Alaska
AK • West
Quality of Life Score
44.17
State Comparison
Alaska vs Nevada
Nevada is cheaper overall, while $100 goes further in Nevada, Alaska has higher incomes, and Nevada gets more sunshine.
Alaska
14
/ 30
metrics won
Score
VS
Nevada
16
/ 30
metrics won
AK wins Housing
NV wins Quality of Life
NV wins Climate
NV wins Demographics
Quality of Life
Composite score — income, affordability, education, health, and safety.
Alaska
vs
Nevada
winner
Nevada scores higher on quality of life — 0.44 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
Nevada is 22.4 points cheaper overall
Nevada has the lower cost-of-living index. Nevada is at 103.4, while Alaska is at 125.8.
View detailed comparison
Real Dollar Value
$100 goes $6.72 further in Nevada
After BEA price-level adjustments, $100 has about $104.51 of local buying power in Nevada, versus $97.79 in Alaska.
View detailed comparison
Income
Alaska income is 19.7% higher
Alaska has the higher median household income at $86,533, compared with $72,281 in Nevada.
View detailed comparison
Jobs
Alaska minimum wage is $1.00 higher
Alaska has the higher statewide minimum wage at $13.00/hr, compared with $12.00/hr in Nevada.
View detailed comparison
Housing
Nevada homes cost about 1.2x more
Alaska has the lower median home value at $316,400, versus $381,600 in Nevada.
View detailed comparison
Taxes
Nevada has lower state income tax
Nevada has the lower state income tax rate. Its top rate is 0.00%, compared with 0.00% in Alaska.
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.
$
$10k$250k$500k
Alaska
- Gross salary
- —
- State income tax (none)
- —
- After state tax
- —
- Real buying power (BEA RPP)
- —
Nevada
- Gross salary
- —
- State income tax (none)
- —
- After state tax
- —
- Real buying power (BEA RPP)
- —
Cost-of-Living Equivalent
—
* "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, 101.2 for Nevada). 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 housing cost index.
- Alaska has lower median home values.
- Alaska shows higher median income.
- Alaska job growth trend is stronger.
- Alaska health coverage access proxy is stronger.
- Alaska education proxy is higher.
Cons
- Alaska has a higher overall cost of living.
- Alaska has higher property tax rates on average.
- Alaska has a higher violent crime rate.
- Alaska health access/outcomes proxy is lower.
- Alaska has fewer sunny days.
Nevada
At-a-glance strengths and tradeoffs
Pros: Nevada
- Nevada has a lower overall cost of living.
- Nevada has lower property tax rates on average.
- Nevada has a lower violent crime rate.
- Nevada health access/outcomes proxy is higher.
- Nevada has more sunny days.
Cons
- Nevada has a higher housing cost index.
- Nevada has higher median home values.
- Nevada shows lower median income.
- Nevada job growth trend is weaker.
- Nevada health coverage access proxy is weaker.
- Nevada education proxy is lower.
Full Comparison
Pick a category to focus on. General shows the most important facts at a glance.
| Metric |
AK
|
NV
|
|---|---|---|
|
Capital City
|
Juneau | Carson City |
|
State Color
|
Solid Red | Swing State |
|
Population
|
733,391
|
3,104,614
|
|
Median Income
|
$86,533
|
$72,281
|
|
Cost of Living
|
125.8
|
103.4
|
|
Median Housing Value
|
$316,400
|
$381,600
|
|
Property Tax
|
1.11%
|
0.47%
|
|
State Income Tax
|
None (0%) | None (0%) |
|
Minimum Wage
|
$13.00/hr
|
$12.00/hr
|
|
Gas Price
|
$4.619/gal
|
$5.005/gal
|
|
Electricity Rates
|
25.52 c/kWh
|
13.98 c/kWh
|
|
Livability Score
|
44.17
|
44.61
|
|
Average Temperature
|
26.6°F
|
49.9°F
|
|
Sunny Days
|
61 days
|
158 days
|
|
Land Area
|
663,268 sq mi
|
110,572 sq mi
|
|
Population Density
|
1.1 per sq mi
|
28.1 per sq mi
|
|
Statehood
|
January 3, 1959 (#49)
|
October 31, 1864 (#36)
|
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
Nevada is cheaper overall
Overall cost-of-living index: 103.4 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
Alaska is cheaper at the pump
Average regular gas price: $4.619/gal in Alaska vs $5.005/gal in Nevada. Lower pump prices can cut everyday driving costs.
See full data
Minimum Wage
Alaska has the higher minimum wage
State minimum wage: $13.00/hr in Alaska vs $12.00/hr in Nevada. That matters most for hourly, entry-level, and part-time workers.
See full data
Electricity Rates
Nevada has cheaper electricity
Average residential electricity rate: 13.98 c/kWh in Nevada vs 25.52 c/kWh in Alaska. 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 5.28x in Nevada. 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 22.0% in Nevada. 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 Nevada - Common Questions
Q Is Alaska cheaper to live in than Nevada?
Nevada has the lower cost of living. On the national index (100 = average), Nevada scores 103.4 versus 125.8 for Alaska - a gap of 22.4 points.
Q Where does $100 go further - Alaska or Nevada?
$100 goes further in Nevada. After BEA regional price adjustments, $100 is worth about $104.51 in Nevada, compared with $97.79 in Alaska.
Q Which state is bigger - Alaska or Nevada?
Alaska is larger, covering 663,268 sq mi compared with 110,572 sq mi for Nevada - roughly 6.0x the size.
Q Does Alaska or Nevada have more people?
Nevada has the larger population at 3,104,614, compared with 733,391 in Alaska.
Q Which state has higher household income - Alaska or Nevada?
Alaska has the higher median household income at $86,533, versus $72,281 in Nevada.
Q Is housing cheaper in Alaska or Nevada?
Homes are cheaper in Alaska, where the median home value is $316,400, versus $381,600 in Nevada.
Q Which state is more densely populated - Alaska or Nevada?
Nevada is more densely populated at 28.1 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.