Cost of Living in Alaska
What it costs to live in Alaska, how much tax you'll pay, and what common jobs keep after rent and everyday costs.
- Population
- 740,133
- Median household income
- $95,665
- State income tax
- None
- Cost of living (US = 100)
- 102.4
What a typical paycheck keeps in Alaska
The typical Alaska worker earns $61,000 (BLS). After taxes, a statewide 1-bedroom rent and everyday costs, $17,635 is left. Pick a city for local rents and pay.
- Typical salary
- $61,000
- Federal income tax
- −$5,140
- Payroll taxes
- −$4,667
- State income tax
- $0
- Rent, 1-bedroom
- −$14,244
- Everyday costs
- −$19,314
a year, or $1,470 a month
Pay: BLS OEWS statewide median. Rent: HUD FY2027, population-weighted across Alaska.
Cost of living in Alaska
Prices across Alaska run 2% above the US average (BEA, 2024).
- Housing6% below the US average
- Goods (food, clothing, cars)6% above the US average
- Utilities19% above the US average
- Other services (healthcare and more)2% above the US average
- All items2% above the US average
Monthly budget for one person
| Cost | Monthly | Yearly |
|---|---|---|
| Rent, 1-bedroom | $1,187 | $14,244 |
| Food | $525 | $6,300 |
| Transportation | $415 | $4,980 |
| Healthcare | $360 | $4,320 |
| Utilities | $310 | $3,720 |
| Total before taxes | $2,797 | $33,564 |
Rent is the statewide average of county fair market rents, weighted by population. City rents differ.
Alaska taxes
State income tax, single filer (2026)
Alaska doesn’t tax wages.
No individual income tax.
Taxes on the median household income
$95,665 of wages, one single filer (Census 2024 median).
| Federal income tax | −$12,216 |
| Payroll taxes | −$7,318 |
| State income tax | $0 |
| Effective tax rate | 20.4% |
Cities in Alaska
What a typical worker keeps after taxes, rent and everyday costs in each Alaska city we cover.
What common jobs keep in Alaska
The 15 jobs that keep the most: statewide median pay, and what's left after taxes, a statewide 1-bedroom rent and everyday costs.
| Job | Median pay | You keep |
|---|---|---|
| Dentist | $230,990 | $137,144 |
| Pharmacist | $167,310 | $92,065 |
| Nurse practitioner | $155,170 | $83,766 |
| Physician assistant | $150,700 | $80,711 |
| Lawyer | $149,940 | $80,192 |
| Dental hygienist | $132,690 | $68,401 |
| Mechanical engineer | $124,340 | $62,694 |
| Physical therapist | $115,280 | $56,371 |
| Civil engineer | $114,730 | $55,984 |
| Registered nurse | $109,480 | $52,291 |
| Occupational therapist | $103,680 | $48,210 |
| Speech-language pathologist | $102,670 | $47,501 |
| Financial analyst | $102,240 | $47,198 |
| Project manager | $99,580 | $45,326 |
| Police officer | $99,130 | $45,010 |
Salary pages in Alaska, A–Z
Pay range, what’s kept and the best cities for each job.
- Accountant
- Auto mechanic
- Carpenter
- Civil engineer
- Data scientist
- Dental assistant
- Dental hygienist
- Dentist
- Diesel mechanic
- Electrician
- Financial analyst
- Firefighter
- HVAC technician
- Lawyer
- Licensed practical nurse
- Lineman
- Mechanical engineer
- Medical assistant
- Nurse practitioner
- Nursing assistant
- Occupational therapist
- Paralegal
- Paramedic
- Pharmacist
- Pharmacy technician
- Physical therapist
- Physician assistant
- Plumber
- Police officer
- Project manager
- Radiologic technologist
- Registered nurse
- Respiratory therapist
- Social worker
- Speech-language pathologist
- Teacher
- Truck driver
- Welder
Top-paying jobs in Alaska
Median pay, jobs with at least 1,000 workers (BLS OEWS). Linked jobs have a salary page.
| Job | Median pay |
|---|---|
| Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers | $232,140 |
| Lawyers | $149,940 |
| Construction Managers | $139,190 |
| Medical and Health Services Managers | $132,240 |
| Managers, All Other | $127,950 |
| Financial Managers | $127,030 |
| General and Operations Managers | $116,630 |
| Civil Engineers | $114,730 |
| Registered Nurses | $109,480 |
| Service Unit Operators, Oil and Gas | $106,480 |
| Administrative Services Managers | $106,400 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers | $102,140 |
| Commercial Pilots | $100,120 |
| Project Management Specialists | $99,580 |
| Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $99,130 |
Living in Alaska
Alaska against the US (Census Bureau, ACS 2024).
| Measure | Alaska | US |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $376,500 | $360,600 |
| Median rent paid | $1,444 | $1,487 |
| Unemployment rate | 6% | 4.6% |
| Living below the poverty line | 10.2% | 12.2% |
| Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher | 32.8% | 36.9% |
| Average commute, one way | 19.8 minutes | 27.2 minutes |
| Working from home | 8.4% | 13.3% |
Nearest states on the mainland
Compare Alaska with another state or city: what a job keeps in each, side by side.
Questions people ask
What is the cost of living in Alaska?
Prices in Alaska are 2% above the US average (BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024). The statewide fair market rent for a 1-bedroom is $1,187 a month (HUD, FY2027), and everyday costs for one person come to about $1,610 a month.
Does Alaska have a state income tax?
No. Alaska doesn't tax wages. Workers still pay federal income tax and payroll taxes.
How much do you need to earn to live in Alaska?
A single person renting a 1-bedroom at the statewide fair market rent needs about $39,100 a year before tax to cover taxes, rent and everyday costs. The typical worker in Alaska earns $61,000 and keeps $17,635 after those costs.
Where in Alaska does a paycheck go furthest?
Of the Alaska cities we cover, a typical worker keeps the most in Anchorage ($15,948 a year after taxes, rent and everyday costs) and the least in Fairbanks ($12,060).
What jobs pay the most in Alaska?
Among jobs with at least 1,000 workers, the highest median pay in Alaska goes to Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers ($232,140); Lawyers ($149,940); Construction Managers ($139,190) (BLS OEWS).
Sources and method
Everyday costs: BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey 2024 (one-person households) × CPI-U to August 2026 × BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. Taxes assume a single filer with the standard deduction and wage income only.
- Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates
- BLS OEWS May 2025, state estimates
- HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2027
- BLS Consumer Expenditure Surveys 2024, Table 1400 (size of consumer unit)
- BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI-U)
- BEA Regional Price Parities by state, 2024
Data compiled October 13, 2026. How we calculate