State relocation profile · Federal data
Alaska
Alaska sits in the dearer third of BEA RPP states, rent, wages, safety, schools and childcare below.
- 102.4
- Cost index (US=100)
- $1,467
- 2BR rent / mo
- $79,598
- Median salary
- 47.5
- Life Score
The verdict
As of June 2026, Alaska ranks #34 of 51 scored US states on the composite Life Score (47.5/100, D), with its strongest marks in environment and schools.
- #34 of 51
- Life Score among scored states
- 47.5
- Life Score · D
- 102.4
- Cost of living (US=100)
- $79,598
- Median annual salary (BLS)
Weakest dimension: safety (0/100). State-level figures are a benchmark, individual metros can diverge sharply, so weigh each dimension against your own priorities.
According to PlainRelocate's state Life Score composite (BEA, BLS, HUD, FBI, NCES, DOL, and EPA inputs), Alaska ranks #34 of 51 scored US states by Life Score (highest score = #1). Cost-of-living index 102.4 (100 = national average), median 2-bedroom rent $1,467/mo, median salary $79,598; Life Score 47.5/100 (D), strongest in environment and schools.
Signature: Alaska lists 2 MSAs; the state average is closer to a single-labor-market read.
Purchasing power tightens: BEA RPP 102.4 lands in the dearer third of US states (cuts at 93.3 / 100.7). HUD 2BR Fair Market Rent averages $1,467/mo statewide, against a BLS median salary of $79,598.
Composite Life Score 47.5/100 (D) puts Alaska in the bottom third (#34 of 51).
Metro book is thin (2 MSAs); the statewide profile is closer to the labor market you will actually live in.
Life Score plate
Sheet AK · Alaska 47.5/100 · D · #34 of 51
LIFE-D · RANK-LOWER · PHOTO-FINISH · RPP-PAR · LEAD-ENVIRO · BOOK-FULL
- LIFE-D Life Score D
- RANK-LOWER #34/51
- PHOTO-FINISH ±0.2 pts
- RPP-PAR RPP 102.4
- LEAD-ENVIRO Lead · environment
- BOOK-FULL 7/7 dims
Nearest Life Score peer: Arizona (+ 0.2 pts)
Instrument codes from this state’s Life Score grade, corpus rank, peer gap, BEA RPP posture, lead dimension, and dimension book, not a moving recommendation.
Life Score neighbourhood around Alaska
Lowest/highest poles plus states nearest Alaska on composite Life Score. Full ladder: /rankings/.
Alaska childcare costs
DOL state-average center rates for Alaska (infant $15,925/yr leads the book).
Alaska Life Score breakdown
Alaska composites to 47.5/100 (D) across 7 of 7 dimensions; corpus place #34 of 51.
Alaska - Life Score dimensions
Percentile vs all US states (100 = best in the nation for that dimension)
- Environment
Environment
100 /100
- Schools
Schools
94 /100
- Wages
Wages
88 /100
- Rent 28
Rent
28 /100
- Cost of living 26
Cost of living
26 /100
- Childcare 11
Childcare
11 /100
- Safety 0
Safety
0 /100
What this shows Alaska's strongest dimensions are environment and schools; its weakest among scored dims is safety at 0/100. Each dimension is a federal-data percentile; the composite folds 7 of 7 into one comparable figure.
States near Alaska on cost or Life Score
Nearest neighbors to Alaska on BEA RPP or composite Life Score, a different lens than the in-state metro list below.
Similar cost of living (BEA RPP)
Metros in Alaska
Explore detailed relocation data for 2 metropolitan areas in Alaska. Alaska contains 2 metropolitan statistical areas in our dataset - Anchorage, Fairbanks-College - each with its own rent, wage and crime profile that can diverge sharply from the statewide average.
Anchorage metro · Compare metros · Cost vs quality · Methodology
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, HUD Fair Market Rents, BLS OES, FBI UCR, NCES, DOL, EPA June 2026
Alaska cost figures follow BEA Regional Price Parities and HUD Fair Market Rents; Alaska wages and safety follow BLS OEWS and FBI UCR. Research use only, verify at the agency source before you move.