Quality of Life Score
44.17
State Comparison
Alaska vs California
Alaska is cheaper overall, while $100 goes further in Alaska, Alaska has higher incomes, Alaska has lower state income tax, and California gets more sunshine.
Alaska
17
/ 31
metrics won
Score
VS
California
14
/ 31
metrics won
AK wins Housing
AK wins Quality of Life
CA wins Climate
AK wins Income
Quality of Life
Composite score — income, affordability, education, health, and safety.
Alaska
vs
California
winner
California scores higher on quality of life — 6.32 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
Alaska is 12.7 points cheaper overall
Alaska has the lower cost-of-living index. Alaska is at 125.8, while California is at 138.5.
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Real Dollar Value
$100 goes $5.48 further in Alaska
After BEA price-level adjustments, $100 has about $97.79 of local buying power in Alaska, versus $92.31 in California.
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Income
Alaska income is 2.9% higher
Alaska has the higher median household income at $86,533, compared with $84,097 in California.
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Jobs
California minimum wage is $3.50 higher
California has the higher statewide minimum wage at $16.50/hr, compared with $13.00/hr in Alaska.
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Housing
California homes cost about 2.2x more
Alaska has the lower median home value at $316,400, versus $693,700 in California.
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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 13.30% in California.
View detailed comparisonTake-Home Calculator
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)
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California
- Gross salary
- —
- State income tax (top rate 13.3%)
- —
- 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, 113.4 for California). 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 has a lower overall cost of living.
- Alaska has a lower housing cost index.
- Alaska has lower median home values.
- Alaska shows higher median income.
Cons
- Alaska has higher property tax rates on average.
- Alaska has a higher violent crime rate.
- Alaska job growth trend is weaker.
- Alaska health access/outcomes proxy is lower.
- Alaska health coverage access proxy is weaker.
- Alaska education proxy is lower.
California
At-a-glance strengths and tradeoffs
Pros: California
- California has lower property tax rates on average.
- California has a lower violent crime rate.
- California job growth trend is stronger.
- California health access/outcomes proxy is higher.
- California health coverage access proxy is stronger.
- California education proxy is higher.
Cons
- California has a higher overall cost of living.
- California has a higher housing cost index.
- California has higher median home values.
- California shows lower median income.
Full Comparison
Pick a category to focus on. General shows the most important facts at a glance.
| Metric |
AK
|
CA
|
|---|---|---|
|
Capital City
|
Juneau | Sacramento |
|
State Color
|
Solid Red | Solid Blue |
|
Population
|
733,391
|
39,538,223
|
|
Median Income
|
$86,533
|
$84,097
|
|
Cost of Living
|
125.8
|
138.5
|
|
Median Housing Value
|
$316,400
|
$693,700
|
|
Property Tax
|
1.11%
|
0.70%
|
|
State Income Tax
|
None (0%)
|
13.30%
|
|
Minimum Wage
|
$13.00/hr
|
$16.50/hr
|
|
Gas Price
|
$4.619/gal
|
$5.929/gal
|
|
Electricity Rates
|
25.52 c/kWh
|
30.29 c/kWh
|
|
Livability Score
|
44.17
|
50.49
|
|
Average Temperature
|
26.6°F
|
59.4°F
|
|
Sunny Days
|
61 days
|
146 days
|
|
Land Area
|
663,268 sq mi
|
163,696 sq mi
|
|
Population Density
|
1.1 per sq mi
|
241.5 per sq mi
|
|
Statehood
|
January 3, 1959 (#49)
|
September 9, 1850 (#31)
|
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
17
shown
Saving Money
Alaska is cheaper overall
Overall cost-of-living index: 125.8 vs 138.5 in California. On a national baseline of 100, the lower score usually means cheaper day-to-day expenses.
See full data
Gas Price
Alaska is cheaper at the pump
Average regular gas price: $4.619/gal in Alaska vs $5.929/gal in California. Lower pump prices can cut everyday driving costs.
See full data
Minimum Wage
California has the higher minimum wage
State minimum wage: $16.50/hr in California vs $13.00/hr in Alaska. That matters most for hourly, entry-level, and part-time workers.
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Electricity Rates
Alaska has cheaper electricity
Average residential electricity rate: 25.52 c/kWh in Alaska vs 30.29 c/kWh in California. Lower cents-per-kWh pricing can help keep utility bills down.
See full data
Buying a Home
Alaska is more attainable for buyers
Home-value-to-income ratio: 3.66x in Alaska vs 8.25x in California. 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 26.5% in California. 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.
Population
California has a larger population than Alaska by 38,804,832 people.
Population Density
California is more densely populated than Alaska.
Bachelor's Degree
California has a higher college-educated share than Alaska.
Advanced Degree
California has a higher advanced-degree share than Alaska.
People Also Ask
Alaska vs California - Common Questions
Q Is Alaska cheaper to live in than California?
Alaska has the lower cost of living. On the national index (100 = average), Alaska scores 125.8 versus 138.5 for California - a gap of 12.7 points.
Q Where does $100 go further - Alaska or California?
$100 goes further in Alaska. After BEA regional price adjustments, $100 is worth about $97.79 in Alaska, compared with $92.31 in California.
Q Which state is bigger - Alaska or California?
Alaska is larger, covering 663,268 sq mi compared with 163,696 sq mi for California - roughly 4.1x the size.
Q Does Alaska or California have more people?
California has the larger population at 39,538,223, compared with 733,391 in Alaska.
Q Which state has higher household income - Alaska or California?
Alaska has the higher median household income at $86,533, versus $84,097 in California.
Q Which state has lower income taxes - Alaska or California?
Alaska has no state income tax, while California charges up to 13.30%.
Q Is housing cheaper in Alaska or California?
Homes are cheaper in Alaska, where the median home value is $316,400, versus $693,700 in California.
Q Which state is more densely populated - Alaska or California?
California is more densely populated at 241.5 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.