Median rent is 9% lower in Houston ($1,361/mo vs $1,489/mo). Buying is cheaper in Houston, where the median home runs $277,800 versus $395,900. Households earn more in Anchorage ($103,284 vs $64,813 a year).
City A
Anchorage, AK
City B
Houston, TX
How much would you need to earn in Houston, TX to maintain your standard of living from Anchorage, AK?
A cost-of-living index isn't available for one of these cities yet, so we can't compute an equivalent salary.
Based on BEA Regional Price Parity (cost index) for each metro area. This estimates overall purchasing power; it does not account for taxes or take-home pay differences.
Metric
Anchorage
Alaska
Houston
Texas
Population
Median Household Income
Annual
Median Gross Rent
Per month
Median Home Value
Cost of Living Index
US avg = 100
1BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
2BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
3BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
Air Quality Index
Lower = cleaner
Top State Income Tax
Top marginal rate
State Sales Tax
Statewide base rate
Median Age
Years
✓ = better value · Sources: Census ACS, BEA, HUD Fair Market Rents, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation
Median rent is modestly lower in Houston at $1,361/mo compared to $1,489/mo in Anchorage (9% gap). Home buyers face a steeper market in Anchorage: the median home is $395,900 versus $277,800 in Houston — 30% more expensive.
1BR Fair Market Rent
2BR Fair Market Rent
BLS OEWS 2023 — metro-level data
State tax data is not yet available for these cities.
Anchorage
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Houston
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Anchorage has cleaner air on average: 6.0 AQI (Good) compared to 59.0 AQI (Moderate) in the other city. Lower AQI means cleaner, healthier air.
Pick Anchorage if you prioritize higher median household income ($103,284/yr).
Pick Anchorage if you prioritize cleaner air quality (avg AQI 6.0).
Is Anchorage cheaper than Houston?
Cost of living index data is not yet available for one or both cities.
How much is rent in Anchorage vs Houston?
Median rent is $1,489/mo in Anchorage, AK and $1,361/mo in Houston, TX. Houston, TX has the lower rent by about 9%.
Which has higher salaries — Anchorage or Houston?
Median household income is $103,284 in Anchorage, AK and $64,813 in Houston, TX. Anchorage, AK has the higher median income. Note that BLS occupational wages in the table above show wages for specific jobs.
Which city has better air quality?
Anchorage, AK has better air quality on average: 6.0 AQI versus 59.0 AQI. Both are EPA AirNow annual averages; lower is better.
Which has lower taxes — Anchorage or Houston?
State tax data is not yet available for one or both cities.
What salary do I need in Houston to match my Anchorage income?
RPP data needed for salary equivalence calculation is not yet available.
Data last updated: December 1, 2026 · Sources: US Census ACS, BEA RPP, BLS OEWS, HUD FMR, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation · Methodology
