Alaska
AK • West
Quality of Life Score
44.17
State Comparison
Alaska vs Arkansas
Arkansas is cheaper overall, while $100 goes further in Arkansas, Alaska has higher incomes, Alaska has lower state income tax, and Arkansas gets more sunshine.
Alaska
14
/ 31
metrics won
Score
VS
Arkansas
17
/ 31
metrics won
AR wins Housing
AR wins Quality of Life
AR wins Climate
AK wins Income
Quality of Life
Composite score — income, affordability, education, health, and safety.
Alaska
winner
vs
Arkansas
Alaska scores higher on quality of life — 2.10 points difference.
Overview
Key differences overview
These cards keep the comparison factual first, so the biggest tradeoffs in affordability, housing, taxes, politics, climate, and day-to-day living are easy to scan.
Overall Affordability
Arkansas is 38.2 points cheaper overall
Arkansas has the lower cost-of-living index. Arkansas is at 87.6, while Alaska is at 125.8.
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Real Dollar Value
$100 goes $15.61 further in Arkansas
After BEA price-level adjustments, $100 has about $113.40 of local buying power in Arkansas, versus $97.79 in Alaska.
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Income
Alaska income is 66.0% higher
Alaska has the higher median household income at $86,533, compared with $52,123 in Arkansas.
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Jobs
Alaska minimum wage is $2.00 higher
Alaska has the higher statewide minimum wage at $13.00/hr, compared with $11.00/hr in Arkansas.
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Housing
Alaska homes cost about 2.1x more
Arkansas has the lower median home value at $154,200, versus $316,400 in Alaska.
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Taxes
Alaska has lower state income tax
Alaska has the lower state income tax rate. Its top rate is 0.00%, compared with 4.40% in Arkansas.
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What's Your Salary Really Worth?
Enter your gross income to see real purchasing power and the cost-of-living equivalent in both states.
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Alaska
- Gross salary
- —
- State income tax (none)
- —
- After state tax
- —
- Real buying power (BEA RPP)
- —
Arkansas
- Gross salary
- —
- State income tax (top rate 4.4%)
- —
- After state tax
- —
- Real buying power (BEA RPP)
- —
Cost-of-Living Equivalent
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* "After state tax" uses the top marginal rate — actual effective rate is lower for most incomes. Real buying power uses BEA Regional Price Parity (102.7 for Alaska, 86.1 for Arkansas). COL equivalent uses the MERIC/C2ER composite index.
Tradeoffs
Pros and cons for each state
A fast scan of the biggest advantages and drawbacks pulled from affordability, housing, income, taxes, safety, health, education, jobs, and weather.
Alaska
At-a-glance strengths and tradeoffs
Pros: Alaska
- Alaska shows higher median income.
- Alaska health access/outcomes proxy is higher.
- Alaska education proxy is higher.
Cons
- Alaska has a higher overall cost of living.
- Alaska has a higher housing cost index.
- Alaska has higher median home values.
- Alaska has higher property tax rates on average.
- Alaska has a higher violent crime rate.
- Alaska job growth trend is weaker.
Arkansas
At-a-glance strengths and tradeoffs
Pros: Arkansas
- Arkansas has a lower overall cost of living.
- Arkansas has a lower housing cost index.
- Arkansas has lower median home values.
- Arkansas has lower property tax rates on average.
- Arkansas has a lower violent crime rate.
- Arkansas job growth trend is stronger.
Cons
- Arkansas shows lower median income.
- Arkansas health access/outcomes proxy is lower.
- Arkansas education proxy is lower.
Full Comparison
Pick a category to focus on. General shows the most important facts at a glance.
| Metric |
AK
|
AR
|
|---|---|---|
|
Capital City
|
Juneau | Little Rock |
|
State Color
|
Solid Red | Solid Red |
|
Population
|
733,391
|
3,011,524
|
|
Median Income
|
$86,533
|
$52,123
|
|
Cost of Living
|
125.8
|
87.6
|
|
Median Housing Value
|
$316,400
|
$154,200
|
|
Property Tax
|
1.11%
|
0.55%
|
|
State Income Tax
|
None (0%)
|
4.40%
|
|
Minimum Wage
|
$13.00/hr
|
$11.00/hr
|
|
Gas Price
|
$4.619/gal
|
$3.610/gal
|
|
Electricity Rates
|
25.52 c/kWh
|
12.35 c/kWh
|
|
Livability Score
|
44.17
|
42.07
|
|
Average Temperature
|
26.6°F
|
60.4°F
|
|
Sunny Days
|
61 days
|
123 days
|
|
Land Area
|
663,268 sq mi
|
53,179 sq mi
|
|
Population Density
|
1.1 per sq mi
|
56.6 per sq mi
|
|
Statehood
|
January 3, 1959 (#49)
|
June 15, 1836 (#25)
|
Intent-Oriented
Which state fits your priorities better?
Use these cards as decision shortcuts for common goals like saving money, buying a home, finding better weather, or optimizing for work and family life.
6
of
16
shown
Saving Money
Arkansas is cheaper overall
Overall cost-of-living index: 87.6 vs 125.8 in Alaska. On a national baseline of 100, the lower score usually means cheaper day-to-day expenses.
See full data
Gas Price
Arkansas is cheaper at the pump
Average regular gas price: $3.610/gal in Arkansas vs $4.619/gal in Alaska. Lower pump prices can cut everyday driving costs.
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Minimum Wage
Alaska has the higher minimum wage
State minimum wage: $13.00/hr in Alaska vs $11.00/hr in Arkansas. That matters most for hourly, entry-level, and part-time workers.
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Electricity Rates
Arkansas has cheaper electricity
Average residential electricity rate: 12.35 c/kWh in Arkansas vs 25.52 c/kWh in Alaska. Lower cents-per-kWh pricing can help keep utility bills down.
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Buying a Home
Arkansas is more attainable for buyers
Home-value-to-income ratio: 2.96x in Arkansas vs 3.66x in Alaska. A lower ratio means the median home is easier to afford on a median income.
See full data
Renting
Alaska is easier for renters
Rent-to-income ratio: 18.7% in Alaska vs 20.3% in Arkansas. A lower percentage means rent takes a smaller bite out of a typical household budget.
See full dataExplore by Category
Dive Deeper
Each link opens a full one-on-one breakdown for that metric — national rankings, charts, and context.
People Also Ask
Alaska vs Arkansas - Common Questions
Q Is Alaska cheaper to live in than Arkansas?
Arkansas has the lower cost of living. On the national index (100 = average), Arkansas scores 87.6 versus 125.8 for Alaska - a gap of 38.2 points.
Q Where does $100 go further - Alaska or Arkansas?
$100 goes further in Arkansas. After BEA regional price adjustments, $100 is worth about $113.40 in Arkansas, compared with $97.79 in Alaska.
Q Which state is bigger - Alaska or Arkansas?
Alaska is larger, covering 663,268 sq mi compared with 53,179 sq mi for Arkansas - roughly 12.5x the size.
Q Does Alaska or Arkansas have more people?
Arkansas has the larger population at 3,011,524, compared with 733,391 in Alaska.
Q Which state has higher household income - Alaska or Arkansas?
Alaska has the higher median household income at $86,533, versus $52,123 in Arkansas.
Q Which state has lower income taxes - Alaska or Arkansas?
Alaska has no state income tax, while Arkansas charges up to 4.40%.
Q Is housing cheaper in Alaska or Arkansas?
Homes are cheaper in Arkansas, where the median home value is $154,200, versus $316,400 in Alaska.
Q Which state is more densely populated - Alaska or Arkansas?
Arkansas is more densely populated at 56.6 per sq mi people per sq mi. Alaska is more spread out at 1.1 per sq mi people per sq mi.
Related Comparisons
Methodology
All figures are sourced from U.S. government datasets and updated annually. Page last updated: April 2026.
Core demographic data comes from the 2020 U.S. Census, with land area from U.S. Census Bureau TIGER files and statehood dates from the National Archives. Income, housing, affordability, and tax fields are maintained in our comparison dataset; purchasing-power figures use BEA Regional Price Parities. Minimum wage data comes from the U.S. Department of Labor, gas prices from AAA, and electricity rates from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Political control and election fields use 2024 presidential results together with National Conference of State Legislatures data. Gun-law labels use the Giffords scorecard, alcohol system data comes from NABCA, and marijuana status uses NCSL's state cannabis laws tracker. See our editorial policy for how we review and update these pages.