Alaska
AK • West
Quality of Life Score
44.17
State Comparison
Alaska vs New Mexico
New Mexico is cheaper overall, while $100 goes further in New Mexico, Alaska has higher incomes, Alaska has lower state income tax, and New Mexico gets more sunshine.
Alaska
14
/ 31
metrics won
Score
VS
New Mexico
17
/ 31
metrics won
NM wins Housing
NM wins Quality of Life
NM wins Climate
AK wins Income
Quality of Life
Composite score — income, affordability, education, health, and safety.
Alaska
winner
vs
New Mexico
Alaska scores higher on quality of life — 4.49 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
New Mexico is 32.7 points cheaper overall
New Mexico has the lower cost-of-living index. New Mexico is at 93.1, while Alaska is at 125.8.
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Real Dollar Value
$100 goes $8.73 further in New Mexico
After BEA price-level adjustments, $100 has about $106.52 of local buying power in New Mexico, versus $97.79 in Alaska.
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Income
Alaska income is 51.1% higher
Alaska has the higher median household income at $86,533, compared with $57,287 in New Mexico.
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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 New Mexico.
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Housing
Alaska homes cost about 1.4x more
New Mexico has the lower median home value at $233,200, 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 5.90% in New Mexico.
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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)
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- After state tax
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- Real buying power (BEA RPP)
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New Mexico
- Gross salary
- —
- State income tax (top rate 5.9%)
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- After state tax
- —
- Real buying power (BEA RPP)
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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, 92.0 for New Mexico). 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 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 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.
- Alaska health coverage access proxy is weaker.
New Mexico
At-a-glance strengths and tradeoffs
Pros: New Mexico
- New Mexico has a lower overall cost of living.
- New Mexico has lower median home values.
- New Mexico has lower property tax rates on average.
- New Mexico has a lower violent crime rate.
- New Mexico job growth trend is stronger.
- New Mexico health coverage access proxy is stronger.
Cons
- New Mexico has a higher housing cost index.
- New Mexico shows lower median income.
- New Mexico health access/outcomes proxy is lower.
- New Mexico education proxy is lower.
Full Comparison
Pick a category to focus on. General shows the most important facts at a glance.
| Metric |
AK
|
NM
|
|---|---|---|
|
Capital City
|
Juneau | Santa Fe |
|
State Color
|
Solid Red | Solid Blue |
|
Population
|
733,391
|
2,117,522
|
|
Median Income
|
$86,533
|
$57,287
|
|
Cost of Living
|
125.8
|
93.1
|
|
Median Housing Value
|
$316,400
|
$233,200
|
|
Property Tax
|
1.11%
|
0.70%
|
|
State Income Tax
|
None (0%)
|
5.90%
|
|
Minimum Wage
|
$13.00/hr
|
$12.00/hr
|
|
Gas Price
|
$4.619/gal
|
$4.013/gal
|
|
Electricity Rates
|
25.52 c/kWh
|
14.70 c/kWh
|
|
Livability Score
|
44.17
|
39.68
|
|
Average Temperature
|
26.6°F
|
53.4°F
|
|
Sunny Days
|
61 days
|
167 days
|
|
Land Area
|
663,268 sq mi
|
121,590 sq mi
|
|
Population Density
|
1.1 per sq mi
|
17.4 per sq mi
|
|
Statehood
|
January 3, 1959 (#49)
|
January 6, 1912 (#47)
|
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
New Mexico is cheaper overall
Overall cost-of-living index: 93.1 vs 125.8 in Alaska. On a national baseline of 100, the lower score usually means cheaper day-to-day expenses.
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Gas Price
New Mexico is cheaper at the pump
Average regular gas price: $4.013/gal in New Mexico 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 $12.00/hr in New Mexico. That matters most for hourly, entry-level, and part-time workers.
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Electricity Rates
New Mexico has cheaper electricity
Average residential electricity rate: 14.70 c/kWh in New Mexico 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
Alaska is more attainable for buyers
Home-value-to-income ratio: 3.66x in Alaska vs 4.07x in New Mexico. A lower ratio means the median home is easier to afford on a median income.
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Renting
Alaska is easier for renters
Rent-to-income ratio: 18.7% in Alaska vs 20.2% in New Mexico. 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
New Mexico has a larger population than Alaska by 1,384,131 people.
Population Density
New Mexico is more densely populated than Alaska.
Bachelor's Degree
Alaska has a higher college-educated share than New Mexico.
Advanced Degree
New Mexico has a higher advanced-degree share than Alaska.
People Also Ask
Alaska vs New Mexico - Common Questions
Q Is Alaska cheaper to live in than New Mexico?
New Mexico has the lower cost of living. On the national index (100 = average), New Mexico scores 93.1 versus 125.8 for Alaska - a gap of 32.7 points.
Q Where does $100 go further - Alaska or New Mexico?
$100 goes further in New Mexico. After BEA regional price adjustments, $100 is worth about $106.52 in New Mexico, compared with $97.79 in Alaska.
Q Which state is bigger - Alaska or New Mexico?
Alaska is larger, covering 663,268 sq mi compared with 121,590 sq mi for New Mexico - roughly 5.5x the size.
Q Does Alaska or New Mexico have more people?
New Mexico has the larger population at 2,117,522, compared with 733,391 in Alaska.
Q Which state has higher household income - Alaska or New Mexico?
Alaska has the higher median household income at $86,533, versus $57,287 in New Mexico.
Q Which state has lower income taxes - Alaska or New Mexico?
Alaska has no state income tax, while New Mexico charges up to 5.90%.
Q Is housing cheaper in Alaska or New Mexico?
Homes are cheaper in New Mexico, where the median home value is $233,200, versus $316,400 in Alaska.
Q Which state is more densely populated - Alaska or New Mexico?
New Mexico is more densely populated at 17.4 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.