs against a national baseline of 100, with a typical two-bedroom renting for $1,650/mo and a median home value of $380,000.
- How much does a house cost in Anchorage?
- The median home value in Anchorage is $380,000, 17% above the Alaska median (compiled estimate; individual listings vary).
- How much is rent in Anchorage?
- A two-bedroom in Anchorage rents for about $1,650/mo.