Overall
Alaska feels cheaper overall
Alaska has the lower cost-of-living index, beating Massachusetts by 23.0 points on the overall affordability baseline.
View detailed comparison
Cost of Living Comparison
Quality of Life
Alaska vs Massachusetts: Cost of Living
Alaska is cheaper overall by 23.0 cost-of-living points, but Alaska has no state income tax, but Alaska has lower median home values.
Alaska
AK • West
125.8
Composite cost of living index (100 = national average). Lower = more affordable.
Massachusetts
MA • Northeast
148.8
Composite cost of living index (100 = national average). Lower = more affordable.
Visual Comparison
Alaska
125.8
Massachusetts
148.8
Difference: 23.0 points — Alaska leads.
Overview
A fast-reading view of the tradeoffs behind the raw cost numbers.
Living Costs
Housing
pay about 1.6x more for a home
Alaska has the lower median home value, while buying in Massachusetts costs materially more at the median.
View detailed comparisonRent Pressure
Alaska puts less pressure on a median paycheck
Median rent takes a smaller share of household income in Alaska than in Massachusetts, which makes monthly budgeting easier.
View detailed comparisonTaxes
Alaska has no state income tax
Alaska gives residents a cleaner paycheck-level tax advantage, while Massachusetts still taxes income at the state level.
View detailed comparisonCost Stack
Alaska
Overall Affordability
Cost of living index
125.8
Regional price parity
102.7
Regular gas price
$4.619/gal
Electricity price
25.52 c/kWh
Housing
Median gross rent
$1,352/mo
Median home value
$316,400
Owner costs with mortgage
-
Owner costs without mortgage
-
Taxes
State income tax
None (0%)
State sales tax
None (0%)
Property tax
1.11%
Income
Median household income
$86,533
Income after median rent
$5,859
Minimum wage
$13.00/hr
Laws
Gun laws
Permissive
Alcohol system
License State
Marijuana status
Legal
Massachusetts
Overall Affordability
Cost of living index
148.8
Regional price parity
110.4
Regular gas price
$3.933/gal
Electricity price
31.16 c/kWh
Housing
Median gross rent
$1,678/mo
Median home value
$510,400
Owner costs with mortgage
-
Owner costs without mortgage
-
Taxes
State income tax
5.00%
State sales tax
6.25%
Property tax
1.07%
Income
Median household income
$96,505
Income after median rent
$6,364
Minimum wage
$15.00/hr
Laws
Gun laws
Restrictive
Alcohol system
License State
Marijuana status
Legal
What Stands Out
- Alaska has lower median home values.
- Alaska has no state income tax.
- Alaska has the lower overall cost index.
- Massachusetts has the higher median household income.
Affordability Ratios
Related Pages
What This Means
Alaska vs Massachusetts: Cost of Living in context
Alaska has a cost of living of 125.8, compared with 148.8 in Massachusetts. Composite cost of living index (100 = national average). Lower = more affordable.
Alaska
125.8
Massachusetts
148.8
Difference
23.0 points
People Also Ask
Alaska vs Massachusetts Cost of Living — Common Questions
Q What is Alaska's cost of living?
Alaska's cost of living is 125.8.
Q What is Massachusetts's cost of living?
Massachusetts's cost of living is 148.8.
Q Which state has a lower cost of living — Alaska or Massachusetts?
Alaska is cheaper overall by 23.0 cost-of-living points, but Alaska has no state income tax, but Alaska has lower median home values.
More Comparisons: Alaska vs Massachusetts
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Sources: Core demographic data comes from the 2020 U.S. Census, with land area from U.S. Census Bureau TIGER files. Income, housing, affordability, and tax fields are maintained in our comparison dataset, with minimum wage data 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.